KENNEBUNK — Music lovers have circled Sunday, Oct. 29 on their calendars.

That’s the day that the historic Christ Church at 6 Dane St. in Kennebunk, Maine, will present a concert and bratwurst supper to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s historic act that set in motion the Protestant Reformation.

Luther openly challenged the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy on scripture interpretation, publicly posting his 95 Theses on Oct. 31, 1517.  He was the first to translate the Bible from Latin into the vernacular language of his people so they could read and interpret it for themselves. 

Luther’s close reading of the Bible led him to conclude that men and women were equally important to God, and that women were as entitled as men to determine their own destiny, a revolutionary concept then, and in some places, still.  He was a visionary, recognizing the worth and power of the common people.

In celebration of this turning point in Western culture, the church will present a concert of composers contemporary with and inspired by Martin Luther’s work, including Mendelssohn, J S Bach, Telemann, Praetorius, Pachelbel, John and Charles Wesley, and Luther himself, and then we’ll share a delicious supper of bratwurst, hot dogs, potato salads, and coleslaw, in honor of Luther’s heritage.

As well as our own Maestro Warren King playing piano and pipe organ, and soprano Beverly Heald, performers include tenor Schuyler White, violinist Margaret Hopkins, and trumpeter Thomas Kremser, among others.

The concert is open to all, with tickets available at the door, or on the church website, www.christchurchkbk.org .  Suggested donation for the concert is $15, or $10 for seniors and students, or whatever one can give.  

Likewise, suggested donation for the supper alone is $10 or $7 for seniors and students.  

For both events, a single suggested donation is $20, or $15 for seniors and students. 

Donations of any size, large or small, are welcome, and help support Christ Church’s missions with immigrants, refugees, battered women, impoverished children, addiction recovery, the hungry, and the homeless.  The church cannot accept credit cards, so please bring cash or checks.

The church building is entirely handicap-accessible from the parking lot behind the Kennebunk Town Hall, and also has a parking lot across Dane Street.  

For more information, please visit our website www.christchurchkennebunk.org, or call 985-4494 or visit the office at 6 Dane St. on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.