Dr. Eric W. Gritsch
The Rev. Dr. Eric W. Gritsch Memorial Fund, Ltd.
PO Box 23064
Baltimore, MD 21203-5064
bonbmore
2015 Lutherfest at Zion Church
Rave reviews are coming in regarding the recent LUTHER FEST that was held in the Adlersaal of Zion Church in Baltimore on the evening of Nov. 8, 2015. This celebration has been enjoyed by the friends of the late Dr. Eric W. Gritsch for 17 years! People gather to share a rustic meal of bratwurst, crusty bread, boiled potatoes, saurkraut, and a delicious German dessert known as "the sting of the bee." This is washed down with cider or beer -- two beverages which would have been appreciated by both Dr. Luther and Dr. Gritsch! One of the beers served is brewed by a Baltimorean working from a receipe similar to the one Katie Luther used when brewing beer for her famous husband!
The guests at the event enjoyed a presentation by the Rev.Tom Davison who conducted an imaginary conversation with the reformer, Martin Luther, regarding the famous 95 Theses, and then Ray Ridenour led the guests in a rousing song known as THE CUCKOO SONG. The tune of this song is a folk song known by Dr. Gritsch from his boyhood in the Burgenland of his native Austria. Every year he wrote a new lyric for LTUHER FEST and now his widow, Bonnie Brobst, continues that tradition. The audience become the cuckoos for the evening. This is always a highlight of the birthday celebration for Martin Luther here in Baltimore. This year direct from Germany, 4 Playmobils commissioned for the up-coming 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017 were raffled off. These little figures depict Luther holding a quill pen and the copy of the 95 Theses.
The three winners of this year's annual essay writing contest were awarded to Lutheran seminarians in keeping with the life work of Dr. Gritsch who taught at the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg for 33 years.
The Board of the Eric W.Gritsch Memorial Fund thanks all of those who helped to make this year's event so successful as well as all the guests who participated in the festive evening. A special thanks goes to the students and professors from the German Language Department at Loyola University in Baltimore for acting as servers. It was an evening to remember!
PASTOR THOMAS DAVISON retired 14 years ago from Luther Memorial Church on Eastern Ave., Baltimore, Md. where he was pastor for 30 years. He was raised in upstate New York and was a member of the Augustana Lutheran Synod which is the daughter church of the Lutheran Church of Sweden. The Augustana Synod merged into what is now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Pastor Davison celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination in 2014.
The Board of the Eric W.Gritsch Memorial Fund thanks all of those who helped to make this year's event so successful as well as all the guests who participated in the festive evening. A special thanks goes to the students and professors from the German Language Department at Loyola University in Baltimore for acting as servers. It was an evening to remember!
The Rev. Dr. Eric W. Gritsch Memorial Fund, Ltd.
PO Box 23064
Baltimore, MD 21203-5064
bonbmore