Centennial Drama
with
Pierre Burns as Luther
Saturday, October 29, 2005

     “It took a hundred years to get here,” Pastor Dave of Zion Lutheran Church said, “and there have been well over 500 members we’ve been able to document among the faithful over the years for this little church.” Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill began December 18, 1905, with 16 charter members, after people had been gathered together periodically by pastors from Thorsby beginning in 1896 or 1897. It took another 10 years (1915) before a church would be built, the existing sanctuary building located at 4th Avenue and 7th Street, a block off Highway 104 in Silverhill. The church used the Swedish language during its services, up until 1920 or so. An English version of the old Augustana Synod liturgy has been resurrected for the Centennial Celebration, October 29 and October 30.

     The Rev. Pierre Burns as the great Lutheran Reformer, Martin Luther, examines the Altar Bible at Zion Lutheran Church. Remarking on the means of salvation Martin Luther said, “Time and paper would fail me if I were to recount all the blessings that flow from God’s Word. God gives no one His Spirit or grace except through ... [His] Word.”

     The people of Baldwin and guests were invited to a historic worship liturgy on Saturday, October 29, at 1:00pm, which featured no sermon, but a “Martin Luther” drama by Presbyterian Pastor Pierre Burns, as Luther. There was no offering collected during this Community Service, however, an offering plate was passed around containing commemorative medallions for the congregation to take. An open house with refreshments followed in Zion’s new Fellowship Hall.

     Pastor Burns, former pastor at Spanish Fort Presbyterian and Orange Beach Presbyterian, has been actively involved in drama ministry since first doing a “Peter” drama for Vacation Bible School in 1991. He has visited 19 Biblical and historic figures since, taking pride in his “Luther” which grew from his study of the Reformation Reformers commenced in 1993. Pastor Burns notes that the message of the Reformation and Luther from God’s Word for today would be unchanged, “Salvation is by grace to be received from God.”