Reformation Daze 2002

Luther's German Mass (in English) & Guest Choir

Reformation Daze, a week of celebration at the Luteran Campus Ministry at WVU, kicked off this year on Reformation Sunday with a 7:00 PM offering of Luther's 1526 German Mass.  While execution of the liturgy was in English,  the form, hymns, and style all followed Luther's Reformation era instructions.  The asembly was blessed by the guest appearance of the choir of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Morgantown, WV.

Social Hour & Compline

Following the evening worship service, several gather for fellowship and refreshment in the undercroft of the chapel.  Compline, our final prayer service of the day closed the day.

Theology on Tap: Table Talk (Monday)

The regularly scheduled Theology on Tap was held in the Side Pocket Pub, Mountainlair, Monday, 9:30 PM.  This was a very appropriate way to the celebrate the German Reformation in that it so closely resembled evenings spent by students and friends at Luther's house where food, drink, and theology were regular fare.  To mark the week, Chaplain Riegel read excerpts from Luther's Table Talk, a collection of Luther's wisdom and whit shared at that table nearly 500 years ago.  Those gathered questioned and debated the sayings.

Film Night at Ian's (Tuesday)

Luther referred to the human creature as maggot fodder.  So, why not watch Lord of the Flies?  This classic tale was aired on  Tuesday night at Ian's House of Wonders.

Luther Colloquium: Finland, Finland, Finland... (Wednesday)

Gettysburg Seminary's annual Luther Colloquium featured two internationally recognized scholars from Finland and one from the USA.  Sponsored by the Institute for Luther Studies of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, the Luther Colloquium has been a favorite of both professional and amateur theologians and historians for decades.  As in previous years, Chaplain Riegel offered free transportation to anyone interested in attending.  For more on the Luther Colloquium, click here.

The Wurst Dinner on Campus (Thursday)

No, no, the food wasn't bad; it was just wurst--brautwurst and knockwurst--cooked up by the Exec of the Lutheran Student Movement under the supersvision of Environmentalist-Grill Master Matt Losh.

Reformation Day Mass (Thursday)

The regularly scheduled Thursday night mass was held at 9:00 PM.  Once again, Luther's 95 Theses somehow appeared in Newman Hall, this time, immediately beneath a picture of John  Paul II.

All Saints' Day Mass (Friday)

A special mass was held at the HSC Chapel on Friday,12:00 N.

All Souls' Day at the FCI (Saturday)

Unfortunately, an administrative snafu forced the cancellation of the scheduled mass at the Robert F. Kennedy Federal Corrections Institution, Morgantown.  Chaplain Riegel was approached by FCI pastoral care staff about providing monthly communion services at the prison.

All Souls' Day does not appear in the ELCA calendar, but it does appear in the LCMS calendar under the name "Commemoration of the Faithful Departed."

All Saints' Sunday (Sunday)

Reformation Daze 2002 concluded with mass and compline on All Saints' Sunday.  Preaching on the assigned text from Revelation, Chaplain Riegel spoke of the trans-historical qualities of Holy Communion as antidote for the grief of bereavement.  One student commented that she wished several others could have been present to hear the sermon; one of our students had died only a fortnight before.

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