Reformation Day 2011 Review

Note: Photos below!

Almost 400 people from all over the United States gathered in Morton, Illinois this past October to celebrate God’s work during the Reformation. The focus of the 2011 Reformation Day Faire was the historical events that led up to the development of the Westminster Standards, arguably the best collection of Christian doctrinal statements ever produced. We were edified by the historical presentations of noted historian Bill Potter and Pastor Marcus Serven, discussing notable figures such as King Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, and Samuel Rutherford, among many others. And, we had a guest visit from Puritan preacher Thomas Manton (portrayed by Pastor James McDonald), telling us the story of one of the martyrs of the day, Rev. Christopher Love.

In addition to the great speeches and presentations, we were blessed by the musical talent of Nathan Clark George, who encouraged us with many psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Then there was the town square, the Highland Games, the Boffer war, and the historical ball! Topping it all off was the fellowship – and the food!

Here are some of the comments from those who attended the event…

“Meals are definitely one of Providence’s strong points; the food was excellent.”

 

“Our family loves this event every year! Your church is extremely caring, loving, outgoing, and hospitable – from those in front to those behind the scenes! You all have servant’s hearts!”

 

“On the way home, I asked all of my family, starting with the oldest, what their favorite part of the weekend was. And I was a little surprised, Pastor McDonald’s monologue for several of them, and Bill Potters’ Scottish Commissioners for my 11 year old son. They liked the presentations over the games!”

 

“Very informational and organized. The book tables were good. Speakers, music and topics were exceptional!”

 

“Both years that we have come, the Sunday morning worship service has been a great blessing. The entire weekend is a wonderful facilitation of worship to the Creator. All of the presentations were informative and instructive. We love getting to know other brothers and sisters in Christ. We also loved that there was more music this year.”

 

“The graciousness of your church family to host something like this in the way you did speaks volumes about who you are as a congregation. At least for this family, we understood how much work it took to put on this function. Thank-you!”

 

“I enjoyed that there was time for fellowship along with the wonderful opportunities to learn in the talks. I especially loved the content and depth of the talks. The men you have presenting the talks are engaging, well-studied, godly, and I so appreciate the messages they gave. The children loved the town square. Great idea to give them hands on activities. The dinner was lovely.”

 

“We will put this on our calendar for next year!!!”

Speaking of next year, our Reformation Day Faire in 2012 will be held October 19-21, 2012. The focus will be the Reformation and the New World. Our speakers will be Stephen McDowell of the Providence Foundation, Dr. Phil Kayser of Biblical Blueprints, and Pastor James McDonald of Providence Church. Our musical talent will be the nationally recognized bluegrass trio, the Wintons! If you would like to be notified when the registration is open, join the Providence email list by submitting your email in the box in the upper right of this page.

And, enjoy the photos from this year’s event below!