This year marks a significant anniversary in the history of the Christian church and in the history of the German people. Five hundred years ago, on Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church, sparking what became known as the Reformation. Numerous churches emerged from that movement, including Anglicans, Presbyterians, a variety of Calvinistic denominations, and of course, Lutherans. Germany became a hotbed of reformed thinking, and religious fervor ran high. Now, five centuries later, Germany, like many of the European nations has grown cold and hard toward the Gospel. Our partners in ministry, Ted and Becky Fletchall, have been laboring to establish churches in Germany. They are presently working at Ingelheim am Rhein (near Frankfurt). We are delighted to welcome Ted to our church and our pulpit this morning.