The pastor of St. Andrew Church in Roswell, Father Dan Fleming, right, will join Pastor Terry Collier-Stagner of Cross of Life Lutheran, left, to host a joint prayer service Oct. 25 commemorating the Reformation and promoting dialogue. The event will be at St. Andrew Church.

ROSWELL—A joint prayer service between St. Andrew Church and Cross of Life Lutheran Church, both in Roswell, will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The service is planned for Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew Church, 675 Riverside Road in Roswell

Father Dan Fleming, pastor of St. Andrew, is co-host of the evening along with Pastor Terry Collier-Stagner of Cross of Life Lutheran. A dessert reception will be held after prayer and a question-and-answer session.

When German monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenburg, Germany, in 1517 in an attempt to change church practices and beliefs, he triggered the Reformation. Considered one of the greatest rifts in Christianity, the two faiths have made great strides in discussing theological differences. Pope Francis along with leaders from the Lutheran World Federation began a yearlong commemoration last October in Lund, Sweden. Parishes around the world followed with similar events.

The focus will be on the progress made in dialogue between the two faiths.

“The leadership from the highest levels of the Catholic and Lutheran churches have expressed gratitude to God, as we approach this 500-year milestone, for the progress we have made in an openness of dialogue and for the mutual recognition of our commonalities of purpose over the last 50 years,” said Father Fleming.

Father Fleming and Pastor Collier-Stagner agree there are more things that unite than divide the two faiths.

People of all denominations and faiths are invited to join the service.