LCMS Calendar

Church Worker Appreciation – Pastor
2024-10-13
October historically has been the Synod’s designated month for showing appreciation to our church workers, who serve us in a multitude of ways as they preach, teach and care for God’s people in body and soul.
In 2024–2025, we have planned a year’s worth of observances to highlight the many different kinds of workers who serve the church and to give thanks for all of them and the indispensable and sacrificial work that they do:

Oct. 13 — Pastor Appreciation

Oct. 25 — Deaconess, Director of Family Life Ministry, Director of Christian Outreach, and Director of Church Ministries Appreciation

April 28 — Director of Parish Music Appreciation

May 5–9 — Teacher Appreciation

June 26 — Director of Christian Education Appreciation

On Oct. 13, we will begin our year of church worker appreciation by thanking God for our pastors, who stand in the stead of Christ as they bring us His gifts of Word and Sacrament.
The LCMS offers suggestions and resources to show your gratitude and support for pastors.
View resources

LCMS Worker Wellness

lcms.org/worker-wellness
workerwellness@lcms.org

Set Apart to Serve — LCMS church work recruitment initiative

lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve

setapart2serve@lcms.org

Church Worker Appreciation - Deaconess, Director of Family Life Ministry, Director of Christian Outreach, Director of Church Ministries
2024-10-25
October historically has been the Synod’s designated month for showing appreciation to our church workers, who serve us in a multitude of ways as they preach, teach and care for God’s people in body and soul.
In 2024–2025, we have planned a year’s worth of observances to highlight the many different kinds of workers who serve the church and to give thanks for all of them and the indispensable and sacrificial work that they do:

Oct. 13 — Pastor Appreciation

Oct. 25 — Deaconess, Director of Family Life Ministry, Director of Christian Outreach, and Director of Church Ministries Appreciation

April 28 — Director of Parish Music Appreciation

May 5–9 — Teacher Appreciation

June 26 — Director of Christian Education Appreciation

On Oct. 25, we will continue our year of church worker appreciation observances by thanking God for four commissioned (auxiliary) offices that support the work of the Holy Ministry: deaconess, director of family life, director of Christian outreach and director of church ministries.
The LCMS offers suggestions and resources to show your gratitude and support for your church workers.
View resources

LCMS Worker Wellness

lcms.org/worker-wellness
workerwellness@lcms.org

Set Apart to Serve — LCMS church work recruitment initiative

lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve

setapart2serve@lcms.org

Reformation Day
2024-10-31
Reformation Day is commemorated on Oct. 31 each year. LCMS congregations may hold special services on Oct. 31 and/or on the preceding or following Sunday.
To attend a service, visit locator.lcms.org/church to find a local Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod congregation. Enter your zip code and click “Search” to see a list of area churches, service times, and contact information.
If you are homebound, traveling, or otherwise unable to attend a service in person, KFUO Radio airs worship services throughout the church year. Visit KFUO.org to view the schedule and listen to services.
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About the Protestant Reformation
More than 500 years ago, the Protestant Reformation brought the church’s focus back to God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.
On Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses — the “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” — to the church door in a small city called Wittenberg, Germany. This event ignited the Protestant Reformation, and thus the Lutheran church officially commemorates this important anniversary on Oct. 31.
As you and your congregation prepare to celebrate this year, you are invited to use a variety of resources that highlight the history, theology, and continued effects of the Reformation today.
The Reformation was, first and foremost, all about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was then, and it still is now. The task of reformation never ends. Every person, in every generation, needs to hear the Good News of their Savior from sin and eternal death.
View Reformation resources

Liturgical color for Reformation Day
The altar will be adorned with the festive color of red.

Three-Year Series and One-Year Series
Scripture readings

Psalm 46

Revelation 14:6–7

Romans 3:19–28

John 8:31–36 or Matthew 11:12–19

Lectionary summary
The Son of God Has Set Us Free from Sin and Death by His Grace
“Wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Matt. 11:19), and the true Wisdom of God, Christ Jesus, the incarnate Son, has justified us by His deeds. He prepares His way by the preaching of repentance, but He has suffered the violence of the Law and voluntarily handed Himself over to violent men, that we might eat and drink with Him in His Kingdom and “remain in the house forever” (John 8:35). He is “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matt. 11:18–19), and He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Rev. 14:6), “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law” (Rom. 3:21), “that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). And by the hearing of that Gospel of Christ Jesus, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:25), “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).

LCMS Worship

lcms.org/worship

Worship planning resources

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