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The 25th Moravian Music Festival Partnership saves a ministry An eyewitness view of Charlottesville And more
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The Moravian
On the cover: Band plays a prelude as welcome to a Moravian Music Festival concert. Photo by Mike Riess
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5 Christ and him crucified remain our confession of faith In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love
In Our Communities 5 Unique partnership helps ministry feed the community 18 Are we hiding behind our music? An eyewitness account of events at Charlottesville
Moravian Music 9 Festival celebrates spirit and joy of Moravian music
Unity Women’s Desk 16 “Standing with Our Sisters” Southern Province kicks off campaign for the Unity Women’s Desk
Moravians in Mission 22 Ministry in Sierra Leone continues to grow 24 Adopt a Village updates from Tanzania
And More 4 Ponderings: A whole week of Moravian Music 26 Confessing Our Unity in Christ: Studying the historical and theological background to The Ground of the Unity Visit our website at http://www.moravian.org. Letters to the editor, address corrections, and other correspondence may be e-mailed to the editorial staff at moravianmagazine@mcnp. org.
August 2017
29 Official Provincial Elders’ News 30 Obituary: The Rev. Eric J. Schulze
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PONDERINGS (ISSN 1041-0961 USPS 362600) Mar. 2017, Vol. 48, No. 6 Publications Agreement No. 40036408 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: OnTrac International, 121 5th Avenue NW, New Brighton, MN 55112 email: file@ontrac.com
A week of Moravian Music sounds…and sights In July, I was fortunate to spend a week in Winston-Salem covering this year’s Moravian Music Festival. Joining more than 300 singers, musicians, historians and fans, I spent seven days immersed in “Moravian Music.” I’ll admit it: I don’t sing well, I don’t play a trombone or organ and my music reading skills are rudimentary at best. Yet throughout the week I found myself awed and moved by the beautiful, spiritual sounds being created by those for whom Moravian Music is a passion and a skill. It wasn’t just the listening to music that made me appreciate what Moravians can do with notes and words. Music by its nature is an auditory experience; the week at the Moravian Music Festival also demonstrated that, for me, music is a visual experience as well. During the week, I took more than 1,000 photos and several hours of video. There’s something about how a chorus of 100-plus singers and a festival orchestra look performing under stage lights, or how a trombone choir looks when they play in a red-carpeted sanctuary that took Moravian Music to a new level for me. Beyond the performances, I captured rehearsals in many corners of Home Moravian Church; workshops where music experts shared their knowledge and expertise; activities where children learned music basics (and also how to make sugar cake!); and unrehearsed outdoor performances by players coming together to offer traditional preludes. In each of these images, you can see the deep-felt love, joy and respect singers and musicians have for their music. As I look back on what I photographed, I see images of inspired performances and hard work. I also can “hear” the music they were playing. And while my ability to create traditional church music is limited (I have mastered “Sing Hallelujah Praise the Lord” on guitar), the week of hearing – and seeing – this beautiful music studied, rehearsed and performed gives me a new appreciation for this thing we call “Moravian Music.” In this issue, you can see some of the images I recorded, along with my coverage of the Music Festival. We also share the story of a unique new partnership that’s keeping an important ministry alive and well; a first-hand account of events in Charlottesville, Virginia in mid-August; and stories from around the Moravian world. I hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions and ideas for articles for future issues. Peace, 4
Official Journal, The Moravian Church in North America, Northern and Southern Provinces Published monthly, except bimonthly January/February and June/July issues, by the Interprovincial Board of Communication, 1021 Center St., Bethlehem, PA 18018. Subscription rates: $15.00 per year, U.S.A. & Canada; $18.00 per year, all other countries. Individual copies available for $3.00 each. The Moravian is sent to the families of the Moravian Church as a privilege of membership. Periodicals postage paid at Bethlehem, PA. Circulation: 17,000 Postmaster please send address changes to The Moravian, PO Box 1245, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1245. Continuing The North American Moravian, The Moravian and The Wachovia Moravian. Michael Riess, Editor Susan Kiefner, Communications Assistant Jill Bruckart, Customer Relations/Business Assistant Interprovincial Board of Communication Ginny Tobiassen, chair Terri Bischoff, Peggy Carter, Lance Fox, Paul Knouse, Kat Lehman, Amy Linville, Dan Miller, Jill Westbrook, Design by Michael Riess, IBOC. Address all correspondence regarding articles, subscriptions, or advertising to The Moravian, PO Box 1245, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1245 FAX: 610.866.9223 Phone: 610.867.0594 800.732.0591 e-mail: moravianmagazine@mcnp.org www.moravian.org Contents © 2017, Interprovincial Board of Communications, Moravian Church in America. All rights reserved
The Moravian
IN OUR COMMUNITIES
Unique partnership helps ministry feed the community
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or many churches, dwindling membership can often lead to closure. But what happens when a congregation, despite their shrinking size has a vibrant community that its neighbors have grown to rely upon – and has helped bring people to Christ? That was the situation facing Reading Moravian Church in Reading, Pennsylvania. While the congregation was dwindling as a church, their strong food ministry was meeting the needs of many in their inner-city neighborhood. So they got creative and, thanks to a unique new partnership, will continue their ministry even as the congregation ceases to be. A unique agreement In May, the members of Reading voted to form a covenant agreement with the Lititz Moravian congregation and the Northern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference. With this agreement, which is a first for the Northern Province, Reading is no longer a stand-alone congregation; it is now an outreach of the Lititz congregation called the Reading Moravian Center of the Lititz Moravian Congregation. Reading will be able to continue its ministry of feeding low-income people in their community. Its food pantry helps more than 100 families each month by purchasing and distributing food through the Berks Food Bank. They also host a free community meal once a month. In addition, the Reading building will remain open, and will still hold worship services on Sundays. “Instead of the chartered congregation it was for 102 years, it is now going to August 2017
Volunteers deliver food for the newly established Reading Moravian Center of the LItitiz Moravian Congregation.
be a satellite campus of Lititz,” explains the Rev. Dean Jurgen, pastor of Lititz. “Under the governance of Lititz, its expenses are reduced, its longevity is enhanced, and its ministries of caring outreach to their neighbors not only can continue, but hopefully expand with more helping hands from Lititz – many of whom have been helping for some time.” (Continued on next page) 5
Reading (Continued from previous page)
“We’ve been doing more than feeding people over these past eight years,” says the Rev. Ron Rice, who in June retired as pastor of Reading after completing the transition. “We not only tend to their physical needs, but to their spiritual needs as well.” The food ministry has invited people into the church; some of those who have received assistance in the past are now part of the ministry itself. Facing a reality “The Reading congregation had been in decline for years,” explains Ron. “When we lost the additional income from a daycare center that had been hosted at our church, we found ourselves in a difficult financial situation. Our joint boards realized that we couldn’t afford to continue as a church, so we needed to look at alternatives.” According to Ron, the congregation weighed the possibility of joining with a UCC congregation and an Episcopal church in the area, but both options would eliminate the important food ministry that Reading had built. They went through a process of discernment and prayer with representatives from the Eastern District, with an initial determination that
they could stay open as long as possible, then close forever. But through that discernment process, the board at Reading came up with another option – what if they were to be “adopted” by another congregation and became a mission outreach of that other congregation? Doing so would allow their ministry to continue. The Reading congregation invited Lititz to consider being that “adopter.” Lititz is relatively close by and is a large congregation with many outreach programs; in fact, Lititz members had already been volunteering for the food ministry at Reading. As part of the proposal, Reading would cease to be a free-standing congregation, turning responsibility for their assets and property over to Lititz. As a satellite of Lititz Moravian, Reading members could become members of Lititz. A retired pastor for Reading could be hired by Lititz, and not called by the Province as most other pastoral appointments are made. With the agreement, the church building in Reading would still be used as the location of the food ministry, operating under the authority of Lititz. The Elders and Trustees at Lititz deliberated over the opportunity for more than a year,
Distributing food at Reading Moravian Center
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then voted unanimously to approve the arrangement in May. The Covenant Agreement reads: “A ministry of body, soul and spirit to the people of Reading, Pennsylvania around 1116 Perry Street, shall be established between the Lititz Moravian Congregation and the Reading Moravian Church. This ministry recognizes the need to follow Jesus’ direction that we should do unto the least of these as we would do unto Him. This ministry will include feeding the body through a food pantry and community meal. Feeding the soul will include regular worship and sacraments. Feeding the spirit will include professional pastoral presence and programs to help people deal with their needs. The name of this ministry shall be called Reading Moravian Center of the Lititz Moravian Congregation. The ministry shall operate under the authority and direction of the Lititz Moravian Congregation.” A unique relationship This is a unique relationship within the church. “This is the first arrangement of this kind we’ve tried in the Eastern District,” explains the Rev. David Bennett, president of the Eastern District Executive Board. “Without this shared minisAugust 2017
try arrangement, we would likely have had to close the Reading church and end their work in their neighborhood.” In a letter to members of the Lititz congregation, Pastor Dean offered this: “For the past eight years, Reading has had an active outreach to the lower income neighbors of the church: a monthly food pantry giveaway and a monthly free community meal. This little church has been making a big difference for so many of its neighbors. The sadness of so many church members was the prospect of not only losing their church, but losing the blessing of passing on God’s love to their neighbors, which had become such a blessing to both the church and their neighbors. Reading Moravian has discovered that in forgetting about themselves and their church’s survival, and serving others in need, they found a new purpose far greater than the church’s survival.” On June 11, the two congregations held a special joint worship service to celebrate the “resurrection as Reading Moravian Center of the Lititz Congregation.” Both congregations worshiped together electronically, with a Skype connection between the two. (Continued on next page) 7
Members sign a quilt made for retiring Reading pastor Ron Rice, made by Brenda Watson (center).
An ongoing ministry With the establishment of the Reading Moravian Center, the church will be able to continue to grow its food ministry. Once a month, volunteers purchase, collect and prepare to distribute nearly 3,000 lbs. of food to those in need. Dry and canned goods, along with available meats and produce, are shared with neighbors. Reading will also continue its monthly free community meal for up to 130 people. The relationship between the two churches offers new perspectives and opportunities for volunteering. “Having additional volunteers from Lititz has renewed and expanded the energy for this vital ministry,” says Ron. “And sharing the love of Jesus in this way has had an impact on the community. At a recent community meal when we announced the Reading Moravian would be closing but would continue its ministry—and I added that we were doing all of this change because we care about them—those gathered broke out in thunderous applause. They got the message that they are loved.” At the same time, Lititz members gain experience volunteering in a new, inner-city setting. While several Lititz people have been helping for some time, the new relationship will increase their participation “Through this partnership, we have hopes of expanding the inner-city ministry beyond the two monthly events,” said Dean, “with dreams of expand8
ing the food ministry to more than twice a month, tutoring students of the nearby elementary school, etc.” “Praise God that he is still wanting to write new chapters in the story of Moravians in Reading,” wrote Dean in a recent Lititz newsletter. “This is a the story of hope, resurrection, and new life that people have found here through the food ministries…and that this congregation has found in keeping the main thing, the main thing.” n With the new relationship, Ron has decided to retire. He still plans on volunteering at the Reading Center. “It’s been a privilege to be a part of this congregation and participate in the struggle of moving from maintaining our identity to doing God’s mission and ministry.” The Rev. Terry Folk, who recently retired as pastor of Schoeneck Moravian in Nazareth, has been hired as pastor for the new Reading Center. Thanks to members at Reading and Lititz and Carol Balinski of the Reading Eagle for information in this article. Photos by Melanie Geiger and Rick Watson. Marlene Brady and Missy Schaeffer help lead the Hub of Hope Food Pantry ministry.
The Moravian
MORAVIAN MUSIC
Festival celebrates
spirit and joy
of Moravian music
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n July, Winston-Salem rang with the sounds of handbells, trombone choirs, bands, orchestras and choral groups all celebrating the joy and spirit that is Moravian music. For an entire week, more than 300 singers, musicians and fans of Moravian music came together for the 25th Moravian Music Festival. Hosted at Home Moravian Church, the Festival saw attendees learn, rehearse and perform dozens of musical pieces featuring Moravian composers from the earliest days of the Unity through today. An ongoing tradition The 25th Music Festival continued its ongoing tradition of offering opportunities for musicians and singers at all levels to learn more about Moravian music, practice and hone skills and techniques, and perform with talented conductors and players from around the world. This year’s Festival included people from 19 states and six countries. August 2017
Festival-goers participated in a wide variety of workshops and learning opportunities. Singers learned and practiced vocal technique to promote healthy and beautiful singing. Composers and arrangers were introduced to modern music software and the music editing and publishing process. For choir directors and worship planners, the Festival offered workshops on inviting youth into singing opportunities, melding contemporary music into worship, music for smaller choirs, worship planning and conducting. Handbell players learned new skills, while those who were just beginning were introduced to this unique instrument. Additional workshops and lectures on composers, music history and more were also offered. In addition to the workshops, musicians and singers worked with professional conductors and performers. Festival Conductor Dr. John Sinclair, a professor of music at Rollins (Continued on next page) 9
Top: Ben Wallace conducts an anthem. Middle: Beth Juran teaches music basics to children. Bottom: Handbells awaiting players.
Festival
(Continued from previous page)
College in Winter Park, Florida, led the Festival Chorus and Orchestra. Throughout the week, Dr. Sinclair provided leadership for the Festival and rehearsed a variety of choral and orchestra pieces for performance; in doing so, he helped participants learn new music, and perfect their singing of the pieces. He also taught conducting workshops; several of his workshop students conducted singers and players during an anthem sing on Wednesday evening. The Moravian Music Foundation has a long-standing relationship with Dr. Sinclair and the Rollins College music program. Dr. Sinclair served as the Conductor of Moravian Music Festivals since 1999. A number of Dr. Sinclair’s students from Rollins College also attended this year’s Festival. On the Concert Band side, musicians worked with conductor Chris Wormald, an award-winning band conductor from the U.K. Throughout the week, Chris brought humor and expertise to rehearsals, helping to prepare musicians for concerts on Thursday and Saturday. Other music leaders for the week included Donna Rothrock, associate librarian and assistant professor of music at Salem College, who led the Trombone Choir; Deborah Rice, well-known clinician and director, who led the Handbell Choir; Anne Saxon, director of the children’s and youth choir program at Home Moravian Church and Beth Juran, director of children’s music at Maple Springs UMC in Winston-Salem, who led the Children’s Choirs; and Joni Roos, artist in residence at Rollins College, who served as chamber music coordinator. Susan Keck Foster, organist at Home Moravian served as festival organist, and Allen Frank from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania served as assistant band director.
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At left: Vocalist Jonathan Sidden leads a workshop on improving men’s vocal technique. Below: Trombone Choir performs in concert.
A week of concerts While learning and rehearsing are major parts of the Festival week, it’s the performances that really make the week. Each night, singers and musicians shared their talent and hard work with Moravian music fans through a series of concerts held in different venues around Winston-Salem. The opening night Festival Lovefeast, with a capacity crowd at Home Moravian, featured singing of favorite Moravian hymns and anthems, along with performances by vocal soloists. A full lovefeast was served by the deiners of Home Moravian. Monday night featured a concert called “Loveliest Immanuel, an Elegant Evening,” held at Trinity Moravian Church. The concert included works by Johan Friedrich Peter, Christian Gregor, Antonio Rosetti, Christian Ignatius Latrobe and other Moravian composers. Works were sung by soloists accompanied by strings, woodwinds and horns. This concert was the first time several of these works had been performed in modern times. August 2017
Tuesday night, festival goers enjoyed a concert by the Salem Band on Salem Square. Wednesday night featured a Moravian Anthem Sing, with pieces by both classical and modern Moravian composers. Several of the pieces were conducted by students in the conducting workshop. Thursday’s concert, held in a full Calvary Moravian Church, featured performances by a large trombone choir and the Festival Band under the direction of Chris Wormald. On Friday afternoon, the children attending this year’s Festival performed at Home Church. The performance was the culmination of a week of music lessons and activities, including making sugar cake, tin candle holders, and visits to local historic sites. That evening, the Festival Chorus and Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Sinclair, performed a variety of orchestral and choral pieces at Winston-Salem State University. During the concert, the Music Foundation presented its 2017 Moramus Award for “outstanding contributions to American Moravian Music (Continued on next page)
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(Continued from previous page)
and the work of the Moravian Music Foundation” to Susan Keck Foster. Prior to each concert (and many other times throughout the Festival), musicians gathered to provide prelude bands. This was the first time many of these Moravians from around the country had the opportunity to play together. Being a Moravian Festival, each day included worship and devotions. As many in attendance have never experienced the Easter Morning Sunrise Service in Winston-Salem, one morning’s worship featured the Easter Morning liturgy, followed by a procession to God’s Acre and a “mini” Easter Sunrise service. The Festival concluded with a Saturday morning Singstunde, including performances by the handbell choir, Festival Band, trombone choir, string ensembles and more. At the close, Nola Knouse, director of the Moravian Music Foundation, invited all those in attendance to the next Moravian Music Festival, to be held in Bethlehem in 2021. Commitment and concentration “After having organized some of our brass band and choir rallies in Europe (they last only for three days), I was very curious to have this experience of a week,” said Hans Beat Motel, who came with four other participants from
Germany. “I think that this festival in WinstonSalem was a great event: very well prepared, with good and interesting music and professional musical leaders. To have a whole week is really something else than to gather for a short time; it needs your commitment and concentration and the rewards are valuable. Musically, I gained insight in some of the excellent Moravian Music which here in Europe is not very well known, and I hope to get people here interested in this part of our heritage.” Hans sang in the choir and played tenor trombone in the Festival’s trombone choir. “A real treat” “At the festival, I sang in the choir and played handbells,” said Donna Ambler, who also serves as music director for Advent Moravian Church in Bethlehem. “This was a real treat for a music director, as we often don’t get a chance to sing or ring! “Both directors (John Sinclair, choral director, and Deborah Rice, handbell director) were excellent,” said Donna. “We learned so much and it was a pleasure making music under their tutelage. One highlight of the festival for me was the chance to direct the orchestra and choral participants on the Moravian anthem, Sing O Ye Heavens, at the anthem sing on Wednesday evening. I participated in the
Left: Director Chris Wormald leads the Concert Band at Calvary Moravian in Winston-Salem. Center: MMF Board of Trustees President Hal Garrison presents the 2017 Moramus Award to Susan Keck Foster. Right: Children perform at Home Moravian.
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Advanced Directing workshops led by John Sinclair; seven of us were randomly chosen to direct a piece at the anthem sing. I was nervous, but it was a fabulous experience. Most Moravian music directors do not have an orchestra or a 200+ voice choir to direct! “Besides making music, another important aspect of the Festival is connecting with the people who come from many different states and countries. Our faith and love of music binds us together and God’s spirit is evident among us. “I attended the Festival in Bethlehem four years ago, I couldn’t wait for this one in Winston-Salem and now I’m looking forward to the 2021 Festival!” said Donna. “Not only is there great music-making, but I learn new things each time. It’s a wonderful way for people to see and hear the collection of Moravian music that the Foundation publishes. Thank you to the Festival committee and the staff of the Moravian Music Foundation for all their hard work.”
Top: Band members play for sunrise service. Middle: John Sinclair coaches Donna Ambler’s conducting. Bottom: Practicing vocals in men’s workshop.
Music brings closer to God “This year’s festival was great!” said Matthew Allen, pastor of Olivet Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, who sang tenor in the chorus. Matthew also serves on the Moravian Music Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “Each festival is special in its own way. I have attended two previous festivals, one in Charlotte and one in Bethlehem. I particularly loved the selection of music for the chorus this year. I really enjoyed the anthem sing on Wednesday and the band concert on Thursday, and my favorite performance was the Friday night concert with chorus and orchestra. I sang in the chorus, which made it special. It was also great to see old friends and catch up as well as meet new people. I am always spiritually blessed at music festivals. “Music brings me closer to God and it is a rewarding way to express my faith,” continued Matthew. “A whole week of Moravian music fills my soul.” (Continued on next page)
August 2017
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Many musical blessings “Every minute of the Festival brought me blessings,” said JoAnn Cleland, who travelled from Arizona with her cello to attend this year’s Festival. JoAnn’s father, Joseph Schwager, was a Moravian minister, while her mother, Vardis, served on many Moravian boards and organizations. “One moment is etched indelibly in my mind. As we sang ‘Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice’ I looked at little children, teenagers, young parents, strong leaders, aging members and disabled folks, all joining the joyful celebration. After the hymn ended I meditated, marveling that every one of us was being personally led by our Shepherd and Savior, and lovingly accepted into His fold. He holds our past, present and future in His hands. What a wonderful reason for us to unite in rejoicing! “John Sinclair offered many techniques for both choral and instrumental music, but always with emphasis on the message. In intriguing ways he and Nola kept us spiritually connected while easing humor into their presentations, a delivery style I want to incorporate more fully into my teaching.”
“The bonding in Moravian friendship still rings in my heart,” said JoAnn. “I cherish the hugs from the Rollins students, the kind greetings of people from my past Moravian life, the sense of Christian community as music drew together musicians from around the country and the world, and the opportunity to raise united praises to our Lord with heartfelt gladness.” An enthusiastic son And Margaret Norris of Winston-Salem shared this letter to the Festival planners: “I just need you to know… “This past Sunday, before the beginning of the Moravian Music Festival, I suggested to my 15-year-old boy that he dust off his tuba before sitting down with the festival band. “Mom,” he said, matter-of-factly, “I don’t even want to go to this. You just signed me up.” End of conversation. No pre-practice. At least the boy was going. As we moved through the week, I noticed… • He was waking up his older brother to catch a ride to Old Salem—not the other way around. • He would tell me when all of his practices
Left: Tubas perform in concert. Right: Handbell players sample new music during a workshop.
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Clockwise from top left: The Festival’s youngest singers perform in concert; Festival Chorus members sing; John Sinclair leads chorus rehearsal; Bands played preludes throughout the week. All photos by Mike Riess, IBOC. Additional photos from the Festival are available with this article on www.moravian.org.
• • •
• •
were. He was making sure he would be there. After the first overwhelmed day, he would say things like, “The band director is really funny.” “We’re playing these songs…” He energetically shared adventures from the youth afternoon tours. On Thursday, he sent a text from Calvary Moravian: “I’m here, Mom”. What? He felt comfortable traveling with band mates independently to the performance site. He wanted to arrive early to the pre-performance rehearsal. He wanted to wear a t-shirt expressly to irritate his band director (which, by the way, is the highest form of flattery in 15-yearold-boy-land).
August 2017
• And then, the piece-de-la-resistance: “When is this conference next time? Can I go?” And so, I sit here, gape-mouthed on this last morning of the festival (with just a little more time before his requested wake-up time. “I want to get to practice early, Mom.”) You all have poured heart and soul into this week. In the process, you have turned my tepid tuba player into an enthusiastic festival attendee. It has exceeded all of our expectations. And I thank you.” The 26th Moravian Music Festival will be held in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2021. n
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UNITY WOMEN’S DESK
“Standing with Our Sisters”
Southern Province kicks-off campaign for the Unity Women’s Desk
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s soon as the Christmas holidays were over, the Special Events Sub-committee of the Unity Women’s Desk (UWD) “Standing with Our Sisters” campaign met to begin working in earnest on a special kick-off event to announce the capital fund drive for the UWD. We wanted it to coincide with the International Women’s Day Celebration being planned for WinstonSalem on March 8; however, we did not want to interfere with the Day of Prayer services which are held each Wednesday in Lent. The date, March 12, was finally decided upon to be the best day, and Fairview Moravian Church graciously agreed to host the event. Under the direction of Sr. Cynthia Tesh, chair of the Special Events Sub-committee, small groups of women began making twelve tri-fold posters to tell the story of what the UWD does and where we do it. Sr. Ann Radford, co-chair of the Home Moravian Albania Task Force, was asked to bring a wheel barrow full of the foods that are provided each month for residents of Bathore, Albania. Sr. Elizabeth Geis Johnson of Salem Kitchen, a local gourmet catering and take-out business, using Br. Daniel Crews’ Around the World: Unity Cookbook, began experimenting with recipes found therein. Brochures and invitations were designed to publicize the event in the Southern Province churches. A worship service was planned. Sisters Carol and Sandra Gray were asked to provide special music for the day, along with Sr. Norma Nifong, accompanist. Sr. June Edwards was asked to compose a special song for the event. Sr. Laura Watson, of the Moravian Minis-
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tries Foundation of America, began assembling all relevant information that could be given to everyone who attended. All seemed to be going very well until the week before March 12. A snowstorm was forecast for our area with four-to-six inches predicted—a major snowstorm for our area! We waited and watched the news, hoping for the best but prepared to call off the event the day before it was to happen. What to do in the midst of Lent? No other Sundays were available to the area where the largest Moravian Easter Sunrise service takes place—band practices, days of prayer, special study groups, etc. were filling all the available Sundays for weeks to come. The Saturday before the event came with mild temperatures and unspecific forecasts. We decided not to cancel as the snow was supposed to be over by daybreak and Fairview had a good snow-clearing crew. Were we ever glad for that decision! It turned out to be a lovely day with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine and not a flake of snow. We had a good turn-out of very interested people who wanted to know more about the work the UWD is doing. The posters were very informative and the food was excellent and plentiful—the best rice and beans ever, smoked salmon canapes (made with salmon brought from Alaska by Sr. Helen Gulledge), samozas, watermelon and pineapple, Sisters’ Kisses, and coconut balls (which proved so popular that Sr. Johnson is considering adding them to her catering menu!). There was also The Moravian
A selection of foods from around the Moravian world welcome guests to the Unity Women’s Desk “Standing with Our Sisters” kick-off event.
plenty of Salem Kitchen Tea, Salem Kitchen Cheese Straws, and Mrs. Hanes’ Cookies—all Southern Province favorites! To help people better understand how difficult it is not to have running water, there was even an opportunity to see what it is like to have to carry five gallons of water in plastic milk jugs on a broomstick across one’s shoulders or in a plastic five-gallon pail balanced on one’s head. The response to the program was overwhelming. For some people it was the first time they had known exactly what the UWD does. For others, it was an opportunity to see how far we’ve come in the six years since the UWD was started. Many were inspired to learn how many girls and women were being helped by the UWD. Sr. Patty Garner gave a brief history of the UWD and a recounting of the women and girls we have helped. Perhaps the highlight of the day was Sr. Sallie Greenfield’s story of her mother going to Nicaragua as a young woman and how that had created a life-long desire to be a part of Moravian missions in her. When August 2017
Sallie thought that perhaps she was past the stage of life when it was important to continue to be involved, the mission of the UWD spoke to her and told her that this was important and that she needed to be a part of it (in fact she is a member of the Advisory Board of the UWD and is also the co-chair of the capital campaign). Dr. Phil McKinley, the other co-chair, was in-between medical mission trips to Haiti and Cuba so we had to video his appeal to the assembly. All in all, the day was a great success. People in the Southern Province are excited about the ways in which they can help, and gifts both large and small are coming in already, even though the Province-wide appeal will not be made until September. We hope to raise $250,000.00 that will be used to continue to offer scholarships, micro-loans, and project support to women around the world; to continue to hold Consultations every seven years for gathering women from around the world to evaluate what we are doing and set direction for the years to come; and to employ a coordinator after Sr. Garner retires (again). The Unity Board has encouraged every Province and Mission Province to find ways to support the work of the UWD, which helps women in every Province, Mission Province,and Mission Area. A capital fund drive, investing in the greatest “capital” the church has, our women, was the way chosen by the Southern Province. We hope that other Provinces will follow suit in whatever ways work best in their areas. We pray for the Lord to continue to bless the work of the UWD as we seek to improve the lives of Moravian women everywhere. n
The Rev. Patty Garner is coordinator for the Unity Women’s Desk. 17
IN OUR COMMUNITIES
Are We Hiding Behind Our Music?
An eyewitness account of events at Charlottesville
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n Aug. 2, 2017, I received a call. The National Council of Churches had joined with Congregate Charlottesville, and they were calling for 1,000 white clergy to come to Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017, to confront and resist white supremacy through direct, non-violent action. It was a call to stand in solidarity with the Charlottesville community, and to proclaim with “our bodies and our sanctuaries that God rejects white supremacy” and that “God is present with those hurt, angered, afraid and confused by this massive national event in our small town.” Our prayerful presence to stand for love in the midst of hatred, discrimination and intimidation was urgently needed.
The Rev. Sue Koenig is pastor of Graceham Moravian Church in Thurmont, Md. She shared the photo below from Aug. 12 in Charlottesville.
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I could not simply click on the next email and dismiss this call. It was my responsibility to stand for love and against hate as a human being, a Christian and a Moravian. I had been standing, though so woefully imperfectly, against racism for almost all my life. As a young teenager, I suffered significant physical violence for taking a stand against racism in my own home; and a member of my extended family was the Grand Dragon of the local KKK, the terror of which still impacts our community today, as black and brown people from the county avoid our area based on its reputation for past Klan activities. I recall a morning in the early 1990s arriving early for worship at the Graceham Moravian Church to discover KKK materials scattered all over the church lawn. More importantly, I remember with gratitude to God the response of the Graceham congregation and members of
The Moravian
the greater community – more than 500 people – who stood in opposition to the KKK in an event called “Thurmont United in Love,” with speakers and singing that proclaimed faith in the power of love and unity. Racism is a cancer that has, and is, affecting all of us locally and nationally. The “Call for Help” from the National Council of Churches was Christ calling me. Two days later, I sent an email to Dr. Tim Wolfe, Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Mt. St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Dr. Wolfe and several colleagues have been working with our local minister’s group, facilitating two anti-racism workshops and discussing ways of bringing people together to talk about race and racism. Dr. Wolfe, Sabrina Massett (a member of the Graceham congregation) and I all felt compelled to go to Charlottesville to help in any way we were needed. Over the next several days, we received a number of emails about events that would take place on Aug. 12 and possible ways in which we could assist. The communications included clear warnings that there was a high risk of arrest, violence, injury, even death. I spent late Friday after-
I spent late Friday afternoon, Aug. 11, praying for peace and safety for all who would be in Charlottesville the next day... noon, Aug. 11, praying for peace and safety for all who would be in Charlottesville the next day, and studying and highlighting maps of downtown Charlottesville to get my bearings in a place I had never been. Just before leaving the church, I consecrated the elements for Sunday’s Aug. 13th Holy Communion. We left Graceham a little after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, and arrived in Charlottesville about 7 a.m. We made our way to the First Baptist Church where a sunrise service had been held August 2017
at 6 a.m. The service was just letting out, and people were gathering on the street and in the sanctuary to await instructions. Soon we walked from First Baptist to the Jefferson School City Center; the Jefferson School was Charlottesvillle’s only African American school between 1865 and 1951; and thanks to efforts of alumni, it now houses an African American cultural center. I sensed the apprehension as we were given numbers to call for legal assistance, and leaflets with “dos and don’ts” of opposition. One speaker encouraged us not to be dismayed, saying, “This is not a funeral.” Tragically, there would be a funeral as a result of the violence of white supremacists – for Heather Heyer; and for Virginia State Troopers H. Jay Cullen, and Berke M.M. Bates, who died having protected the citizens of Charlottesvlle. From the Jefferson School we marched a short distance to McGuffey Park for which a permit had been obtained for our gathering. Then some of us went on to the First United Methodist Church (FUMC), located just across the street from Emancipation Park. The church was providing a safe space, access to emergency medical care, water, and hospitality. Tables in the parking lot served as a protective barricade, and clergy were asked to come immediately when called out beyond the tables to be a prayerful presence facing white supremacists or others who became aggressive. The first time we were called, I stood to contain a group of young counter-protesters who identified themselves as “new communists” or anti-fascists. One pastor attempted to dissuade them from engaging in physical violence with the white supremacists, but they rejected this advice, and a “brawl” on the sidewalk in front of the church parking lot ensued in a matter of minutes. In response, the staff of FUMC called for a full lock down and everyone was directed to go immediately into the church. Several members of the anti-fascist group returned later for medical (Continued on next page) 19
...and clergy were asked to come immediately when called out beyond the tables to be a prayerful presence facing white supremacists or others who became aggressive.
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care for injuries they suffered in subsequent violence. To be clear, from our observation both at McGuffey Park and FUMC, the anti-fascists were a small group compared to all those who came to stand peacefully against hate, racism and bigotry. The counter-protesters included clergy in cassocks, vestments and collars, and people of faith from numerous identifiable denominations wearing t-shirts and carrying signs of love, peace and inclusion, and denouncing bigotry and exclusion. Those of us who gathered in the parking lot at FUMC sang songs throughout the morning: “This Little Light of Mine,” “We Shall Overcome,” “I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” and others hymns of justice, hope and peace. I thought of those faithful, fearless Moravians who influenced John Wesley by singing during life-threatening storms. One white supremacist vehemently yelled out at us, “Look at you hiding behind your music.” This seemed bizarre to me. We were not hiding, we were in plain view. We chose to sing to show that we were not afraid of their threats and terror. Throughout the morning we watched as the protesters, white supremacists, members of the KKK and neo-Nazis arrived to walk the block to Emancipation Park for the “Unite the Right” rally that was to begin at noon. They were armed for violence with rifles, bats, and clubs, waving flags with swastikas, carrying shields, their arms marked with badges of various symbols of hate. By now, we have all seen these images and heard the horrifying chants against blacks, Jews and ho20
mosexuals, and watched as they snapped a salute to Hitler. The scene from the porch outside the sanctuary of the FUMC on the opposite side of the building overlooking Emancipation Park was traumatizing. From there our eyes were drawn to the police sharpshooters on the roof of another building, and then down to the street, where police surrounded the park, and there was an armored vehicle and one for transporting those who were arrested; a man planted a Confederate flag to hold one corner of the block. Our view of the park was partially blocked by mature trees, but we saw the blue clouds from exploding smoke bombs, smelled the tear gas and heard the sounds of hate, oppression and violence. We saw scores of counter-protesters walking orderly down the opposite street on the other side of the park. At approximately 11:40 a.m., we began to hear that the police had declared the white supremacist rally an “unlawful assembly,” as a result of violence, and declared a local state of emergency. Police in full riot gear emerged from a bus in the street below and other officers entered one end of the park with shields. Police began to disperse the protesters and directed them to McIntyre Park, which was a mile away. The white supremacists and nationalists responded with heightened anger and hostility as they began to move out of the park. We saw three people being arrested. We were called quickly again to the church parking lot to be a prayerful presence as the hate groups left Emancipation Park. At approximately 1 p.m., we decided to leave Charlottesville for home. We walked through the intersection of 4th and Water Street (where Heather Heyer would be murdered in an attack of terror by James Alex Fields, Jr. who “espoused Nazi ideals”) to 4th and Main, ate and began the journey back to Maryland at approximately 2 p.m. Residents of Charlottesville we spoke with shared with us their fear and grief that their city The Moravian
had been targeted by neo-Nazis and racists, and expressed their gratitude for our prayers and presence. The first news alert of a car plowing through pedestrians came at 2:36 p.m. We were stunned and devastated by the news, by the death of Heather Heyer, the injury of 19 others, and later in the day, the deaths of Virginia State Troopers H. Jay Cullen, and Berke M.M. Bates. As Dr. Wolfe wrote in an editorial, “It was a frightening and traumatizing event that resulted in death and injury. However, it is our observation that love and peaceful protest were the more powerful forces that day.” We cannot remain silent or ignore a call for help when those who espouse hatred are hurting and terrorizing others. There are numerous quotes in a similar vein: “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” (Edmund Burke). “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
We cannot remain silent or ignore a call for help when those who espouse hatred are hurting and terrorizing others.... Jr.) King also said “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Silence by the church and individually in the face of the rising, expanding perpetuation of hatred by white supremacists, white nationalists, the KKK and neo-Nazis, is a betrayal of Christ, and of our identity as followers of Jesus. We must speak up and stand up for love, justice and peace in the name of Jesus. Nearly two decades have passed since our 1998 Statement on Racism. In that statement we acknowledged, “The absence of widespread diaAugust 2017
logue on the issue and resulting congregational inaction to overcome the effects of racism in our society.” In my reflections, I wondered, do we, in some sense, hide behind our music? Has pointing to our profound and beautiful hymnody to understand and explain our Moravian theology, so needed at this time in our nation, predisposed us to avoiding difficult conversations? Do we, do I, gather to worship in our congregations to sing our beloved and cherished hymns, to pray our liturgies, and remove ourselves from the struggles of those who are oppressed? We are so very faithful in feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. Will we who believe in the resurrection “bear public witness” against hate and injustice, and have the difficult conversations about racism we have avoided for so long? Will we respond to the call in our 1998 statement to be “salt and light” with regard to racism, and all other forms of discrimination and hate, by: • setting an example and showing the way for a society which cries out for racial healing; • matching our fine statements with worthy deeds; • confessing the sinfulness of our failure to practice what we preach about discrimination; • examining our personal and corporate life and repent; • under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, turning from our racism and take a new direction in keeping with the teachings of God in Christ Jesus. May God grant that this be the Second Renewal of the Moravian Church – Aug. 13, 2017, the day we awakened from complicity. n Editor’s Note: A letter from the Northern and Southern Province Provincial Elders’ Conferences, along with the 1998 Statement on Racism, are available at http://www.moravian.org/ news-a-media/new-and-events/charlottesvilleletter/ 21
MORAVIANS IN MISSION
Ministry in Sierra Leone continues to grow
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ast fall the wonderful big step forward was adding solar power to the Moravian Secondary School in the village of Ngiehun. We were so grateful and excited when members of Little Church on the Lane in Charlotte, N.C. arrived to install all the equipment and batteries that had been shipped ahead of time. Now we are able to incorporate a computer lab in our curriculum. And since homes in the village do not have electricity, we can turn on classroom lights for students to gather at the school and study during the evening hours. In the future, we even hope to begin some night classes for adults. This fall the exciting vision is a radio station, to be located on the same property as our newest church in the nearby village of Mbaoma. We have already built the tower, with the building for the radio transmitter coming next. The plan is to provide Christian programming in English that would likely cover a 60-mile radius. Pastor Mohamed Braima would offer regularly scheduled Bible teaching, as well as some call-in ‘question and answer’ type programs. Also included would be gospel music, international news and government information. This vision opens all kinds of new doors toward expanding the reach of the gospel in Sierra Leone, where most families are Muslim. There is a good possibility that early next year another congregation will officially be recognized as a Moravian Church, the fourth one since this West African Mission Area was begun
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Safiatu Braima and children in Sierra Leone. Safie and her husband Mohamed lead the work in the Sierra Leone Mission Area.
in 2006. The people who are asking to become Moravians are currently meeting on Sundays in a school building in the town of Kailahun, seven miles from the founding church and school. There is strong potential for this congregation, because its town is so much larger than the villages where the other three Moravian churches are located. Land has already been given for the construction of a place to worship, and there is even a Christian pastor in Kailahun willing to lead this flock. Mohamed would need to teach this man about the ways of Moravians, and be present on occasional Sunday mornings to offer communion or baptism, just as he does for the other three congregations. Not long ago we welcomed two visitors to Ngiehun, Donna Hurt (Home Church in Winston-Salem) and Pete Hiltz (Little Church on the Lane in Charlotte). Fixing things, especially cars, is one of Pete’s specialties, and it would almost seem that God sent Pete to us with a plan. As we met our two friends at the airport in Freetown and the next morning started the 8-9 hour journey across country to our village, The Moravian
little did we know that our car would break down three times! On each occasion (two of them nowhere near any possible help), Pete was able to fix the problem. We were so grateful that all three mishaps occurred during the daytime, that it was not raining even though our rainy season had begun, and that Pete was with us. One of the first things that need to happen when outsiders arrive in the village is for them to visit and pay respects to Section Chief Sumorie. After our guests did this (and took a picture at the chief’s request), Pete got busy. Having shipped numerous vehicle parts to the village ahead of time, our car expert spent 3-4 days providing overdue maintenance on our 2003 Tundra truck and 1996 Land Cruiser. Throughout, Safie Braima, Mohamed’s wife, made sure that our two special friends were cared for and well fed, thanks to the ladies who constantly prepare food and keep the pots stirred over the Donna Hurt, left, prays during a baptism by Mohamed Braima.
fires in the mission house backyard. Donna, who has been to Ngiehun many times now, always enjoys daily walks around the village to see the people. Some of the teens from our church accompany her as she waves and smiles in all directions, and interacts with the young children who usually run right up to her. Mostly Donna speaks to everyone in English, but she also uses Mende words whenever possible, especially our familiar greeting of ‘kaiyegoma’ --- thanks be to God --- and adults delight in the fact that she is attempting their language. During Sunday worship, Pete and Donna addressed the congregation with words of appreciation and encouragement. We also celebrated twenty baptisms that day, including a young man Donna now knows well. Augustine was born into a Muslim family, but had not participated in that faith tradition. During her visit to Ngiehun last year, he attended worship at our church for the first time. Donna invited Augustine to return often and let the Moravians teach him about Christianity. Over the next 16 months, she sent him a Bible and encouraging messages when possible. This young man became involved in our church, gave his heart to Jesus, and asked to be baptized, but he hoped that might happen when Donna could be present and participate. It did, and was truly a blessing for all of us. And so we move forward, not really knowing what opportunities God will offer next or whose lives they might touch … but trying to be ready to serve Him, and always believing that GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME. n Mohamed and Safiatu Braima lead our church’s work in the Mission Area of Sierra Leone
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MORAVIANS IN MISSION
Adopt a Village updates from Tanzania Drs. Bill and Peg Hoffman continue to share highlights and successes of the work of Adopt a Village and other efforts in Tanzania. The Sikonge Special Needs school In Tanzania, children who are deaf, blind, or “slow learners,” have traditionally been placed in regular classrooms with as many as 90 other students. In such an environment a teacher has no time to give these children the individual attention they require. In 2010, the Sikonge District Council appointed a new educational officer. He immediately recognized the futility of trying to teach these children in a standard, overcrowded classroom. At his request, the council designated $2000 to refurbish two classrooms at the Sikonge primary school to begin a program of special education. A young deaf child writes Mama Kimwaga’s name on a blackboard after receiving instructions through sign language
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The following year, Egata Magofu, the newly designated District Special Needs Officer, convinced two large banks headquartered in Dar es Salaam, to contribute funds to electrify the classrooms and build a dormitory. Headmaster Malaki Lulomba then opened the school together with two other specially trained teachers. Although the district’s nonfunded mandate stated that all children must live at the school, there were no beds, bedding, or mosquito nets in the dormitory; the first 15 children enrolled were therefore by necessity day students. First Presbyterian Church of Durango, Colo., is part of Presbyterian Church USA, a denomination in full communion with the Moravian Church, began support for Sikonge’s orphans in 2002; their Mission Committee pledged additional funds to assist this new, special school. With their help the dormitory was furnished and opened in 2012 with beds, mattresses, sheets and other materials; 27 of the then 36 students began living at the school. Using money generated by an annual mission appeal in support of the school, First Presbyterian expanded its commitment. Tables, chairs, and desks for the classrooms were constructed by local craftsmen to specifications requested by the headmaster; special educational materials requested by the teachers were located and purchased. To demonstrate to a visitor the progress the class for the deaf was making, one of the children, Ibrahim, was asked to go to the blackboard where he was given sign language to write Mama Kimwaga’s name. When he had completed the assignment successfully, the The Moravian
young boy beamed with pride while he was being roundly applauded by his classmates. Embarrassed by the magnitude of assistance coming from abroad, at the end of 2012 the district council designated nearly $40,000 to construct a second dormitory, a dining center, and teacher housing. The new dorm, dining hall and kitchen were furnished by First Presbyterian, which also provided students with uniforms and health care. By the end of 2016, the church had raised nearly $17,000 in support of the children at the school, which is cost-free to all who attend. While making rounds in the villages, Mama Kimwaga, the head of the Sikonge orphan program, has continually found new candidates for the headmaster to evaluate. Largely due to her interest, by December 2016, the school had expanded to 92 students with seven specially trained teachers. The school has now begun vocational training to provide their students with the skills they will need to become self supporting, productive citizens of their developing country. First Presbyterian has already purchased sewing machines and other materials to help it enter this new phase of service to these children. This special school, unique in our partner province of Western Tanzania, is making a very significant difference in the lives of these children. For the first time they are truly benefiting from their educational experience. They are not only being taught according to their individual needs, they are also able to live and study among their peers. Wisconsin Moravians embrace their adopted village of Mkolye, Tanzania The Board of World Mission announced Adopt a Village in the January 2006 issue of the Moravian magazine. Shortly thereafter five Moravian churches in Wisconsin (Veedum, Saratoga, Rudolph, Kellner and Wisconsin Rapids) banded
Students in Mkolye, Tanzania with textbooks purchased with donations from Wisconsin Rapids-area churches.
together to adopt the orphans in the village of Mkolye. They thus became one of the first groups to participate in the program. Perhaps inspired by the 2007 visit of Mama Kimwaga, the head of the village orphan program, and Dr Ruhamya, the program director, the churches decided to extend their assistance beyond supporting the orphans; they started by funding the construction of a well to provide the village with clean water. Being Moravians, they next chose to work with the area’s educational system. Over the next several years they provided a full complement of desks to the community’s primary and secondary schools. Tables and chairs were given to each of the five secondary school teachers, and the headmaster received a desk and chair. Text books are a rare commodity in Tanzania; they were nearly absent in Mkolye. Working through Mama Kimwaga, herself a primary school teacher for 40 years, the five Wisconsin congregations sent funds to purchase multiple textbooks for each of the subjects being taught. Because these books are highly valued, the schools decided to use some of Wisconsin’s donation for the construction of bookcases with locks in order to store the books safely at night and between semesters. (Continued on page 30)
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MORAVIAN DOCTRINE
Confessing Our Unity in Christ: Studying the historical and theological background to The Ground of the Unity As part of our ongoing series to share key elements of Moravian theology and doctrine, we will are excerpting the Rev. Dr. C. Daniel Crews’ study, Confessing Our Unity in Christ: Historical and Theological Background to The Ground of the Unity. Originally written in 2000 and updated twice, this study looks at the theological and historical underpinnings of The Ground of the Unity, one of the Moravian Church’s core doctrinal statements. Confessing Our Unity was originally published by the Southern Province Archives. We thank Rev. Crews and Richard Starbuck, former Southern Province archivists, for permission to excerpt this work. In this issue, we continue with our first installment of “The Crisis of 1909.” The latter part of the nineteenth century was a time of theological ferment when what they called the “New Theology” (which we often refer to as nineteenth century liberalism) challenged traditional religious thinking. This likewise had an effect on the Moravian Church, particularly when elements of the “New Theology” began to be discussed at the German Province’s theological seminary. This seminary had been moved from Niesky to Gnadenfeld in 1818. “There,” say the Bishops Hamilton, “in a quiet settlement congregation and in the seclusion of rural life, it was thought the students would acquire a theological training with the least 26
distraction.”1 In the second half of the nineteenth century, however, the new theological currents found their way even into the serene environs of Gnadenfeld, and among these currents was particularly the thought of Albrecht Ritschl, which sought to “frame a new apologetic synthesis between Christian faith and the new knowledge contributed by scientific and historical scholarship.”2 Before long, many in the church felt that this “New Theology” was having too much influence at the seminary, to the detriment of sacred truths long held, and questions were raised at the German Province Synod of 1897.3 Some were so upset that they desired replacement of professors and a change in teaching methods. Voices were even raised demanding that the institution be closed. The Bishops Hamilton’s account of this 1897 German Synod is instructive: The situation was an anxious one. But once again the power of prayer became manifest. The Synod did not degenerate into a contest between two irreconcilably hostile parties. Searching inquiries were made and met in a fraternal way with the result that general confidence in Gnadenfeld was restored. It became more and more evident that the solution of the difficulty lay in giving new emphasis to the Christo-centric position of the theology of the Brethren’s Unity and to the doctrine of the atonement. The president of the seminary made a The Moravian
complete statement on these points in the name of his colleagues, and by a vote of forty-three to four Synod gave its support to him.4 The issue was not really resolved, however; the “New Theology” continued to be discussed in the Gnadenfeld seminary; and the debate arose again at the German Synod of 1908, this time with a vengeance.5 The immediate spark that rekindled the controversy in the German Province was the publication by President Paul Kölbing of the Gnadenfeld seminary of a book entitled Die Einwirkung der Person Jesu auf Paulus (The influence of the Person of Jesus upon Paul). This work, with its innocuous sounding title, was examined in a non-Moravian publication called Beröa in 1907, and this magazine, finding the book full of “New Theology,” printed an open question to the leaders of the Moravian Church asking why such teaching was tolerated at the seminary.6 Some Moravians wrote to express their own opinions directly to Beröa, a fact frowned on by the German Unity Directory, who felt that any opinions on this issue should have been directed through regular channels within
the church. In any event, the issue was now a public one, and a group at Diedelsheim who had contributed regularly to Moravian missions in the past threatened to cut off contributions if the Moravians had truly “departed from the proper ground of belief.”7 This was a real threat to Moravian missions, since many of the funds to support them came from groups outside the church, and if such a trend spread, the already financially strapped missions could face immediate disaster. In the months before the German Synod of 1908, many letters appeared in Herrnhut, the weekly newspaper of the German Province at the time, with opinions ranging from laments that people had lost faith in the Moravian Church because justification and sanctification were no longer preached (24 April) to a denunciation of “ossified intolerant orthodoxy” (which appeared in the 22 May issue after Synod had begun). Another writer in the same issue said he did not like the “New Theology,” but could live with it. So it was that when Synod came to consider the seminary’s report, the chair asked (Continued on next page)
The latter part of the nineteenth century was a time of theological ferment when what they called the “New Theology” challenged traditional religious thinking.
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Confessing (Continued from previous page)
Christ the Head of the church that all might be said “in the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the spirit of holy love and divine truth.”8 Synod moved quickly through the routine reports on faculty retirements, student enrollment, etc., but then the more controversial issues arose. Debate, “conducted openly and with Brotherly love,” began on Monday afternoon with “long and earnest speeches.” By the close of the Wednesday night session, so many delegates were still waiting to speak that one could form no clear idea of the position of Synod as a whole.9 As summarized in the 26 June 1908 issue of Herrnhut,10 the delegates made an effort to “seek to understand, not oppose one another.” However, the lay people, particularly, feared that the “New Theology” meant that the Savior and Scripture were no longer of value. Some stated that they were missing the core of the Gospel in sermons of the younger ministers, that some ministers understood Scripture differently from “plain layfolk,” and that they therefore had lost confidence in them to care for their souls, and they feared that great ill was coming to the church. The newspaper Herrnhut summarized: What the lay people want and expect is a clear confession of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, of his cross, and his bodily resurrection; in short, of the full and entire contents of the Holy Scriptures and the faith of our fathers as it has found expression in our hymnal from the time of Zinzendorf even to now. Finally, it was stressed that the church is not there for the theologians, but rather 28
that the theologians are there for the church.11 The theologians acknowledged this, and some stressed the differences between their personal living faith and the methods of scientific theology. After almost a whole week of deliberations, the Synod had to come to a vote on specific resolutions to close or sharply restrict the seminary.12 The motion to close it was withdrawn, but discussion on restrictions continued. This bogged down, and a suggestion was made to require theological students to spend at least a semester at some other institution “to become acquainted with other theological directions and other living Christian circles outside the Brüdergemeine.” This seemed to be a resolution most of the delegates could live with, so the motion to place restrictions on the seminary was voted down 41-5, and the motion for “broadening experience” was adopted 45-0. Here the matter was left. This, of course, did not settle anything... We continue our discussion of the Crisis of 1909 in our next issue. n Endnotes
1 J. Taylor Hamilton and Kenneth G. Hamilton, History of the Moravian Church (Bethlehem, Pa., and Winston-Salem, N.C.: Interprovincial Board of Christian Education, Moravian Church in America, 1967), p. 154. 2 Williston Walker, History of the Christian Church, rev. ed. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1959), p. 493. 3 Hamilton, History, p. 354. 4 History, p. 354. 5 A helpful source for following the issues and events of this Synod is Herrnhut. Events were reported as they happened, and then a general summary was given in the 26 June 1908 issue. 6 Herrnhut, 26 June 1908, p. 212. 7 Herrnhut, 29 May 1908, p. 178. 8 Herrnhut, 29 May 1908, p. 177. 9 Herrnhut, 29 May 1908, pp. 177-179. 10 pp. 212-214. 11 Herrnhut, 26 June 1908, p. 212. 12 Herrnhut, 5 June 1908, p. 184.
The Moravian
OFFICIAL PROVINCIAL ELDERS’ NEWS NORTHERN PROVINCE Prayer Day for World Peace and Nuclear Disarmament August 6, 2017 In accordance with legislation enacted at the 1982 Synod of the Northern Province and affirmed by the 1990 Synod, the first Sunday in August has been designated as a day of prayer for world peace and nuclear disarmament. Prayer Day for Public Education August 27, 2017 Congregations of the Northern Province are asked to observe Public Education Awareness Day on the last Sunday in August. Prepared liturgies, intercessory prayers for students and all who teach in and administer public schools and sermons at worship may call attention to our responsibility for public education and seek the blessing of God upon these endeavors. New Philadelphia, Ohio Brother Lloyd Gooden, who has been serving as pastor for Lebanon Moravian Church, Lebanon, Pennsylvania has accepted the call to serve as pastor for Sharon Moravian Church, New Philadelphia, Ohio. Brother Gooden will be installed August 20, 2017. Elizabeth D. Miller Provincial Elders’ Conference
SOUTHERN PROVINCE Friedland Moravian, Winston-Salem, N.C. Adam Goodrich has accepted a call to be associate pastor of the Friedland congregation. Bishop Sam Gray will preside at a service of ordination Sunday, Sept. 24, at 3:00 p.m. at Adam’s home congregation, Olivet Moravian Church. A service of installation at Friedland is planned for Oct. 1 during morning worship. Adam and his wife, Stephanie, will be moving to Winston-Salem and residing in the church parsonage. Please remember brother and sister Goodrich and the Friedland congregation. King Moravian, King, N.C. The Rev. Doug Rights has accepted a call to be Pastor of King Moravian Church and will be installed during the morning worship service on August 27. Please pray for Doug, his wife, Kathy, and the King congregation as this new pastoral relationship begins. Call to Provincial Service Angelica Regalado Cieza, an approved candidate for ordination, has accepted a call to provincial service to work with the Provincial Elders’ Conference in the development of a new and emerging ministry to those who are immigrants to Forsyth county and the surrounding area. A service of ordination is planned for Sunday, September 3, at 3:00 p.m., at Friedland Moravian Church, with bishop Sam Gray officiating. David Guthrie Provincial Elders’ Conference
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Obituary: The Rev. Eric J. Schulze Brother Eric J. Schulze died at Lynden, Washington, July 1, 2017 at the age of 90. Born June 17, 1927 at Edmonton, Alberta, he was the son of Hermann and Emilie (Guenther) Schulze. Brother Schulze graduated from Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pa., in 1950 and Moravian Theological Seminary in 1953. He was ordained a Deacon in the Moravian ministry July 12, 1953, and consecrated a Presbyter July 30, 1961. He was united in marriage to Constance Fenske June 3, 1954 at Camp Van Es in Alberta. Together they served Moravian pastorates in Alberta (New Sarepta, Heimtal, CalgaryDidsbury, Bruderheim), British Columbia (Vancouver) and the Eastern West Indies Province. Brother Schulze also served as Chaplain at Marquardt Manor, Watertown, Wisconsin, and as a member and president of the Canadian District Board. He entered into retirement October 1, 1993. Brother Schulze is survived by his wife, Constance; sons, Daniel and Timothy; daughters, Edith and Dianne; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held July 23, 2017 at First Reformed Church, Lynden, Washington. Burial was in Greenacres Memorial Park, Ferndale, Washington.
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Tanzania (Continued from page 25)
By 2013, the congregation at Mkolye Moravian had outgrown its church building. They began raising money to purchase land near their original building. Most of the people living in the villages are able to make bricks and build their own homes. However, very few have the expertise to construct walls strong enough to support a heavy metal roof which is now required for all public buildings. Further, the cost of the materials for the roof is more than most churches are able to afford. In late August of 2014, Rudolph Moravian church was destroyed by fire. The congregation was devastated. None the less, remaining dedicated to mission, they sent a significant portion of their remaining assets to their partner village to assist it in Mkolye’s new church construction. Knowing that Rudolph had made funding available for roofing materials, the Moravians in Mkolye worked through the year, under the guidance of an experienced contractor, to complete construction of the walls. Through the benevolence of the congregation at Rudolph, by July of 2016, the building, including the roof, had been completed. Three weeks later the first marriage was celebrated in their new sanctuary. Pastor Kikoma sent the people of Rudolph photographs taken during the service, as well as a letter of sincere gratitude. Just as the mythical Egyptian phoenix would rise from its own ashes to a renewed life, from the ashes of Rudolph Moravian the new Moravian church at Mkolye has risen. n
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August 2017
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