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In this issue: Board of World Mission Annual Report Creating You Belong “On-ramps” to connection ...and more!
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The Moravian
On the cover: Sun through stained-glass Moravian stars. Photo: Mike Riess, IBOC
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Our Lamb has conquered. Let us follow Him. In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love God Creates. God Redeems. God Sustains. We Respond in Faith, Love and Hope.
A Moravian Education SPECIAL FEATURE 11 Pause and Reflect: The 2020 Board of World Mission Annual Report
Church Planting 5
Creating You Belong: Wisconsin Moravians planning new congregation more inlcusive for individuals with disabilities
In Our Congregations 9
Creating “on-ramps” of connection
31 Confirmation in the time of COVID
Moravian Writings 33 Reflections on Mark 4:35-41
...and more 4 Visit our website at https://www.moravian.org. Letters to the editor, address corrections, and other correspondence may be e-mailed to the editorial staff at moravianmagazine@mcnp.org.
May 2021
Ponderings: Around the world in 20 pages
37 Official Provincial Elders’ News 38 Obituary: The Rev. Dr. Darryl Bell
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PONDERINGS
Around the world in 20 pages Given the central role missions play in the history—and current work—of the Moravian Church in America, we often share stories of Moravian mission work in the magazine. But once a year, the North American Board of World Mission (BWM) offers a focused look at their efforts over the past year and the impact those efforts have on those with whom they serve. The BWM Annual Report issue of the Moravian Magazine is one of my favorites to work on every year. Since 2012, the IBOC and BWM have partnered to produce their yearly summary and feature it as part of a spring issue each year. In the 20 pages in the middle of this issue, readers can take a trip around the globe—from Sierra Leone to Honduras, Nicaragua to Nepal, Alaska to Cuba, Labrador to Peru, and Tanzania to right here at home. It’s remarkable how far the North American Board of World Mission’s work extends. Through the words and photos of the BWM, readers learn of the extraordinary impact the church’s efforts have made in the past year—ongoing work at the Ahuas clinic in Honduras, the disaster relief provided to hurricane victims in Central America, the spread of Moravian faith in Peru and Cuba, and so much more. In a year that limited the ability to travel, the Board continued to serve by coordinating donations, providing new resources and maintaining connections with their partner provinces. As an editor, it’s a joy (and, quite frankly, my job) to find ways to share this meaningful work in an engaging way. I hope you find this year’s Annual Report as uplifting and informative as I did. And it’s not just the BWM whose work is highlighted this month. We also share efforts to create a new congregation in Wisconsin with a particular focus on people with disabilities; stories of congregations making the best of the difficulties of COVID-19; Moravian writings on Mark 4:35-41; and more. I hope you enjoy this issue of the Moravian and the opportunity to go around the world in 20 pages with the Board of World MIssion. Peace, MIke Riess, Editor
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(ISSN 1041-0961) May 2021, Vol. 52, No. 3 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: OnTrac International, 41 Northern Stacks Drive, Suite 200 Fridley, MN 55421 email: file@ontrac.com Official Journal, The Moravian Church in North America, Northern and Southern Provinces Published eight times per year: Jan/ Feb, April, May, June/July, August, Sept./ Oct., November and December, 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. Non Profit postage paid at Bethlehem, PA. Circulation: 16,000 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, Margaret Couch, Paul Knouse, Kat Lehman, Amy Linville, Dan Miller, Valerie Bean Wagner. Design by Michael Riess, IBOC. Address all correspondence regarding articles, subscriptions, or advertising to The Moravian, 1021 Center St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 FAX: 610.866.9223 Phone: 610.867.0594 800.732.0591 e-mail: moravianmagazine@mcnp.org www.moravian.org Contents © 2021, Interprovincial Board of Communications, Moravian Church in America. All rights reserved
The Moravian
CHURCH PLANTING
Creating You Belong Wisconsin Moravians planning new congregation more inclusive for individuals with disabilities
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e are incredibly excited to share that the Moravian Church Northern Province is developing a new congregation called You Belong in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For years, my wife Amy and I have had a dream of creating a church that works to be more inclusive for individuals living with disabilities. Our passion and calling in life is to care for people with disabilities and to help our society understand new ways in which we are intentionally inclusive in all areas of life, including the church. You Belong is committed to sharing the love of Christ while being grounded in inclusion, love and compassionate care. We aspire to be a church home for all people, of all walks of life, but to live that out in such a way that each person feels truly included in all that we do. We believe that everyone is wonderfully made in the image of God and is loved by God, and, as a developing faith community, we hope to reflect that love of God. A divine seed planted long ago This dream started on January 4th, 2011. On that day, God planted a seed in my heart that May 2021
would change my life forever. I was having a once in a lifetime journey traveling through the Holy Land in Israel with a group of Moravian peers during Young Adult Convo. As you can imagine, this trip was humbling as we journeyed through the places that Jesus once walked centuries ago. However, the most humbling moment of the trip for me was not the steps Jesus had made 2000 years ago; instead, it was a place that Christ was very much alive and at work today. We traveled into Palestine to visit the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Ramallah on the West Bank. Star Mountain is an undertaking of the Worldwide Moravian Church and is a wonderful ministry working to care for individuals living with disabilities in this part of the world. I remember walking up the hill onto the campus and the first two people we met were a physical therapist working with a young boy who was learning to walk using a walker. As we approached them, the boy looked up at us, standing firmly on his feet, and smiled with (Continued on next page) 5
“Our passion for people expanded when we welcomed our own children into the world.”
You Belong (Continued from previous page) such happiness. My heart was instantly flooded with joy, compassion and an overwhelming sense of not knowing what to do or what to say. Like many people, I had little experience being in relationship with someone who lived with a disability. I was a bit uncomfortable as we toured around the campus and met more students, residents and staff. Later, as we were standing in a larger room listening to the director, the physical therapist we first met when we arrived came into the room and stood next to me. I was eager to learn his story: what led him to this work at Star Mountain. We talked for a while and then he said something to me that would change my life forever. He said “Many people come here because they have compassion for people with disabilities and they want to help, that’s why I came initially. “What I did not realize was that building relationships with these people would serve me much more than I could ever serve them. They don’t want my pity, they want someone who walks alongside of them as Jesus calls us
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to. They want friendship and love, and that’s what inspires me to get up and come here each day.” That was a divine voice that would lead to a decade of dreaming and visioning. A dream became a vision Over the next decade, Amy and I started to serve locally within the disability community in our personal lives. Through this work, we began to hear more and more stories from friends and families in the disability community who felt unsupported and excluded by the church. Heartbroken by these stories, we began to sense that our call was to find a way to renew the church of today in a way that focuses on making church both physically and programmatically accessible for all people. As our plans developed, our biggest challenge was what many churches currently face: how do we make this unique congregation sustainable? As we considered an integrated congregation that would be made up of a core group of individuals with disabilities, we recognized the reality that in our world today, many of these individuals struggle to find employment that pays a livable wage, and many families may be struggling with medical expenses.
The Moravian
With financial limitations a serious consideration, we continued to explore ideas of how we might create some sort of church model that would generate sustainability, so that the church would not rely solely on the faithful giving of congregational members. As we kept trying to imagine this new church, our passion for people expanded when we welcomed our own children into the world. It was at this time that Amy began teaching as a parent educator for the Early Childhood Family Education program in our local school district; a lot of our time and energy was focused on caring for families and children. Suddenly, we
started hearing similar stories from families who also had felt excluded by many churches today. This fueled our deep passion for serving both people with disabilities and their families. Then one day (before COVID), we began to see a clear path to our vision as we were sitting in an indoor children’s center called Kids in Motion. The space was filled with indoor playgrounds and climbing equipment, bubble machines and themed rooms with dinosaurs, trains, and much more! Our children loved it and so did we; although we could not help but notice the limitations that the space had (Continued on next page)
The Vision of
You Belong is a church that is being created and designed to meet the needs of all people. It will be an integrated family of faith that is made up of people from all walks of life coming together in a renewed way of being the church of Christ. Our core ministries as we breathe life into this new church include: ❖ Wonderfully Made Ministry - promotes the wellness in mind, body and soul of people living with disabilities. ❖ Caregiver Ministry - focuses on caring for individuals and family members who live their life caring for others. This is a unique support ministry that helps people care for themselves so that they can care for others. ❖ Family Ministry - provides support, resources and nourishment for parents and children.
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You Belong (Continued from previous page) for people with disabilities. In a moment, the dream we had held onto for years suddenly became a vision, and our calling for You Belong was born. Our potential answer to creating sustainability for You Belong is to create a nonprofit learning and play center operated by the church and designed for families with children. We are calling this proposal The Adventure Zone. Designed to be fully accessible, The Adventure Zone will focus on providing parents and children with access to resources and support through family education classes and a safe space to learn and play year-round. It can be open to the public and operated daily throughout the week in an effort to help generate revenue to sustain the church building, while it also works to enhance the ministry of You Belong.
“The Provincial Elders’ Conference is thrilled to partner with Br. Greg in this call to plant a new worshiping community in Green Bay, Wisconsin...” -- Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller
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“The Provincial Elders’ Conference is thrilled to partner with Br. Greg in this call to plant a new worshiping community in Green Bay, Wisconsin,” said the Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, president of the Northern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference. “Over the past months, it has become clear to us that God is calling Greg to this ministry, and we are pleased to walk with Greg and Amy on this journey. For over a year, Greg has been working with Rev. Ben Ingebretson, our director of church planting and emerging ministries, to discern this call, become assessed for the gifts and graces needed to plant a new church, and develop a plan and resources to launch this new ministry. “The Provincial Elders’ Conference has committed financial resources, on a declining scale over five years, to help launch You Belong. Built into this support is additional funding from individuals and groups across the wider church. We look forward to seeing how God’s mission to the world is incarnated through You Belong and invite you to join us in praying for God’s guidance and blessing.” To learn more or to support this new church and ministries through a donation visit our website at youbelongwi.org n The Rev. Greg Behrend will lead You Belong in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He most recently served Our Savior’s Moravian Church in Altura, Minn.
The Moravian
IN OUR CONGREGATIONS
Creating “on-ramps” of connection
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t is hard to believe that we’ve been living within the Covid-19 pandemic for over a year now. In March of 2020, all of our congregations needed to pivot to a new direction when we could not meet in-person anymore. To continue with the basketball analogy (I mean, we live in Indiana after all!) we have had to get really good at pivoting within the everchanging Covid landscape. Over this past year, it has been very important for us at Hope Moravian to create as many “on-ramps” as possible for people to connect with our congregation and to connect with God. We always wanted more options, not less, to fit the variety of preferences among our members. In many of our congregations, the ways our people have both viewed Covid, and adapted to it, have been diverse in scope. There is quite a spectrum on when churches in our provinces decided to go back to in-person worship, or if they are still fully online as of this writing. I think it must be said that there is no
May 2021
right or wrong here, but that each congregation has needed to prayerfully consider what they would and would not do as an act of their faith. Also, within our Moravian theology, our Covid-related decision-making definitely falls within the “non-essentials, liberty” section! When we started meeting again for in-person worship, we decided to meet in our Moravian Outreach Center. It is an open gym space where we could space out chairs for proper distancing and have them in clusters for individuals and families that were quarantined together. Our sanctuary was not quite as big and we realized that our pews were not nearly as movable! One of the main on-ramps we initiated was starting a second service. We were a one-service church, yet we knew we could accommodate more people safely if we had two worship times. We adopted a 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. service schedule. While at first those services were exactly the same, we decided to make (Continued on next page)
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On-ramps
(Continued from previous page) the 9 a.m. a contemporary service, and the 11 a.m. our traditional service. This has worked very well. People connect with God in different ways, so we wanted to offer different music options. Throughout this time, we decided to get an FM radio transmitter for those not yet ready to enter the building. Our members could easily tune into 107.7 to hear the music, sermon and prayers. No one would’ve guessed over a year ago that Hope Moravian would have its own radio station! Other on-ramps that fostered connection throughout this pandemic include Facebook Live streaming both Sunday services; continuing our Monday night free meal to the community, yet making the change to “take-out” only; an outdoor service on the front lawn of the church; short-term Zoom small-group studies using RightNow media; and at various times sending out a mid-week “Faith Lift” on A stop along the “Easter Drive-Thru” at Hope Moravian Church this spring.
Facebook, where I would feature a very short devotional or word of encouragement. Out of all these on-ramps, the one that I got most excited about, and had the most community-wide reach was our Easter “Drivethru” in our cemetery. The idea was sparked by Sister Amy Keller. She thought it would be neat for people to still have a joyful Easter experience even though we could not gather in the church building. As people approached the cemetery, they were directed to tune their radio to 107.7 FM, where they could listen to a recorded loop of prayers, Scriptures highlighting Jesus’ resurrection, and triumphant music —with, of course, “Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!” The self-guided tour included Scripture signs of the events leading up to our Lord’s resurrection, along with the “empty tomb,” a signature part of our cemetery, situated within the rock garden that has been there for decades. Looking back at Easter 2020, I remember standing out on the parsonage lawn, witnessing car after car going through our cemetery throughout the entire day. The video that Sister Anita Watkins made of the event for Facebook was shared over 100 times and had over 6,000 views - probably the most views I have ever seen on our church Facebook page in the seven years I’ve been here. Easter 2020 was different for sure, but the people came out to celebrate just the same, hearing through the speakers of their vehicle, “The Lord is risen, the Lord is risen indeed!” Of course, it went so well last year, we invited the community out again for the Easter “drive-thru” experience in 2021. Through this Covid period and beyond, all of our congregations are being led to experiment - to “pivot” - initiating new ways for people to enter into a life-giving relationship with our Savior. n The Rev. Andy Kilps is pastor of Hope Moravian Church in Hope, Indiana.
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The Moravian
Pause AND Reflect
BOARD OF WORLD MISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2020
2020 BOARD OF Thomas Baucom, Chair* Board-Appointed, Southern Province
Joe Jarvis, Vice-Chair* Southern Province
Becky Turnbull, Secretary* Eastern District, Northern Province
Betsy Miller* Left to right: Lisa Pampe, Dan Miller, Taylor Wickert, Thomas Baucom, Alina Ricardo, Justin Rabbach, Becky Turnbull, Betsy Miller, Donna Gordon, Tommy Cole, Sheila Beaman, Sam Gray, Hilda Regalado, Rex Knowlton, Deb Swanson, Joe Jarvis, Chris Giesler, Jill Kolodziej and Dave Geyer.
PEC President, Northern Province * member of Executive Committee
From our Board Chair Thomas Baucom coworker and paused the music. It was a bad connection but I quickly found out we would all be working from home for the next two weeks and pausing all in-person meetings. Our office was officially “paused” for everyone. The next few weeks saw the kids’ schools shut down and my wife’s work temporarily close as well. We would be home for a while it seemed. I REMEMBER SHOUTING “see you next week” across the parking lot to a coworker and jumping into my car. Friday afternoons were always a time for good music with the windows down on the drive home from work. I didn’t realize that simple act of winding down after a week’s work would be my last such drive for quite a while. As I entered Chatham County, NC, I received a call from a
It is been well over a year from that day last March when I left the office. We have mourned the deaths of friends and family. We have lamented the loss of livelihoods and watched businesses close. We have struggled with home-schooling and working from home. We all spent time learning how to navigate our new world. We are all still learning.
As I reflect back on this time, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and thankfulness. I am thankful that I was able to spend more time with my wife and children. I was able to devote time and energy to projects I always wanted to tackle. I have witnessed the creativity of church teams as they created meaningful worship and outreach opportunities in ways that they never thought possible. We all found a way to unite in service even as we were physically apart. I hope you will join me in pausing to reflect on the work of the Board of World Mission through this past year. I am extremely humbled and proud of the work amidst all the challenges this time has brought. I wish you continued health and happiness, and hope to see you in person really soon! m
WORLD MISSION Tommy Cole*
Alina Ricardo Cukiernik*
Donna Gordon
Dan Miller
Arthur Coolidge
Errol Connor
Board Appointed, Southern Province Eastern District, Northern Province
David Geyer
Eastern District, Northern Province
Clifford Jimmie Alaska Province
Mission Society of the Southern Province Alaska Province
Lisa Pampe
Canadian District, Northern Province EWI Province, Advisory Member
Western District, Northern Province
Phyllis Smith-Seymour
Taylor Wickert
David Miller
Western District, Northern Province
Hilda Regalado
Jamaica, Advisory Member Unity of the Brethren
Rex Knowlton
Treasurer, Advisory Member
Southern Province
From our Executive Director Justin Rabbach I LIKE HAVING THE USE OF a “pause” button. If you get a phone call, if the oven timer goes off, if you have to go to the bathroom...you can hit the pause button on a tv show or a YouTube video. Even though I am being interrupted, its ok, I can hit pause, and when I am ready, I just hit play again. But that’s not how it works in reality. Sometimes, when things are happening so quickly, a pause button would be great. But in 2020, the world hit “pause” on many things we are used to doing. We had no control to hit “play” again. The work of the BWM in 2020 seemed to be happening on two screens: one on pause and one on fast forward. Even as planned travel to evaluate some projects were put on hold, the BWM worked quickly to respond to disasters,
COVID and hurricanes in a way that put our work into overdrive. Faithful donations from so many individuals and congregations empowered the BWM to send out more financial support for planned (Mission Grants, scholarships, medical work) and unplanned (emergency food aid, well cleaning equipment) efforts in 2020 than in any year since I have been on staff. In the moment, the staff worked hard to respond in real time to needs, so this annual report is a chance to “Pause and Reflect”. In this moment I look back and see all the ways God provided during times of anxiety and uncertainty, and once again I am filled with a sense of awe and wonder at the many ways God fills our day with hope. m
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” PSALM 62:5
A sewing machine offers opportunities at Ray of Hope in Kenya.
Mission Outreach
THE TOP PRIORITY FOR the Moravian Board of World Mission (BWM) in North America is building relationships with, and supporting the mission efforts of, our partner Unity Provinces (Costa Rica, Eastern West Indies, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Western Tanzania), Mission Provinces (Cuba, Labrador), and Mission Areas (Peru, Sierra Leone). As situations differ by location, the BWM provides Mission Grants to help address specific needs and ministries as they are identified by our partners. Each year, BWM receives numerous grant and project proposals from global partners. These are tremendous initiatives that just require some financial support to get off the ground. In some cases, a simple, relatively small grant of startup
money has been all that was needed to create a sustainable business which creates proceeds to support ongoing ministry. Over the last few years, nearly $150,000 has been gifted to begin and sustain important ministries such as: ✷ A photography business in Peru ✷ Theological scholarships for pastors in Honduras ✷ Building a science lab at the Moravian Kisanji Girls School in Tanzania ✷ Scholarships for continuing education for teachers at the Moravian Secondary School in Sierra Leone ✷ Start-up funding for a bodega (small grocery store) on the grounds
Above right: Construction on a guest house at Auhas. Right: tarp covers worship space in Sierra Leone.
Global Partners One of the Mission Grants supported by the Board of World Mission is a fouryear commitment to fund the theological education of Hiloy Ramirez Lopez. Hiloy is a member of the Honduran Unity Province of the Moravian Church. He is currently studying for an advanced degree in theology so he can return to be a teacher of Moravian candidates for ordination
at the Moravian Bible Institute in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. The BWM supports this scholarship as one step being taken to strengthen leadership and theological training in La Mosquitia, the rural area of Honduras where most of the Moravians in that country reside. When Hiloy completes his training, he will be able to assist in the training of pastors in a Moravian context closer to many students’ homes. This will help to increase the number of students who can afford the time and travel commitments to be trained as ordained leaders in the church. The message below was written by Hiloy, and translated by BWM staff: Dear brother Justin and to the donors responsible for the support of my study for this cause and for my family,
of the Ahuas Clinic in Honduras ✷ Outfitting a provincial office with a computer and supplies in Cuba ✷ Funding the salary of a speech therapist at the Star Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Palestine m
I have been a pastor in the Moravian Church since 1997, specifically serving the Miskito population in Honduras. From the beginning, I have always wanted to better prepare myself in the theological area. It is very difficult to get funding to attend seminary, thankfully the BWM has chosen to support me in my studies.
By the grace of God I’m in my final year of my study, but this would not be possible without the support of donors like you who support the Board of World Mission, and also the many who offer their prayerful support. So, I thank you immensely for his gesture of support for this ministry, and the blessing it will be to train pastors, including with the Garifuna people. Dear brothers and sisters, the seeds you are planting through this work and support of training is very useful and needed to grow God’s presence and glory in this land. Finally, once again, I thank you on behalf of my family and for the advancement of God’s work. Hiloy
Below: Hiloy Ramirez Lopez and his family.
Ahuas: A ministry of medicine IN 2021 THE AHUAS CLINIC celebrates its 75th anniversary. This is a tremendous milestone for the medical work happening in La Mosquitia, Honduras. What follows here is a short history of the origins of this important ministry. In order to meet Honduran Miskitu spiritual and physical needs, the Moravian Church expanded the medical work started in 1934 by Dr. David Thaeler in Bilwaskarma, Nicaragua. Nurse Cleave Fishel began medical service across the border in Ahuas in 1946 following the footsteps of the Rev. Werner Marx who
did medical work along with evangelistic and pastoral outreach. The wide spectrum of medical needs required greater skills and services, so Dr. Sam and Grace Marx were called to Honduras and began building the Ahuas Moravian Clinic in 1952. Initially very rustic facilities limited medical care, but regular trips up the Patuca River and across the savannas brought pastoral and medical help to many people across La Mosquitia. Small clinics were started in Brus Laguna and Cocobila. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) began intermittent flights early in the 1950’s but by 1972 had based a plane in Ahuas, providing an access to daily medical care for people suffering in distant La Mosquitia villages. By then, full pediatric, obstetrical and surgical services were offered as buildings were constructed and medical equipment was donated–always with generous help from volunteers. By the late 1980’s, as the Nicaraguan civil war raged, refugee medical problems brought a shift of responsibilities. Honduran and Nicaraguan medical providers took on the leadership of the Ahuas Moravian Hospital, reflecting the growing
75TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FUNDRAISING FOR AHUAS IN CELEBRATION of the 75th Anniversary of the work of the Ahuas Clinic, and in recognition of the ways we can help set this ministry up for success well into the future, the Ahuas Committee has created the “Ahuas Anniversary Fund”. This fund will be held with other investments of the Board of World Mission, and any distributions will be done through the Ahuas Committee in consultation with leaders at the Ahuas Clinic. autonomy of the Moravian Church in Honduras. A network of small government clinics led to a sharing of medical responsibilities, with Ahuas being a crucial referral center. In the 1990’s, the Ahuas Clinic expanded with its triple emphasis of preventive medicine, curative and
surgical care, and spiritual guidance. The medical program of the Moravian Church in Honduras is guided by a board of directors elected by the Synod of the Moravian Church in Honduras. Pastor Ted Riven, a native of La Mosquitia, is the Director of the medical program. m
The goal in this anniversary year is to raise $75,000 to seed this fund. Help meet the goal by making a donation to the “Ahuas Anniversary Fund” and helping us reach the special goal of $75,000 for the 75th anniversary in 2021! m
THE ROLE OF BOARD OF WORLD MISSION IN AHUAS From the inception of the medical program in Honduras, the Board of World Mission has provided personnel, administrative and financial support. Although the medical program is self-governing, under the authority of the Synod of the Moravian Church in Honduras, the Board of World Mission continues in a close, supportive relationship. In 2018, a special “Ahuas Committee” was formed by BWM to offer more hands-on support. This committee has functioned very well, providing Clinic staff with a direct point of contact to share needs at the clinic. BWM responds monthly with financial support from its budget, as well as extra donations, for medicines, building projects, staff salaries, and additional health and nutrition programs.
Moravian Disaster Response: Honduras & Nicaragua
Generous contributions allowed MDR to provide food and supplies to assist after floods impacted several Central American countries.
AS NORTH AMERICANS ANTICIPATE warmer weather and increased freedom from a year-long pandemic, we pause in anticipation of a brighter future. Our Central American sisters and brothers, suffering from the same pandemic, do not have access to the vaccines that will are now available to all of us. As we reflect on our blessings, Moravians in Nicaragua and Honduras postpone concern about Covid while worrying about where to find food and seeds. In late November of 2020, seven shelters housed thousands of refugees in the community of Puerto Cabezas on Nicaragua’s East Coast. In Honduras, evacuees sought refuge at
Ahuas and Paptalaya on the Patuca River and in the Departmental Capital of Puerto Lempira. The evacuees had fled Eta and Iota, twin category-four hurricanes that assaulted Nicaragua’s East Coast and dumped up to three feet of rain on the indigenous communities of Nicaragua and Honduras. Homes were damaged, and high winds and devastating floods destroyed whole villages. Many people living outside of the cash economy on meals derived from food harvested on family agricultural plots saw their crops covered with two to three feet of sand and mud. Wells were contaminated with floodwater. The incidence of water-borne diseases, especially among younger patients, increased.
The Board of World Mission quickly sent Moravian Disaster Response funds. Contributions from generous Moravians and non-Moravians poured in from across the globe. Assistance was funneled through leaders of the three Central American Moravian provinces. In December, Feed the Hungry sent 38,000 prepackaged meals and followed that with 400 additional boxes in February. AGAPE (with financial support from Mission Aviation Fellowship, or MAF) sent planes from Guatemala to distribute food. Habitat for Humanity donated hygiene kits and water purifiers in Nicaragua, and MAF flew them to Puerto Cabezas. In Honduras,
Habitat donated 208 emergency housing kits from Shelter Box which were transported by the World Food Program (WFP). In Honduras, medicines were purchased with donations from Samaritan’s Purse and the Reformed Church in America. Samaritan’s Purse covered the purchase of equipment to clean wells in Nicaragua. Lutheran World Relief filled a shipping container with school, infant, and personal hygiene kits to be shipped by WFP. Moravian leaders continue to distribute food, seeds, building materials, medicines, emergency shelters, school supplies, and household goods. While some roofs have been repaired, the main concern remains food and seeds. It is hoped that by the time the rains start in May, some crops – especially beans and corn – will be ready for harvest. This report was compiled by Brother Rick Nelson, who was brought onto the BWM staff to serve as the coordinator for this massive effort to provide the compassion of Christ to folks whose lives have been impacted by these Hurricanes. His hard work and dedication have blessed us and the people of Nicaragua and Honduras. m
MORAVIAN DISASTER RESPONSE FUND THE MORAVIAN DISASTER RESPONSE FUND is a stand-alone fund within the Board of World Mission that serves as a source of funding relief as soon as a disaster strikes a part of the world where we have Moravian brothers and sisters. We depend on donations to the fund to respond within days of a disaster rather than waiting for funds to be raised. We are thankful for all contributions, but those not designated to a particular place give us the most flexibility before, during, and after disasters occur as they allow us to respond quickly. In the past year, through the MDR fund, we distributed over $80,000 in aid, in many different directions, to provide support and assistance with issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning in March of 2020, $200 grants were made available to Moravian congregations in the Northern and Southern Provinces to assist with the expenses of taking their worship services and church administration online. With these grants, congregations purchased Zoom subscriptions, video cameras, microphones, and laptops to enable them to broadcast worship services and hold meetings and fellowship
events online. Some congregations also used these grants to bolster food-sharing programs to assist neighbors who, upon finding themselves unemployed, needed help to feed their families. We distributed aid to our Mission partners in Cuba, Peru and Honduras to assist them with financial issues related to the pandemic. In addition to these efforts, we made a large purchase of medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, and food for our Moravian Medical Clinic in Ahuas, Honduras, and 50 other medical outposts in La Mosquitia. We give thanks and praise for the many donations, both large and small, that enable us to respond where the need arises. Our calling as Christians will continue to challenge us to be responsive to the needs of others. m — Chris Giesler, director of mission engagement
A History of Serving Vani and Shanti
in Nicaragua d John Gielser
an Steadman Bent
Pradhan, with Fr
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THE HISTORY OF OUR Moravian Church begins in the pages of Scripture. Since the beginning of the early church, under the leadership of people like Peter, Paul and Mary (Magdalene), there has been an unbroken line of women and men that the Holy Spirit has inspired to serve in one capacity or another to bring us to where we are today.
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Well known in Moravian circles are names like “Zinzendorf,” “Dober,” “Nitschmann,” (Anna and David), and “Protten.” Pictured on these pages are some of the people who, in more recent years, have been part of the Board of World Mission’s efforts to continue that long history of service. We pause to give thanks for them and be inspired by their passion and guided by their wisdom.
In my own life, I was inspired by my father, the Rev. John Giesler, and the ministry that he shared with Rev. Steadman Bent in Bluefields, Nicaragua. Together they served in the mid-to-late 1960s when leadership in the Nicaraguan Province was being transferred to local leaders. This partnership was life-changing for my father, who, when he returned to
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the U.S. for service in the Southern Province, became a leader in the efforts to bring about racial reconciliation in the Winston-Salem, N.C. area. Rev. Bent played a key role in my spiritual formation as I well remember many of his excellent sermons delivered from the pulpit in the Central Moravian Church of Bluefields.
We must all take time to remember those who have gifted us with the message of God’s grace, reconciliation, and service to others. Their work was not just for us to hold onto in a warm corner of our hearts but rather to send us out to share this incredibly good news. We do so by giving our spiritual gifts and financial support to our
local congregations and neighborhood agencies. We do so through the collective work we do together as Districts and Provinces of the Moravian Church. We do so by being in touch with our siblings in Christ around the world to be inspired by them as they share with us and support them. —Chris Giesler
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All the faces who have taken part in mission through the BWM could not fit in these few pages - but if you have photos of people mission service, we would love to receive them and share them on our social media and in future publications. Send them to matt@ moravianmission.org with a brief description of who is in the photo and where and when it was taken.
STAFF TRANSITIONS:
Good and faithful servants
IN 2020 THE BOARD OF WORLD MISSION offered its sincere thanks and gratitude to sister Sheila Beaman and Rt. Rev. Sam Gray for their long years of mission service. In June, Bishop Sam concluded his ministry as the Director of Mission Outreach and accepted the call to serve as the pastor of the New Philadelphia Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.. In his work as Director of Mission Outreach for the BWM, Bishop Sam worked to further the Great Commission and live out the Great Commandment alongside many global partners. In the most recent years, his work helped grow churches in the “new work” areas of the BWM, Peru, Cuba, and Sierra Leone. Sister Sheila retired on September 1st after more than 30 years of faithful service to God’s mission through her work as the administrative assistant for the Southern Province
Mission Society and Board of World Mission.
Sam Gray
Sheila began her work with the Board of World Mission in the fall of 1989 and was a stalwart presence in the mission office in Old Salem since that time. She welcomed Moravians and other mission-related visitors to Winston-Salem, N.C. and did an excellent job as host, finding wonderful food and accommodations for all she cared for. Well done, good and faithful servants! At the time this article is written, with the staffing departures and the ability to work remotely, the BWM has consolidated its administrative activities to the office in Bethlehem. The BWM remains committed to its work with and among congregations in the Southern Province, and anticipates that as COVID restrictions are lifted, there will be a strong BWM presence in the area. m
Sheila Beaman
Mission Engagement Resources
The Board of World Mission website now has a handful of new resources that your congregation might find helpful in the coming years. If you go to our website at www.moravianmission.org and click on the “Resources” tab, you will find these new offerings. Congregational Mission Discernment These materials will help your congregation answer the following questions: What gifts does our faith community have to offer? Where is God leading us to serve? How can our congregation establish and maintain a mission mindset? It includes session instructions, Bible studies and prayer guides. Mission-Team Training Materials Suppose your congregation is considering sending out a team to do a mission project. In that case, you might consider using these
materials to help ensure that you are properly ready both spiritually and physically. Included are checklists, talent inventories and lists of things to make sure you include as well as things to try and avoid. Preaching Resource This is a tool for pastors and lay leaders to use to prepare sermons or Bible studies based on the lectionary readings posted for each Sunday in the Moravian Daily Texts. This resource offers some commentary with a mission connection on at least one of the assigned texts for the day, most often the Gospel lesson. While these resources are there for you to use, the Board of World Mission staff is willing to lead these sessions via a Zoom meeting or in-person when that becomes more available. m
“Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That is how the light gets in.” LEONARD COHEN’S LYRICS, from the song “Anthem,” struck a chord with me as I considered how dramatically COVID has altered our lives. The ways in which we as the BWM typically engage with ministry partners was disrupted. Despite the fact that Covid has caused us to pause and reconsider the way we carry out our roles, cracks have opened up in the barriers that have restricted our activities. Along with the challenges, light has shone through in the form of new opportunities. As director of mission service I have dedicated time to the creation of plans for several future offerings. An Antioch Leadership Cohort will be guided by these words from the Ground of the Unity: “We oppose any discrimination in our midst because of race or
standing, and we regard it as a commandment of the Lord to bear public witness to this and to demonstrate by word and deed that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Director of Mission Service
Planning continues for BWM sponsored work and mission camps at Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center in the Western District. I also continue to explore ways in which the Moravian Church, in collaboration with the BWM, can aide other denominational agencies in their efforts to meet the needs of people who are seeking migration services. Despite the adjustments that Covid has forced us to make, let’s “ring the bells that still can ring,” or in other words, work with the faith and skills that we possess to foster relationships and serve others. Please contact me at jill@ moravianmission.org if you are interested in hearing more about these opportunities. m —Jill Kolodziej, director of mission service
Pause AND Reflect Jill Kolodziej is director of mission service for the BWM.
THE DAY-TO-DAY: Managing in a challenging year
This cement sculpture, also featured on the cover of this annual report, serves as a cornerstone in Sierra Leone.
2020 BROUGHT ITS SHARE of challenges to the Board of World Mission Office. On March 13, 2020, we all moved to our home offices, for what we thought would be a temporary two-week break. Little did any of us know the extent of Covid-19 and the global pandemic. Once we realized that we were in this for the longhaul, Northern Province Staff members took turns entering the provincial office in Bethlehem, where the Board of World Mission office is located, to gather equipment and supplies
that we needed to do our jobs efficiently from our homes. Plans for fundraisers and meetings have been put on hold until we can safely gather in large groups once again. We re-developed the procedures for our bookkeeping processes, keeping in mind that our annual audit would also need to be prepared virtually. One blessing that came from all of this is that we felt it was the smoothest audit we have had to date. Our new strategy for our accounting tasks is a keeper! Covid-19 wasn’t the only tragedy we were dealing with in 2020. Disaster struck in Honduras and Nicaragua not once, but twice—on Nov. 9, and Nov. 15, 2020—when Hurricanes
Deb Swanson
Eta and Iota wreaked havoc on these two countries. Not only were these people already struggling with the effects of the coronavirus, but now, they were dealing with the destruction and devastation from the storms. With thanks to the BWM staff, word spread quickly to our supporters and congregations about the damage and the needs of our Moravian brothers and sisters in these hard-hit areas. Donations began to pour into the office and on our online giving page. Many donations were accompanied by heartfelt letters from folks who had stories to tell about friends or family in those areas, a handful who had served or volunteered in some capacity (or knew or were related to someone who had), a few who had lived there and others who just felt compelled to share with those who were left with
nothing. Several of our donors wrote that they were donating all or a portion of their Covid relief checks because it could be put to much better use in one of those countries. Around Christmastime, numerous donations were sent in honor of friends and family in lieu of giving meaningless Christmas gifts. A large portion of our churches and church groups dedicated collections from special worship services and fundraisers to Hurricane Relief. For the first time ever since we have had online donation capability, we saw donations come in from several different countries other than the United States. As of this writing, gifts for hurricane and Covid relief are still coming in! We are all feeling blessed that even amongst the tragedies in our country right now, our current and new supporters were, and continue to be most generous with their gifts to those who have suffered great losses from the storms. Please visit our website at moravianmission.org/give to learn more about what we are doing and how you can help. m — Deb Swanson, Executive Assistant
I STARTED SERVING AS AN intern with the Board of World Mission in May of 2020, just three months into the pandemic. At that point, we knew that travel would likely be restricted for the foreseeable future and most meetings and events were going to be held online. We took this opportunity to enhance our online presence, both on our website and Facebook page. Our goal has been to make communication with our supporters and partners as easy as possible. In July, we overhauled our website to be under the same umbrella as Moravian.org and shortly after regained full control of our Facebook page, allowing us to post up-to-date content at a much higher rate. Our online presence has been fundamental in raising awareness, and in turn, funds, for recent disasters like the back-toback hurricanes that hit Nicaragua and Honduras. Even though travel was restricted, we were able to share real-time updates and pictures from our partners in the area.
In addition to our online platforms, we have also been working hard on video resources for our denomination and partners abroad. These video resources include the Hosanna Anthem performed by a virtual choir, lyric videos, Advent and Lent resources, as well as theological lectures from Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood.
BWM INTERN:
Helping grow our online presence As the world continues to change post-pandemic, we are eager to continue growing our online presence and getting more people involved in our mission! To get more detailed updates beyond what is included in this report, please visit our website, moravianmission.org, and our Facebook page, Facebook.com/MoravianBWM. m —Matt Spies
Financial Report SUPPORT AND REVENUE For the year ended December 31, 2020 Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church Northern, Southern, Alaska Provinces Larger Life Foundation
$437,339 $26,527
Society for Promoting the Gospel
$196,944
Mission Society, Southern Province
$25,000
Other Provincial Support
$28,057
Investment Returns w/o Donor Restriction
$179,411
Investment Returns with Donor Restriction
$100,724
Contributions w/o Donor Restriction
$104,340
Contributions with Donor Restriction
$307,459
Total Support and Revenue*
$1,398,436
*includes $7,365 loss on disposal of RV
THE BOARD OF WORLD MISSION is appreciative of the strong support of the congregations and many others for our continued mission work church wide. The attached graphic depicts where the contributions come from for this work and as importantly, where they go to expand and enhance our collective mission efforts. Support from each of the Northern, Southern and Alaskan Provinces is critical to our success. Congregational giving is part of this support. The Society for Promoting the Gospel continues to fund us generously, accounting for 14% of our revenue in 2020. We are pleased to continue to gather support from the Larger Life Foundation and the Southern Mission Society. Investment returns were positive this year due to the upturn in the economy at year end and keen investment oversight from our brothers and sisters and the Moravian Ministries Foundation. Thanks to many past
Contributions with Donor Restriction
Northern, Southern, Alaska Provinces
Contributions w/o Donor Restriction Investment Returns with Donor Restriction Investment Returns w/o Donor Restriction
Other Provincial Support
Society for Promoting the Gospel
Larger Life Foundation Southern Province Mission Society
Rex Knowlton, Treasurer
contributors we have a strong investment base which allows us to use these returns to extend our reach each year.
Eighty-two per cent of our 2020 expenditures were applied directly to our ministry through assistance grants or mission grants. This year, this includes not only our historic partners and mission grants abroad, but also the mission grants in North America to help combat the impacts of pandemic. The administrative effort of the expenditures is run through both the Northern and Southern Province with the consistent goal to minimize this effort in order to maximize the work in the field.
EXPENDITURES For the year ended December 31, 2020 Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church Direct Program Costs Partner Province Support
$399,154
Mission Programs/Initiatives
514,138
Support and Administration Total Expenditures
$204,576 $1,117,868
Partner Province Support Mission Programs/Initiatives
Support & Administration
Additional details can be obtained from the annual audited financial statements for 2020. For Additional information or a copy of the audited financial statements, please contact Sister Deb Swanson (deb@ moravianmission.org) or myself. Thank you for your support of this important outreach. m —Rex Knowlton, treasurer
Pause AND Reflect
The board and staff of the Board of World Mission thank the contributors who provided articles, information, photographs and other material for this year’s Annual Report. Originally published as a special section of The Moravian Magazine, this Annual Report is also available in digital format from the BWM. Design by Mike Riess, IBOC ©2021, Board of World Mission. Visit us at www.moravianmission.org.
BOARD OF
WORLD MISSION of the Moravian Church • North America 2020 was truly a year for the BWM Staff and Directors to Pause and Reflect, and each of us made time to find creative and different ways to use our gifts to support ministries with our partners outside of the Province, even during the time of a Pandemic. Here’s how to reach us
OFFICES:
STAFF:
Board of World Mission 1021 Center St. Bethlehem, PA 18018 610.868.1732
Justin Rabbach • Executive Director justin@moravianmission.orgnmission.org Chris Giesler • Director of Mission Engagement chris@moravianmission.org Jill Kolodziej • Director of Mission Service jill@moravianmission.org Rex Knowlton • Accountant/Treasurer rex@moravianmission.org Deb Swanson • Executive Asst. deb@mcnp.org or deb@moravianmission.org Matt Spies • Intern matt@moravianmission.org Rick Nelson • Consultant rick@moravianmission.org
WEB: www.moravianmission.org
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ moravianmission
Yes! I wish to make a financial contribution to the work of the Board of World Mission, Moravian Church in North America. I would like to donate $
to the Board of World Mission for the purposes of:
q Helping where it is needed. q Helping a specific program:
100% of your donation will go directly to mission programming. Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________ City/Town: __________________ State: _____ ZIP Code: _________ Email: ____________________________________________________________ q Check here if you would like to be included on our mailing list. We do not share email addresses
Checks must be made payable to BOARD OF WORLD MISSION Please mail your tax-deductible donation to: The Board of World Mission, 1021 Center St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 or visit us at www.moravianmission.org to donate online.
IN OUR CONGREGATIONS
O
Confirmation in the time of COVID
n Palm Sunday, March 28, a most unusual confirmation service was held at New Philadelphia Moravian Church. In the culmination of a journey that began almost two years ago, six young people, through confirmation and baptism, became members of New Philadelphia and two young people were confirmed as members of Fries Memorial Moravian, all in a service that was officiated by the interim pastor of Unity Moravian. As with so many things in these unusual times, this unique service came about, at least in part, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The class began in the Fall of 2019. It was already a bit different than most confirmation classes in that it consisted of young people from two different congregations. Since Fries Memorial has been without a full-time called pastor for a number of years, there had not been the opportunity for their young people to experience confirmation. With Rev. Joe Moore having previously served as pastor of Fries Memorial and
was serving at New Philadelphia, it made sense to invite the youth from Fries to join with the confirmation class that was just beginning at New Philadelphia. This invitation was made with the clear understanding that when the time for confirmation arrived, the young people from Fries Memorial would be confirmed as members of Fries Memorial, and the young people from New Philadelphia would be confirmed as members of New Philadelphia. In the fall of 2019, the class began to meet. Together they learned the meaning of confirmation, the connection between baptism and confirmation, and the basics of Christian faith as lived in the Moravian Church. They discussed the essentials of how God creates, redeems and sustains, and how we are called to respond with faith, love and hope. The class learned the history of the Moravian Church-from Hus to Comenius to Zinzendorf; from Moravia to Germany to America. They shared the joys and challenges (Continued on next page)
Cora Hawfield receives a blessing from the Rev. Joe Moore during confirmation.
May 2021
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Confirmands include Bethany Davis, Blake Woods and Sam Spach.
Confirmation
(Continued from previous page)
of living as a Christian in 21st century America. After months of study and learning, prayer and discussion, they were ready to confirm their faith in God and claim their place in the church. The confirmation service was scheduled for Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020. But then, just a few weeks before that day, the world changed. When the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic began to become clear, when congregations moved to virtual services, with no one in the sanctuary, the decision was made to wait until things returned to “normal” before holding the confirmation service. So those eight young people, who had worked so hard to be ready to confirm their faith, waited. And waited. And waited. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, and the months became a year, it began to seem like they would never have the opportunity to publicly confirm their faith. The words of Psalm 113 “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” seemed to become a reality. How long, O Lord? It’s likely that the apparently unending waiting turned into something else. Did that wait ever turn into doubt? Did they think that the church had forgotten them? Or maybe even that God had forgotten? After so many weeks and months passed by, there had to be times when it seemed like their confirmation would never happen. That it had been forgotten forever, that God was continuing to hide his face. How long, O Lord? But then God “considered and answered” those pleas. Over the recent 32
weeks and months, life began to not quite return to normal, but to regain some normalcy. The effects of the pandemic finally started to lessen and people were able, in a limited way, to get together again. God gave “light to our eyes” and helped us see that, even though we have been waiting and waiting, we have not been forgotten, and in this case, the confirmation class had not been forgotten. How long, O Lord? This long. On Palm Sunday, March 28, the day came that they were finally able to confirm their faith in God as creator, redeemer and sustainer. It was the day that they could finally claim as their own the faith that their parents and their church had shared with them. It was the day that they could finally complete the confirmation journey that began as they were baptized and continued through the years and months of their lives. It was the day that the waiting to be confirmed came to an end and their trust in the steadfast love of the Savior was confirmed. How long, O Lord? This long, says the Lord. Palm Sunday 2021 was what “confirmation in the time of Covid” looks like. It was the coming together of three congregations to function as one to allow our young people the opportunity to confirm their faith in God as creator, redeemer and sustainer with faith, love and hope. May it serve as an example to us all that we are all in this together. n The Rev. Joe Moore is currently serving as interim pastor at Unity Moravian Church in Lewisville, North Carolina. Photos courtesy of Tiffany Woods, Jennifer Davis and Tina Spach. The Moravian
MORAVIAN WRITINGS
“Who is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?” Reflections on Mark 4:35-41
Each week, Moravians across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean share a common message through their Sunday bulletins. This month, we share insights written on Mark 4:35-41 for the Fourth Sunday of Pentecost. Thanks to writers past and present for their contributions to the Moravian bulletin series.
Our Savior in the Storm Doug Rights, pastor, King Moravian Church, King, North Carolina • June 20, 2021
When I was young, I loved storms. In the winter I loved snowstorms, which brought cancelled school and snow forts. In the summer, I loved thunderstorms, with their strong winds, rumbling thunder, flashes of lightning, and sheets of rain. As I grew older, I learned about the destructive side of storms, such as blizzards, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. I also learned about and experienced other types of storms, which are the storms of life. These storms include broken relationships, loss of loved ones, life-threatening diseases, and the uncertainties of life. Some of these storms you May 2021
see coming, while others come suddenly. There are two great lessons in the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4. One lesson is that for Jesus’ followers there will be storms. Just being a Christian does not mean we will be spared the storms of natural disasters or the storms of life. The other great lesson is that we, like the disciples, have someone we can turn to when there is a storm. We can turn to Jesus. Just as Jesus calmed the storm on the water, Jesus will help calm whatever storm we face. In the story, Jesus called the wind and the waves to be still. When we turn to Jesus in our storms, his words “Be still” are not so much at the storm we face. Instead, Jesus’ words “Be still” are (Continued on next page) 33
Reflections on Mark (Continued from previous page)
words for our hearts. They are words of assurance saying that Jesus is with us. They are words of assurance saying that, with Jesus, we do not need to be afraid. They are words of assurance saying that Jesus will help see us through whatever storm we face. Sadly, many people who face storms in life do not turn to the Savior. Yet if we put our trust and faith in Jesus, we have a Savior who is with us in the storm and through the storm.
Jesus Stills a Storm Mark 4:35-41 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
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The Miracle of Assurance Tim Sapp, pastor, Advent Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.• June 24, 2018
The miracle of calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee was proof that Jesus was the Son of God, but this miracle left the disciples bewildered and confused as to who Jesus was. Who was this man who could command the wind and the waves to be quiet and they would obey? The disciples were naturally afraid of what a furious storm could do because of their knowledge and experience. However, this man called Jesus, whom they had made a decision to follow in ministry, had the power to control nature, and this was just as alarming for them. One may wonder why Jesus decided to take the boat to the other side of the lake that day, but all we know for sure is that the disciples were obedient to his request. This obedience gave them the opportunity to witness a great miracle that exhibited the deity of Christ and gave them something that they could remember for the rest of their lives. Because of their faith in him, they could weather other storms that came their way. This story reminds us today that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. We are his people, and by our faith we should remain obedient to his will by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Our faith will not guarantee us that we will not have storms in our lives. However, we do have the assurance that when the storms come, our Lord will be with us to either remove them or sustain us through them for the glory of God.
The Moravian
He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. Coping with storms
Bruce Nelson, pastor, Lake Mills Moravian Church, Lake Mills, Wis. • June 24, 2012
In Mark 4, we have the story of Jesus calming the storm. There are several interesting things we could note in these seven verses. The first thing that I note is that Jesus left a crowd behind him at the end of the day. It tells us that Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and left a crowd behind. Why did he leave the crowd behind? Was there not still more ministry to be done with them? I ask this question all the time. I think churches often ask themselves this question: “Is there not more ministry that I or we should be doing?” I would like to think that there is always more that we could be doing. But we are not expected to do it all. And we definitely are not expected to do it all within a short period of time. In this passage Jesus is modeling doing ministry and taking care of oneself. We could learn from Jesus by looking closely at how he spent his time. In the verses preceding Mark 4:35-41, we see many parables. Jesus had been doing a great deal of teaching, and he no doubt was tired at the end of the day. It was evening and he realized May 2021
that he needed some rest. When he was made aware of a significant challenge—in this case a windstorm that frightened the disciples—he awoke and calmed the storm. First, he calmed the storm, and then he taught the disciples that they need not be afraid. Jesus did not do ministry twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and neither should we. We should take time to do ministry. We should take time to relax and rest. We should realize that storms may come in our lives, and Jesus may not take those storms away immediately; but we should also realize that at times he may say to us, “Peace! Be still!” We should realize that Jesus will walk with us through all our storms.
“Peace! Be Still”
David A. Marcus Jr., pastor, Covenant Moravian Church, Wilmington, N. C. • June 22, 1997
Perhaps you have spent time in a sailboat. Relying on the boat to stay afloat, you slide across the water propelled by a gentle breeze. Sailing is very much like living within the will of God. As Christians, we must rest upon God to (Continued on next page) 35
Reflections on Mark (Continued from previous page)
sustain us, and upon the breath of his Spirit to empower us. During times of crisis or “storms” in our lives, living within the will of God is most difficult. In the threat of wind and waves along the Sea of Galilee, the disciples begin to question their faith, and ponder whether their Master cares whether they survive. Of all the stories in the New Testament, perhaps, this story is most symbolic of the Christian church. We are like the disciples in the boat. Like the disciples, we have Jesus in our boat, and yet, storms appear. This story is evidence that having Jesus with us in the boat is not a guarantee that there will not be storms in our lives. Like the disciples, when storms appear in our lives, we often lose hold of our faith. Sometimes the Lord calms the storm; sometimes the Lord lets the storm rage and calms the believer. Jesus spoke the words, “Peace! Be still!” These words of Jesus are directed to all the different storms that we face. Through our faith in Jesus, we know Jesus will protect and care for his disciples. There are no storms that by Christ’s power we cannot endure!
Waiting for Emergencies
cussion, and the band director kindly suggested that this might be for me! Our high school had a new cymbal player the next day. There, I could be part of the band without “working,” and that suited me just fine! The problem was that you still had to pay attention to the music and the director, something I often failed to do. The result was missed, or worse, mis-timed cymbal crashes! For those who are wondering what that has to do with the story of the disciples in a stormy sea… I offer that our faith can be like that cymbal player – “napping” until called on! In the story, Jesus is with the disciples, but they are doing their own thing – ignoring him and letting him sleep. Only when there is danger in their minds do they remember he is there and call on him to do something! It should not take a rocket scientist to see the point here. We all go about life “doing our own thing.” But when our efforts get us into trouble, we remember faith in the Jesus we have followed, and we call for help! There are lots of symbols in this passage. We are all tossed about and in danger of “losing it.” But why must we wait to call on Christ, or keep him in our “back pockets,” only for emergencies? n
Frank Jones, pastor, Lake Auburn Moravian Church, Victoria, Minn. • June 26, 1994
As a junior high student, I played in the band. My real love was trombone, but that required practice and work. Being lazy, I was last chair – last voice in the trombone section. Then there was an opening in per-
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The Moravian
OFFICIAL PROVINCIAL ELDERS’ NEWS NORTHERN PROVINCE Outdoor Ministries Sunday, June 6, 2021 The 1994 Synod of the Moravian Church– Northern Province passed legislation regarding the observance of an Outdoor Ministries Sunday. The date for this observance has been established by the Provincial Elders’ Conference as the Sunday after Trinity Sunday, which falls on June 6 this year. Pastors are encouraged to use either of the liturgies prepared in 19961997. The liturgies are available in the “Public Documents” section of the Northern Province portal or by contacting the provincial office. Ordination Brother Charles McDonald, a May 2021 graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary, wasordained a deacon of the Moravian Church on May 15, 2021. Bishop J. Christian Giesler officiated the service, which will be held at Emmaus Moravian Church, Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Presbyterial Consecration Sister Mandy Mastros, presently serving as pastor of Lancaster Moravian Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will be consecrated a presbyter of the Moravian Church on June 6, 2021. Bishop C. Hopeton Clennon will officiate at the service, which will be held in the parking lot across the street from the Moravian Center in Lancaster.
May 2021
Specialized Ministry Brother Timothy Naisby, who has been serving as pastor for Unionville Moravian Church, Unionville, Michigan, has accepted a call to specialized ministry serving as chaplain for Moravian Manors, Inc., Lititz, Pennsylvania. Brother Naisby will begin his new work June 14, 2021. Chaska, Minnesota Brother Charles McDonald has accepted the call to serve as pastor for Chaska Moravian Church, Chaska, Minnesota. Brother McDonald will begin his work sometime during the month of July. Elizabeth D. Miller Provincial Elders’ Conference
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Obituary: The Rev. Dr. Darryl C. Bell Brother Darryl C. Bell died November 27, 2019 at Barbuda in the Caribbean, at age 71. Born April 23, 1948 at Cass City, Michigan, he was the son of Clifton and Hildreth (Pader) Bell. Brother Bell graduated from the University of Michigan in 1970 with a degree in Psychology. He later attended Wheaton College Graduate School and received a Master of Divinity from Luther Theological Seminary in 1974. He received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Bethel Theological Seminary in 1994. He was ordained a Deacon in the Moravian ministry April 21, 1974 and consecrated a Presbyter May 3, 1981. He was united in marriage to Jacquelyn Ainsworth on May 23, 1970 at Unionville Moravian Church, Unionville, Michigan. Together they served pastorates in Minnesota (Lake Auburn), and Ohio (Church of the Redeemer). Br. Bell was the founding pastor of Faith Community Church in Canton, Michigan; Christ’s Community Church in Maple Grove, Minnesota; and The Promise Moravian Church
in Lewis Center, Ohio. He also served as Interim Church Planters’ Resource Advisor for the Moravian Church Northern Province. Brother Bell is survived by his wife, Jackie; sons, Bryce and David; and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by an infant son, Paul. Memorial services were held at Unionville Moravian Church, Unionville, Michigan on December 14, 2019 and River Rock Church, Rockford, Michigan on December 16, 2019. Memorial gifts were welcomed for Moravian Church Northern Province (Emerging Ministries), Habitat for Humanity, or at the family’s discretion. Editor’s note: It is with great embarassment that I missed this obituary when first delivered to us in Dec. 2019. As Darryl has been mentioned in several articles during the past year, I assumed I had featured it, even after this ommission was brought to my attention. I share it now, and apologize for not running it in a timely manner.
The world’s oldest daily devotional that’s new every morning! The 2021 edition of The Moravian Daily Texts continues a 290-year-long tradition of offering an inspirational connection to the Holy Scriptures every day. Each entry in this beloved daily devotional includes “watchwords”—Old and New Testament verses to accompany readers throughout the day—combined with beautiful hymn texts and heartfelt prayers selected and written by Moravians across North America. The Moravian Daily Texts 2021 editions are now available at half-price while supplies last. And watch for information on pre-ordering 2022 editions in early summer.
Learn more at store.moravian.org 38
The Moravian
Eight great ways to dig deeper into Moravian history.
When seeking to understand more about today, sometimes the best place to look is yesterday. Learn more of the rich, 550-plus-year history of the Moravian Church with one of more than a dozen historical titles available from the Interprovincial Board of Communication. From brief introductions to in-depth studies, these books deliver interesting and insightful looks into the unique story of faith that laid the foundation of today’s Moravian Church. This spring, dig a little deeper into Moravian history with these and other publications, available online at store.moravian.org or by calling 1.800.732.0591, ext. 38. MORAVIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA 1021 CENTER STREET BETHLEHEM, PA 18018 PHONE 800.732.0591 • www.moravian.org
May 2021
© 2021 IBOC, Moravian Church
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