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On the cover: A chilly sunrise heralds the beginning of Fall. Photo by Mike Riess
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Protecting Bethabara Remembering Andy Griffith Board of Cooperative Ministries And more!
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18 Christ and him crucified remain our confession of faith In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love
Moravian History 5 Historic Moravian palisade in North Carolina in need of protection In Our Congregations 10 Ephraim Moravian proves an “old dog can learn new tricks” 12 Covenant Moravian Church focuses on communicating Moravian Traditions 13 Remembering the Moravian roots of a television legend Moravian Scouting 18 Scouting and the Moravian Church 20 The Order of David Zeisberger
Member, Associated Church Press
Board of Cooperative Ministries 21 Building, Connecting, Mobilizing 22 In appreciation for a generation of leadership Moravian Youth 25 Connecting with Moravian youth at Convo 2013 Moravians Around the World
Visit our website at http://www.moravian.org. Letters to the editor, address corrections, and other correspondence may be e-mailed to the magazine at pubs@mcnp.org.
October 2012
26 Evangelism to the Sukuma In Every Issue 4 Ponderings: An Intern’s Story: How I spent my summer vacation 28 Official Provincial Elders’ News 3
PONDERINGS
An intern’s story: How I spent my summer vacation
(ISSN 1041-0961 USPS 362600) October 2012, Vol. 43, No. 8 Publications Agreement No. 40036408 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Express Messenger International, PO Box 25058, London, Ontario N6C6A8, email: emi@exmessenger.com Official Journal, The Moravian Church in North America, Northern and Southern Provinces Published monthly, except bimonthly January-February and July-August 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: 17,800 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 Siobhan Young, Communications Assistant
Editor’s note: For this month’s Ponderings, I invited Renee Schoeller, a student from Hoftstra University who interned with the Interprovincial Board of Communication this summer, to offer her thoughts on working with the staff of the Moravian Church Center in Bethlehem. Renee jumped in and did some great work with us. She was a valuable member of our team during the launch of www.moravian.org and the final stages of the 2013 Daily Texts.
I had the great opportunity to work at the Moravian Church Center three days a week this summer as a publications intern with the Interprovincial Board of Communication. I am currently a senior at Hofstra University where I am studying English literature and publishing studies. The experience that I have gained in my field of study in just a few short months has been invaluable. The IBOC staff has taught me so much by allowing me to be involved in so many aspects of their work. I helped edit and proofread multiple versions of the Daily Texts, posted updates to www.moravian.org, wrote articles for and proofread The Moravian, and got to see a Synod for the first time, among so many other things. (continued on page 32)
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Jodi Bortz, Customer Relations/Business Assistant Renee Schoeller, IBOC Intern Interprovincial Board of Communication Paul Knouse, Paul Peucker Chair Adam Pristas Jane Burcaw Richard Sides Jane Carmichael Valerie Wagner Lance Fox Jill Westbrook Gary Kniskern Design by Sandy Fay, Laughing Horse Graphics, Inc. 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: pubs@mcnp.org www.moravian.org Contents © 2012, Interprovincial Board of Communications, Moravian Church in North America. All rights reserved
The Moravian
MORAVIAN HISTORY
Historic Moravian palisade in North Carolina in need of protection Most Moravians immediately recognize the names of the church’s historic congregation towns of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Salem, North Carolina. However, the history of the Moravians in the New World also includes some significant wilderness sites that are recognizable to only a few. One of these is Historic Bethabara Park, the 1753 site of the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina. The outpost for the Wachovia Tract, which was the grandest project the Moravians had ever undertaken, Bethabara (Hebrew for house of passage) served as a foothold in the nearly 100,000-acres the Moravians acquired from John Carteret, Lord Granville, the last British proprietor of the North Carolina colony. Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf saw the offer to purchase land from Granville’s vast American holdings as an opportunity to aid the financially strapped church and also acquire enough land to create a secure Moravian community in the New World. He chose August Gottlieb Spangenberg to oversee the acquisition, and in 1752 Spangenberg led a party to secure specific land for the Wachovia Tract. At the suggestion of Granville’s agent in North Carolina he went to the “back of the colony” which was sparsely settled and found land with the rich natural resources and opportunities for trade he sought. (continued on next page) Ellen Kutcher is Director of Historic Bethabara Park in Winston-Salem, N.C., www.bethabarapark.org. Photos by Gail Jones.
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(continued from previous page) In October 1753, fifteen brethren left Pennsylvania and walked 500 miles in six weeks along the Great Wagon Road, crossing the Shenandoah Valley into piedmont North Carolina. Arriving in November, they found an abandoned cabin and established their base, laying the groundwork for the future Wachovia Tract. Here the Moravians labored to create a backcountry settlement; others would follow to build a central congregational town to be surrounded by church farming communities. Interpreting the story This story of the Moravians building a home in the Carolina wilderness, their leadership, frontier skills, and compassion for outsiders, is the one the Park interprets for visitors. The French and Indian War (1756-1763) and 6
the response of the Moravians who provided protection for refugees fleeing to Bethabara under threat of Indian attack are central to this tale. Two years after the Moravians arrived in the Wachovia Tract, an increased Indian presence began to cause alarm and frontier neighbors came to Bethabara to seek refuge. There were reports of attacks and of neighbors moving away because of the fear of Indian attack. In 1756 a visitor from Bethlehem brought news that Moravian brethren there had been slain. Another visitor related that the Indians in Pennsylvania had caused great harm, and that Bethlehem and Nazareth were almost completely destroyed. With no direct word from Bethlehem, the Moravians lived in fear for their Pennsylvania brethren as well as for themselves. In 1756 local settlers begged that they be The Moravian
allowed to come and stay at Bethabara if the danger increased. At the same time, reports were received of an Indian massacre in Virginia, where a fort built around a settler’s house was attacked and burned and the inhabitants killed. The Brethren decided it was necessary for them to protect their houses with palisades before Bethabara itself was attacked or left as the first line of defense when local settlers fled. With help from neighbors, brethren felled trees and dug trenches to complete the fort in 18 days, surrounding the community with a fortified wall 8 to 10 feet high. The posts were crooked logs of various sizes and kinds of timber from the surrounding woods. In 1757 about 50 refugees came to Bethabara, a village of only 72 Moravian settlers. In 1758 the war heated up and refugees fled to the fort in greater force, soon outnumbering the Moravian population. With an increase in the number of refugees and the need for more space, the brethren decided to strengthen the palisade and stockade the mill. The palisades were again reinforced in 1760 during the Cherokee War when 200 to 300 refugees sought protection at the village fort and the mill stockade. Although some hostile Indians infiltrated the area and struck against non-Moravian settlers, Bethabara was never attacked. Moravians provided food for Indians as well as non-Moravian settlers, serving everyone who came through the village and mill site. By 1762 the end of the French and Indian War was approaching, and peace was officially declared in 1763. The palisade fort was taken down, and the construction of Salem, delayed by the conflict, commenced. The (continued on next page) October 2012
(continued from previous page) war had significantly changed the lives of the Bethabara Moravians, leading to greater interaction with non-Moravian neighbors and the building of a second town, Bethania, to relieve overpopulation as the number of refugees fleeing to Bethabara swelled.
With help from neighbors, brethren felled trees and dug trenches to complete the fort in 18 days‌ The Bethabara palisade fort is the only French and Indian War fort in the Southeast reconstructed on the original site. In the early 1960s South Carolina State Archeologist Stanley South, an expert on historic archeology of early fortifications, researched, excavated and reconstructed the fort, uncovering the remains of the first fort during his archeological excavations. Fort posts followed the footprint of the palisades discovered during his excavations. In January 1990 the fort was reconstructed. A fort in need of protection The fort that once protected the Carolina piedmont’s Moravian forbearers now stands in need of protection. The fort has deteriorated and many of the posts have fallen, creating gaps in the walls. Others have become unstable. It is time for replacement, and the Park’s Board of Trustees, Historic Bethabara Park, Inc., has initiated a Save the Fort campaign to raise the funds necessary to reconstruct this structure. The project involves the removal of the existing posts, digging new footings, and installing pressure treated, hand hewn posts that will be set in stained concrete with 8
The Moravian
gravel backfill to strengthen the base. The Moravian community is invited to join in the effort to preserve this important structure and icon of our history. A gift of $65 will replace a single post, and a gift of $1000 will replace and install 15 posts. Gifts may be sent to Historic Bethabara Park, 2147 Bethabara Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 (336-9248191). Online donations can be made through the Historic Bethabara Park, Inc. Trustee website, www.historicbethabara.org. The Moravian community also is invited to visit. The Historic Bethabara Park Visitor Center is open from April through December, Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. A video and tour with costumed interpreters are available. The Park, which is on the
National Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, contains historic buildings from the original settlement, including the Gemeinhaus, an authentically recreated and maintained medicinal garden, wetlands trails, and picnic areas. â–
IN OUR CONGREGATIONS
Ephraim Moravian proves an “old dog can learn new tricks” The Ephraim Moravian Church may have been built in 1859, but it’s just been brought into the 21st century. Our church—and basically all of Door County, Wisconsin—has an aging population. All but a few of our Ephraim Moravian kids are in high school, college, or have gotten married and moved away. Those of us remaining can see a day where a cane, a walker, or even a wheelchair will be a welcome addition to our transportation, and many of our departed members had spent their last years aided that way. Some years back, local artist Karsten Topelmann painted a beautiful picture of the front of our church with an open door, called “The Open Door”—it adorns our stationery and our newsletters—and we prided ourselves in our ministry to all, especially the summer visitors who frequent Door County. The problem, however, was our church. Steps up the front of the church, steps up
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the side of the church, and steps down to the sanctuary from the back of the church. A few of our elderly members had to give up coming to church at all; there was no comfortable and easy way to get in. What to do?
A few of our elderly members had to give up coming to church at all; there was no comfortable and easy way to get in. What to do? The “what to do” was not so hard — make it accessible. “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low. The uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.”(Isaiah 40:4) Churches in ancient days were set apart — intentionally raised above ground to distinguish sacred space from the outside world,
The Moravian
to set apart those spaces for those in the “inner circle” of religious life. In just the last fifty years, however, there has been a growing awareness that barriers keep people with disabilities from full participation. Congress enacted the first federal accessibility requirements in 1968, followed in 1990 by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibited discrimination against persons with disabilities. At Ephraim Moravian, there was no disagreement about the accessibility goal. Since 2005, the joint board members had copies of “Accessible Faith: A Technical Guide for Accessibility Houses of Worship” from the Retirement Research Foundation. It was talked about every year beyond 2005. Still, the funds were not there, the roof had to be replaced, there was a leak in the plumbing, and so on. All churches suffer from never having enough funds, so the essentials —such as bringing people in our Open Door—were put off. When Pastor Dawn Volpe arrived in our congregation in 2010, she heard about our inertia and wondered how Ephraim Moravian Church could call itself “an open door” when we were increasingly inaccessible to people wanting to come. The church had already
October 2012
made several upgrades to the parsonage in anticipation of the Volpes’ arrival, and the needs of the church building came to the forefront. A capital campaign was organized by the joint effort of the Elders and Trustees. Studies were made, costs were estimated, meetings were held and pledge letters sent. The estimate of the parsonage and church renovations totaled $200,000. The time was ripe (remember, all our members can see their own needs in mere days ahead), and the campaign has been a rousing success. So far we’ve been able to renovate the parsonage bathrooms, refinish the parsonage floors, construct an outside ramp and canopy into the church with a ramp from the Fellowship Hall into the sanctuary, build an accessible bathroom right inside the ramp door, purchase a new sign for the front of the church, purchase new front doors for (continued on page 34)
Diane Kirkland is church secretary at Ephraim Moravian Church in Door County, Wis. Visit Ephraim’s website at www.ephraimmoravian.org.
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IN OUR CONGREGATIONS
Covenant Moravian Church focuses on communicating The
congregation at Covenant Moravian is focused on communicating—circulating a cohesive message for both our members and community to see the affect of the Moravian church in our daily lives and in the lives of those we touch. In March of this year Covenant Moravian took part in an AID (Assessment, Inquiry and Development) workshop on communication led by Mike Riess, Director of the Interprovincial Board of Communication (IBOC). Following the workshop, a small Communications Team was formed among members of our congregration (Chris Ziegler, Holly Holtzinger, George Knoll and Jen Lau) and our Pastor, Jeff Coppage. We started small: Pastor Jeff enhanced a church news email bulletin. An existing Facebook page gained Jennifer Lau is a member of Covenant Moravian Church in York, Pa. To see more of Covenant Moravian’s communication efforts, visit www.facebook.com/groups/ covenantmoravianyork/. Photo above: The Blessing of the Backpacks. 12
momentum, and after urging from our young adults, Pastor Jeff created a Twitter account (@CoppageWithHope). With these open lines of communication, new ideas began to flow.
An existing Facebook page gained momentum, and after urging from our young adults, Pastor Jeff created a Twitter account… Our congregation suggested we include outdoor worship events over the summer months and we responded with two outdoor services and two outdoor films to let the neighborhood see a living church at work. One outdoor service included the baptism of Wyatt McSherry and another had youth member, Chris Wagner, reporting on Camp Hope and communion celebrating the August 13 Festival. (continued on page 34) The Moravian
MORAVIAN TRADITIONS
Remembering the Moravian roots of a television legend In
July, actor Andy Griffith, best known as Andy Taylor of the Andy Griffth Show and as attorney Ben Matlock, passed away at age 86. Many have speculated that Mayberry is, in actuality Mt. Airy, N.C., home of Grace Moravian Church. But the connection goes much deeper. “On a beautiful Spring day in May 2009, we were welcomed with generosity and kindness into the Manteo home of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Griffith,” says the Rev. Anthony Hayworth, pastor at Grace Moravian. “Andy, a member of Grace Moravian during his teenage years, had expressed a desire to reconnect with the Moravian church. Through the liturgies for the Reaffirmation of Faith and Holy Communion, Cindi and Andy became members of the Grace Moravian Congregation. The congregation was represented by Emmett Forrest (Andy’s life-long friend) and by my wife and me. With a rhythm only God can create, something within us moved: a deep longing for Jesus in concert with our reaching out to restore what had been lost. This longing brought us into a moment of true worship. “The spirit of Moravian worship and devotion was common in their home, as Andy
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began each day reading the Daily Text and his Bible,” continued Tony. “ On that particular day, Christ was in our midst, transforming the various emotions we experienced through the joy of prayers, sacrament and hymns. “Emmett remembers it was ‘quite an experience’ and ‘really special.’ It was truly a re-membering. Old friends saying hello, new friends making acquaintances; Christian worship with the gift of Christ’s loving spirit; a moment of Moravian worship ending with the familiar chords of ‘Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord’ played on an old pump organ. We honored the old and celebrated the hope of the new. Now our dear friend knows those “realms of endless light.” To which we say, ‘Praise ye the Lord! Amen.’” Over the years, Andy Griffth’s Moravian connection has been written about and shared by members of the church. In this issue of The Moravian, we excerpt two of those— one written by the Rt. Rev. Edward Mickey in 1968, another written by the Revs. John D. Rights and Carol Foltz in 1983. Enjoy! (continued on next page) 13
(continued from previous page)
The Andy Griffth I Know by Edward T. Mickey Jr. (reprinted from the Feb. 1968 issue of the Wachovia Moravian)
W-o-o-o-s-h! S-k-r-e-e-e-k!
That just about describes the sound effects of the beginning of an experience which was to have long-lasting and happy results, the pleasures of which continued for twenty-five years, to this day. This was how Andy Griffith arrived at the back door of Grace Moravian Church in Mount Airy, North Carolina on a Wednesday afternoon in 1942. It records also how I almost missed knowing him. Once a week I spent the afternoon teaching “horn” to a dozen or more of the young people in the congregation of Grace Church so that we could have a church band to play chorales for special services. On this particular afternoon the group had not practiced and was not much interested. It was one of those low times when I was saying to myself, “You nut! Why did you ever start this business anyway?” The session was over, and I had gone down to the outside basement steps to sit down and feel sorry for myself. When I looked up to see the cause of this flurry, sitting astride his bicycle was a rawboned boy of sixteen with curly, blond hair. “You the preacher here?” he asked. I answered that I was. “You teach horn?” I said that I did, inwardly groaning, “O Lord, here’s another one!” And from then on, still drowned in my own self pity, I was 14
anxious to get rid of him. The conversation continued, and, as usual, I talked too much. “I teach the young folks here at the church.” “You teach me? I’ll pay you.” “I can’t take pay for this. I have a job, and this is part of my work for the church,” And I should not have added: “Why do you want to learn to play a horn?” “So I can lead a swing-band.” Then I really wondered what I had gotten into! “What kind of horn do you want to learn to play?” “Trombone.” Now was my chance: “I don’t know anything about trombone,” I said. But again I talked too much. “All I could do would be to go through an instruction book with you.” “I got an instruction book.” “You’ll have to have a horn.” (I was glad I had not seen one.) “I got a horn.” “Where did you get it?” “Spiegel’s.” I was resigned to my fate. He had an answer at every turn and I could not be any more rude than I had been. “Well, come again next Wednesday and bring your horn. We’ll see what we can do.” I was saying to myself that he would not ride two miles across town for long to do this, and I hoped he would not. Next Wednesday there was Andy, bicycle and trombone, all three combined with enthusiasm for life in quantity enough for halfa-dozen boys. I still was not convinced. I was not going to buy several dollars’ worth of instruction books just to have him quit, for I had no more trombones. I “swiped” his instruction book that week, and sent him home with a scale written on a piece of paper so I could study the book. (continued on page 16) The Moravian
Photos courtesy of the Mt. Airy News. Used with permission.
At that time a boy who was not athletic, was not particularly bright or a good student and wasn’t from a well-to-do family, kinda played second fiddle, if you know what I mean. I never felt I was very much of a full person. I felt like I was second class all the time. Well, when I met Ed Mickey and the Moravian Church and through them met music‌
(continued from page 14) On the following Wednesday he brought the scale back, note perfect. I gave him his instruction book and assigned a lesson. He brought it back the next week, note perfect. The same thing happened a third week. Then, when I assigned another lesson, he said, “Is that all?” “Do you want more?” “I can do more.” So I gave him two lessons which he promptly brought back note perfect. Now I was interested. “Andy, when do you get all the time for this practice?” Evidently it was requiring hours for this kind of progress. “Well, I tell you: I’ve got my school work; and I’ve got my studying; And I’ve got my paper route; and I’ve got my church work.” (He and his family were active members in a church near their home, and I had insisted that he must continue this.) “And that doesn’t leave me much time, so I’ve been getting up at about 5 o’clock in the morning to practice!” My heart went out to the neighbors until I realized that the neighbors also got up about 5 a.m. to go to work. I soon put Andy in the band which rehearsed each Monday night. There he promptly took the intermission time, and any other time when he thought I was not watching, to learn the fingering and positions of most of the other instruments, still doing a top job with his own. Unwittingly, I had received much more than just Andy Griffith and his trombone; I had a bonus —his zest for life and for what he was doing caught on with the rest. The whole group, and yes, the director also, came out of the doldrums which had enveloped it. But his enthusiasm brought its problems, 16
or so I thought. I had insisted that Andy should put his work in his own church first. When there was a conflict, he should stay there. Keeping him there was another matter. He was continually popping up at times when I knew he should be in his own church, but when I said anything: “I asked Mom and Daddy and the preacher and they said it was O.K.” He would not sing in the choir, that was too sissy—at least for the first year. After that he could not sing enough. He did not like “longhaired” music until he was sick with the flu for a week during the winter and began to listen to symphonies over the radio. Today, he and his family appreciate all kinds of music. Andy’s enthusiasm was contagious And so it went. Everyone came to know and to like this enthusiastic boy whose standards of speech, action and thought were above reproach, and who had the knack for passing his own wholesomeness on to others. Eventually came the parting of our ways. Andy Griffith went to Chapel Hill to the University of North Carolina to study: first for the ministry and later for teaching, neither of which calling, I believe, was rightly to be his. Because it has always been my policy to cut the ties which would bind me when going from one congregation to another, I did this when leaving Mount Airy in 1944. For some years, until the time of his “Football Record,” I followed Andy in interest, but with little personal contact. We took up a closer relationship again when he asked the Mount Airy chamber of Commerce to invite my wife and me to “Andy Griffith Day” and the premiere of his first picture. Through the years, Andy’s generosity in referring to the Moravian Church and to me as The Moravian
having been a cherished part of his life, has been a source of much enjoyment and appreciation on the part of many of us who have known him. We should not take too much credit for this; it was Andy’s doing. Had he not been what he was, and is, in basic character and goodness, he would have been just another of the many in his profession who have lost their ideals and sense of values. He lives under pressures which the rest of us would find intolerable, and does so without sacrificing his own integrity and Christian character. The Rev. Edward T. Mickey, Jr., was pastor of Raleigh Moravian Church when this article first appeared in The Moravian.
An Interview with Andy Griffith by Carol Foltz and John Rights (Originally published in “Moravian Mainline,” March-April 1982. Used with permission)
To hear the name of Andy Griffith brings to
mind visual images of Mayberry, Deputy Barney Fife and the guitar-pickin’ sheriff of The Andy Griffith Show, but to those who knew Andy Griffith before his tremendous success as an entertainer, his name might just as easily be associated with Mt. Airy, Bishop Ed Mickey and a trombone-blowin’ youth at Grace Moravian Church. Carol Foltz and I had the privilege of speaking with Andy Griffith by way of a phone call to his residence in Southern California. In our curiosity to find out about his background and insights into his profession, we found Mr. Griffith very October 2012
open, most cordial and an actor concerned with the direction television programming seems to be taking. The following excerpts are taken from this interview. What has been your past association with the Moravian Church? “This is something that is very important to me. In Mt. Airy, when I grew up, there was no music program in the school system. They had one music teacher, but it didn’t amount to anything. There was no instrumental program or anything like that. I found myself very interested in music. …At that time a boy who was not athletic, was not particularly bright or a good student and wasn’t from a well-todo family, kinda played second fiddle, if you know what I mean. I never felt I was very much of a full person. I felt like I was second class all the time. Well, when I met Ed Mickey and the Moravian Church and through them met music…now understand that when I was eight years old I was baptized into the Baptist Church, and had been going to that church regularly. Our family always had a religious background, but Ed Mickey and that church added another dimension to my life. Then he started teaching me to sing and all of a sudden I amounted to something.” How old were you when all this happened? “I lied, though Christians can’t lie. I lied about my age when I was 14 and said I was 15 in order to get a job, and I had my trombone so I must’ve met Ed Mickey when I was 15. He left Mt. Airy my last year of high school. I went to Chapel Hill (the University of North Carolina). I went to be a minister under Bishop Pfohl, and not to say anything (continued on page 35) 17
MORAVIAN SCOUTING
Scouting and the Moravian Church It seems that every week the Boy Scouts of
America or Girl Scouts of the USA are in the news. As registered adult leaders in these organizations for many years (Sue for 31 years and Jay for 20 years), active members when we were growing-up, and parents of an Eagle Scout and Gold Award recipient we wonder if it’s the baby or the bath water that is being scrutinized. Fortunately for us, our home congregation can see beyond the controversies and appreciate the value of these programs and the synergies they provide to its own youth programming. Our church has chartered a Boy Scout troop for many years and is home to six Girl Scout troops. These troops bring 40 boys, 55 girls, and most of their parents into our building each week.
Jay and Sue Larson are members of East Hills Moravian Church and have received The Order of David Zeisberger award for their work in scouting. Photos courtesy of the Larsons. 18
The relationship between our church and these scouting programs is mutually beneficial. Our church provides meeting and storage space, in Sunday school classrooms that would ordinarily be empty on a weeknight. Scouting provides adult and youth leader training, insurance and meaningful programs that can be implemented by volunteers. The units that meet at our church provide leaders, the program and recruit youth from inside and outside our congregation to participate. Scouting provides age-appropriate programs for all ages. The Boy Scouts of America offers Cub Scouting for boys in grades 1-5, Boy Scouting for boys age 11-18, and Venturing for boys and girls age 14-20. The Girl Scouts of the USA offers Daisies for girls in grades K-1, Brownies for girls in grades 2-3, Juniors for girls in grades 4-5, Cadettes for girls in grades 6-8, Seniors for girls in Grades 9-10 and Ambassadors for girls in grades 11-12. The scouting programs focus on youth leadership development and service to others; desired ingredients of any church’s youth The Moravian
programing. But scouting can also support a church’s desire to help youth grow spiritually. The program itself offers many opportunities for spiritual growth as does the youth’s association with adults other than their own parents. In basic training as a Boy Scout leader, we are taught that three-quarters of scouting is outing. Getting the youth outside is a significant ingredient of the programs. This formula not only makes program planning simpler (Q: What should we do? A: Take them outdoors to camp, hike, play a game, etc.), but it affords countless opportunities to introduce youth to their creator in His creation. In addition, both organizations emphasize service to others which is grounded in their oaths as a natural extension of service and duty to God. Scouting teaches youth to gain a better understanding of their own faith, to be reverent, and to be respectful of the faiths of others. Another basic element of scouting is reflection, which is not just part of the planning and leadership models that are taught, but is also integrated into Scoutmaster Moments,
Scouts Own services and such group sharing as Thorns and Roses. Scouting also includes a tiered system of age-appropriate religious awards, which connect the youths’ scouting experience to their own place of worship. As leaders, we have found our own faiths grow along with the youth we have served. • While star gazing, we too have pondered whether God created life on other planets and concluded “why not”. • We have been awestruck by an hour-long display of the Northern Lights at 3 in the morning, and humbled as this gift from God came at the end of a week-long canoe trip in Minnesota where personal stories of faith had been shared just the evening before after all the usual topics (and our bodies) were exhausted. • We have had the joy of attending a 13-year old boy’s confirmation of faith at his place of worship, when only a few short years earlier he and his parents questioned (continued on next page)
The Order of David Zeisberger The Moravian Church in North America honors outstanding service to Scouting with The Order of David Zeisberger. The award can be given to any adult of the Moravian Church who has distinguished himself or herself in service to Scouting. Congregations are encouraged to present this award to deserving adult(s) each year; a suggested time for presenting the award is Scout Sunday. The Order of David Zeisberger is dedicated to the greatest missionary to the Native Americans and to those who foster his spirit of love for God and others. Though he was born in Zauchtenthal, Moravia and escaped to Herrnhut, Germany with his family when he was a lad of five, he spent most of his life on the American frontier preaching to the Native Americans. He came first to Savannah, Georgia, then to Nazareth and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he was among the first settlers. He loved the Native Americans in a time when many saw them as savages. As early as 1745 he was preaching the Gospel and working among the Mohawks. For the next 63 years he labored through several wars, imprisonment, and hardship to share his faith with many Native Americans. With the help of his Native American friends and other faithful Christians, he established Christian communities for Native Americans and settlers in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Canada. David Zeisberger, the man in the long black coat, who was known as the friend of the Native Americans taught them about Jesus and brotherhood. He wrote several books which included dictionaries, spelling books, worship aids and hymns, translations of scripture, and books which would aid them in the care of children and life in general. He was the epitome of a true Scout and faithful Christian upholding the values for which Scouting stands. The Order of David Zeisberger is dedicated to him and those who are committed to his values. For complete information on nominating a candidate for The Order of David Zeisberger, contact your Provincial Office; you can also download an application by visiting this story on the October 2012 issue of The Moravian at www.moravian.org. (continued from previous page) whether they could join scouting in the first place, because they were not sure they knew what was meant in the oath to do one’s “duty to God.” • We have shared Christmas joy with elderly shut-ins while caroling with the scouts at nursing homes and rehab centers. • We have affirmed Gods gifts while working side-by-side with homeless men at a youth-led project to build a storage-shed at a transitional living center. • We have shared God’s grace while collect 20
ing food in the community and then delivering it to a food pantry. • We have celebrated as a girl and her family joined our church because, first, the girl had become comfortable inside our church building, then wanted to know more about what else was going on in the building, then wanted to go through confirmation classes, and finally wanted to be baptized and confirmed in our church. Other members of her family followed in her footsteps. Scouting can bless the Moravian Church, and the Moravian Church can bless scouting. We have been blessed by both. ■ The Moravian
BOARD OF COOPERATIVE MINISTRIES
Building, Connecting, Mobilizing There are over 400 different soils in North Carolina and I’ve managed to kill plants in all 400! I deeply admire those who can take a bit of red clay and turn it into a lush, living place in which plants, flowers, and vegetables thrive. As a struggling gardener, I rely heavily on tools and products designed to enhance my gardening skills and improve the yield of my garden. But even master gardeners take advantage of a wellstocked, robust garden tool shed to nurture and grow a bountiful harvest of colorful, thriving life. With thoughts like these, the Board of Cooperative Ministries emerged from our first planning retreat with a clearer understanding Ruth Cole Burcaw is Executive Director of the Southern Province Board of Cooperative Ministries. She can be reached at rburcaw@mcsp.org. Photos courtesy of BCM. October 2012
of our role as “the tool shed in the garden” that is the Moravian Church, Southern Province. We’ve spent a lot of time during the past two years building that tool shed, and have made great progress with the hiring of an Executive Director, Director of Congregational Ministry & Resources, and Administrative As(continued on next page) Board of Cooperative Ministries members work to answer the question, “What does growing in faith, love and hope look like?” during their retreat at Laurel Ridge.
(continued from previous page) sistant. We continue in the call process for our Director of Youth, College, and Young Adult Ministries, a critical element of our ministry. Please pray for continued guidance and clarity for all involved in this process. We gathered at Laurel Ridge for a short but ambitious retreat in late August to get to know one another better, to develop a shared picture of who we are and what we do, and to take action! We began the process of stocking that tool shed. The fruits of much of our labor are summarized below: Who We Are & What We Do The Board of Cooperative Ministries engages and supports congregations and Regional Conferences of Churches (RCCs) in their ministries as together we grow in faith, love and hope, following Jesus in serving the world. The BCM was established as part of the Southern Province restructuring approved in 2009. It is made up of clergy and lay members in the Southern Province, including representatives from the 13 RCCs, the president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference and members appointed by the PEC. The BCM is (continued on next page)
In Appreciation for a Generation of Leadership Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and with gratitude in your hearts sing praises, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. Colossians 3:16 Few passages of scripture offer a better picture of the collaborative ministry of Rick Sides, Brad Bennett, Lisa Mullen, Beth Hayes, Judy Knopf, and Heather Stevenson, who completed their shared service to the Southern Province in May. As staff members of the Board of Christian Education and its succeeding board, the Board of Cooperative Ministries, this ministerial team lifted the life of our two provinces and a grateful church for the better portion of two decades. In 1992, the Board of Christian Education called Rick Sides to the position of Executive Director. Several years earlier Beth Hayes had brought her expertise to the Board as the Director of the Resource Center. Brad Bennett’s call to serve as Director of Youth and College Ministries came in 1996, and in the last decade, Lisa Mullen and Judy Knopf joined the Board’s mission as the Director of Children and Family Ministries and the Coordinator of Gemeinschaft and Spiritual Formation respectively. In recent years, the work of this staff has been wellsupported and enriched by Heather Stevenson as Office Coordinator. The restructuring of provincial ministries has resulted in the creation of new positions to be filled, thus providing an occasion to appreciate the many accomplishments of the Board, Brad Bennett
The Rev. John D. Rights is pastor of Konnoak Hills Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.
its commissions, and its task forces under this passing generation of leadership. Throughout the tenure of these staff members, the Word of Christ has found expression in a vast number of programs, projects, and experiences sponsored by the Board. Remembering how Jesus opened his arms to children, we’ve seen in these years the faith of our youngest members enriched through camps at Laurel Ridge, children’s rallies, educational materials acquired through the Resource Center, and activities from the Loving Hearts United resource for Moravian families.
Throughout the tenure of these staff members, the Word of Christ has found expression in a vast number of programs, projects, and experiences sponsored by the Board. Remembering how Jesus extended the call to young men and women to follow him as disciples, we’ve witnessed how this same invitation has continued to penetrate the hearts of our youth at summer camps, Regional Youth Council events, college-age retreats, and inter-provincial youth Convos. Remembering how Jesus educated adults in the ways of the kingdom of God, we’ve experienced his teaching through the Gemeinschaft spiritual formation experience, BibleQuest and other curricula, Lisa Mullen
Beth Hayes
a Church and Society Commission, congregational visioning, and the identification of gifts and assets enabling us to live more fully into God’s reign. And remembering how in the beginning, the Word revealed in Christ created everything that was made, our stewardship has been enlarged through an EcoCamp for children, an annual Environmental Stewardship Conference, the planting of a garden, a quiet retreat in the Gemein House, and ecumenical relationships developed for the greater care of Creation. To accomplish this great catalogue of ministry and more, the gifts of well over a thousand volunteer servants were coordinated by the Board’s staff members. Their leadership has been nothing less than incarnational as they brought out the best in our church through a comprehensive ministry of education. We give our thanks to God for the Word to which they gave witness and service, for their wise teaching and admonition, for the songs we sang together, and for the relationships they shared with one another and with us. Much of their work will continue under the direction of the Board of Cooperative Ministries and the Laurel Ridge Board. As new positions are filled, Beth Hayes will expand her work with the Board as the Director of Congregational Ministries and Resources. Heather Stevenson will continue her service as Administrative Assistant. Rick Sides has been called to the pastorate at Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem. And we look forward to seeing how Christ will create future opportunities for Judy Knopf, Lisa Mullen and Brad Bennett to increase the life of his church. ■ Judy Knopf
Rick Sides
(continued from previous page) organized into Ministry Teams responsible for education and spiritual formation; advocacy and mission; leadership development and support; communications and outreach; and planning and development. How We Do It The Board of Cooperative Ministries (BCM) Builds, Connects, and Mobilizes Moravians to live out our faith! We create, empower, transform, connect, support, mobilize, question, invite, worship, serve, pray, engage, collaborate, nurture, relate, build. What does “Growing in Faith, Love, & Hope” look like? We BUILD Moravians through: • Curriculum designed to help churches provide engaging Sunday School classes, youth programs, Vacation Bible Schools, small group studies, and other educational programs; • Gemeinshaft programs that invite us to learn new ways to listen to God and each other and to enrich our spiritual journey; • leadership development initiatives including written resources, one-on-one coaching, events & workshops, and an intensive leadership program;
• our lending library, full of high-quality, Moravian-friendly resources (books, DVDs, programs) covering topics such as children’s and youth ministry, stewardship, spiritual growth, family life, Biblical studies, social concerns and much more; • lay seminary and other educational opportunities; • hands-on youth, college and young adult ministry support and programming; and • coaching, consulting, and training in leadership & board development, technology and social media, asset mapping, stewardship, faith formation, Moravian heritage/ theology, etc. We CONNECT Moravians through: • Regional Youth Council, bringing together youth from each congregation to worship, have fun, and plan events and camp themes & programs; • Fellowships from colleges around the Province; • Senior Friends Advisory Council, a group of Moravians representing Senior Friends’ groups from across the Province; • Friends of the Resource Center, volunteers who support and further the goals of the Resource Center; (continued on page 33)
The Moravian
MORAVIAN YOUTH
Connecting with Moravian youth at Convo 2013 Since 1957, Moravian Youth from across North America have been gathering for worship, learning, fellowship and building connections. Relationships forged at each of these gatherings are life changing and last forever. A team of youth ministry representatives from both Provinces is gearing up for Convo 2013, set to take place June 30-July 6, 2013 at Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina. The theme of the week is “Let’s Connect at Convo 2013.” This Convo will be for youth who have completed grades 9 through 12. “It is all about a relationship!” says the Rev. Joshua Viste, pastor at Millwoods Community Church in Edmonton, Alberta. “Convo is all about those special bonds that connect us with one another and with God. As people from across North America gather in North Carolina, we are bound to have a great time as we make new friends, and engage in a deeper walk of faith. “I’ve long been a part of the summer church camp experience and took part in the 2007 Young Adult Convo to Europe; words cannot express the joy of gathering to-
gether with other Moravians to rekindle that very special relationship we hold with Jesus through our community. “Mark your calendars, and start making your plans for Summer 2013, because you won’t want to miss Convo 2013; your planning committee has lots of fun planned, and a few surprises too. And remember, your friends are always welcome to attend too. See you there!” The Convo 2013 planning committee includes Josh (who also leads the Northern Province Youth Ministry Task Force); the Rev. John G. Rights from New Philadelphia Moravian Church in Winston-Salem; Travis Kerslake from Radium Springs, B.C.; Amy Sue Walter from Lititz, Pa.; and Greg Behrend from Green Bay, Wis. For more information regarding Convo 2013, visit the Convo website at www.youth convo2013.org. ■ The Rev. Joshua Viste is pastor of Millwoods Community Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He also leads the Northern Province Youth Ministry Coordinating Task Force.
MORAVIANS AROUND THE WORLD
Evangelism to the Sukuma
The Sukuma are the largest tribe in Tanzania and the second most prevalent group in the Sikonge district. The vast majority are animistic. Most are nomadic, traveling through the more remote areas of the country with their cattle. In the southern part of the district, however, there are, several Sukuma communities where tribal members have built homes. Mabangwe and Utimule, villages located 60
kms south of Sikonge, were founded in the mid 20th century by the Nyamwezi, the dominant tribe in the district. Each had a small Moravian congregation. In 2003, near the end of a three-year drought, the Nyamwezi left in search of more fertile farmland. They were replaced by the Sukuma who developed large but socially isolated communal settlements. The church buildings, abandoned, eventually collapsed. Oscar Pyumpa, a 46 year old father of five and member of the Nyiramba tribe, is the sole pastor in the Ugunda parish. It has thirteen congregations and historically included both Mabangwe and Utimule. His home, next to the Moravian church in the Nyamwezi village of Ipole, is located 40 kms north of the Sukuma homesteads. Since being posted to Ipole in 2006, Pastor Pyumpa has felt called to evangelize the Sukuma. Using his bicycle, he was able to reach the area from his home in two hours. By the end of 2008, he had planted a new Moravian congregation in each village. While still small, both were large enough in 2009 to be assigned their own evangelist. This “semiThe Moravian
pastor” is responsible for church activities in the pastor’s absence. The two congregations have continued to increase in size. Utilizing grants from the Society for Promoting the Gospel and Central Moravian Church, both have received Bibles, liturgy books, and hymnals. Each evangelist has a bicycle, and Pastor Pyumpa now has a motorcycle to facilitate his travel to the region. The new church at Mabangwe, which currently has a membership of 246 children and adults, was consecrated in December of 2011. Less than one year ago there were no religious organizations of any affiliation in the Sukuma villages of Mwamulu or Kondi, which are located still deeper in the bush. Each now has a small but growing Moravian congregation. Following the pattern established at Mabangwe, and with the permission of the local government, both are utilizing the local primary school as their place of worship. Julius Mdauzi, Pastor Pyumpa’s most senior evangelist and himself the father of five, divides his time between these two communities which are separated by nearly 12 kms of footpaths. His efforts are being rewarded; at Mwamulu there were 14 baptisms in mid July, increasing the church enrollment to 32. The parishioners at Kondi, who were only organized in December of last year, already number 67 and 11 more were baptized in late July. Utilizing a second grant from the Society, Bibles, liturgies and hymnbooks were provided for both of these congregations, and a bicycle was purchased for their evangelist. In less than six years, through the efforts of Pastor Pyumpa and Evangelist Mdauzi, four Moravian congregations have begun among people who had never heard the good news of Jesus Christ. Nearly 400 Sukuma have been baptized. Following in the footsteps October 2012
of their Moravian forefathers from the eighteenth century, these two men are changing the lives of multiple tribal members. They have planted the seeds; now they need our prayers and support to make them grow. ■ Bill Hoffman is a member of Central Moravian Church and leads the Adopt a Village program. He provides frequent reports on the work of the church in Tanzania, home of more than half of the Moravians worldwide.
oFFICIAL PROVINCIAL ELDERS’ NEWS Prayer Day for Children On a Sunday in October, congregations of the Northern and Southern Provinces are invited to join with thousands of other congregations across the nation in the thirteenth annual national observance of Children’s Sabbath. Endorsement of the Children’s Sabbath was made by the Provincial Elders’ Conferences in January 1994. Prayer Day for World Mission, October 14, 2012 The second Sunday in October has been designated as a special Day of Prayer for World Mission. Pray for the ministries in our Partner Provinces—Alaska, Guyana, Eastern West Indies, Honduras, Labrador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Western Tanzania. Especially pray for continued resolution of conflict within the church in Honduras and other areas of our worldwide church. Pray for wisdom and guidance for the Unity Board meeting the end of this month. Pray for our new work in Peru, Sierra Leone and Cuba, and for the upcoming Cuban Women’s Conference. Remember our Board of World Mission ministries, including Antioch and short-term missions, Likewise Ministries, Moravian Volunteer Resources and the response to needs in Haiti, as well as our many partnerships with congregations that support work in Tanzania, Palestine, Kenya, Nepal and other areas of mission outreach. Pray for our retired missionaries as they continue serving in ministry. And pray that God will persist in revealing to us where the church in North America is called to mission, both locally and globally, that God’s love may be known throughout the world. 28
For specific information for your prayers about these and other new and continuing ministries, please see the BWM website, www.moravianmission.org.
NORTHERN PROVINCE
Prayer Day for Peace with Justice and Freedom, October 21, 2012 The third Sunday in October is designated as a Day of Prayer for Peace with Justice and Freedom.
Presbyterial Consecration Brother Andrew Kilps, presently serving as pastor of the Palmyra Moravian Church, Cinnaminson, N.J., will be consecrated a presbyter of the Moravian Church on October 28, 2012. Bishop Kay Ward will officiate at the service, which will be held at Palmyra Moravian Church.
Madison, Wisconsin Sister Katie Van Der Linden, who has been serving as pastor of Advent Moravian Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has accepted the call to serve as pastor of Glenwood Moravian Church, Madison, Wisconsin. Sr. Van Der Linden will be installed into her new work October 28, 2012. The Moravian
The church is grateful for her faithful service.
Retirement Brother Phil Bauguess has been given permission to officially retire from the Moravian ministry. In 1974 he earned his M.Div. at Moravian Theological Seminary. He was ordained a deacon in the Moravian Church on April 6, 1975 at Calvary Moravian Church and consecrated a presbyter on March 1, 1981 at Olivet Moravian Church. He served pastorates at Trinity Moravian (associate) and Olivet Moravian in Winston-Salem, N.C. and Covenant Moravian in Wilmington, N.C. Brother Bauguess was released for other service and served as associate pastor at Sedge Garden UMC in Kernersville, N.C for six years. Presently he continues his ministry at PierceJefferson Funeral Service in Kernersville, N.C. ministering to families in their time of grief and helping others plan for the future. We express deep appreciation to Phil and Paula for their faithful and dedicated service to the Moravian Church and wish them many blessings for the future.
Elizabeth D. Miller Provincial Elders’ Conference
David Guthrie Provincial Elders’ Conference
Released for Other Service Brother Keith K. Harke, who had been serving as Intentional Interim pastor for Faith Moravian Church, Washington, D. C., has accepted a call to be released for other service to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Brother Harke began his new work as Intentional Interim Pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on September 1, 2012. Retirement Sister Rosieta Burton requested and was granted permission to retire from the active call of the Moravian Church effective September 15, 2012. Sister Burton was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church November 6, 2005 and has served the church as a pastor at Battle Hill Moravian Church, Union, New Jersey.
Southern Province Home Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, N.C. Brother Rick Sides has accepted the call to become pastor of Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. He served as Executive Director of the Board of Christian Education and Interim Executive Directive of the newlyformed Board of Cooperative Ministries for the last 18 years. Brother Sides was installed on September 9, 2012. October 2012
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MORAVIAN COLLEGE & theological seminary
Moravian College seeks new president MORAVIAN COLLEGE Board of Trustees in-
vites nominations and applications for the position of president. The next president will build on the impressive record of retiring President Dr. Christopher M. Thomforde, who has served the institution since 2006. MORAVIAN COLLEGE, which includes Moravian College (the undergraduate program), the Moravian Theological Seminary and the Comenius Center for Continuing and Graduate Studies, is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region. It serves just under 2000 students and has 107 full-time faculty, of which 88% hold the Ph.D. or equivalent. Moravian College is America’s sixth-oldest College and delivers a valuesbased liberal arts education in a caring environment which nurtures students in the capacities for leadership, lifelong learning,
and positive societal contributions. Moravian College has been named one of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review. The College traces its founding to 1742 by members of the Moravian Church, and the College continues to celebrate the heritage of John Amos Comenius whose humane ideals helped shape modern education. Those ideals that learning should be available to all, that teaching should be in accord with human nature, and that education should be applied to practical uses, are still evident at Moravian. The College enrolls students from a great variety of socioeconomic, religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and provides a highly personalized learning experience. As the sixth-oldest college in the nation, Moravian has also demonstrated a historic commitment to the concept of a liberal arts education. The College believes that the educated person has studied a variety of fields and has pursued one or more areas in depth. Moravian College offers programs of study leading to three baccalaureate degrees— Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music. In addition to these degrees, Moravian College offers solid preparation for students applying to graduate, medical, dental, veterinary medical, allied health and law schools. The Theological Seminary offers three Masters degrees (Divinity, Pastoral Counseling and Theological Studies), and the Comenius Center offers Masters degrees in four fields (business, human resource management, nursing, education). The successful candidate will be a visionThe Moravian
ary possessing the leadership skills, global vision, and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to effectively guide Moravian College. The President will promote and advance the College’s mission and strategically expand the infrastructure and investments in programs, partnerships and initiatives that reach across traditional academic boundaries to develop and disseminate new knowledge and increase the social and economic impact on the state, the nation, and world. The President is responsible for all operations of the COLLEGE, including overall leadership and management of the institution, its academic enterprise, fundraising, budget requests, and the allocation of resources. The President represents the institution in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as nationally and internationally and reports to the Board of Trustees. The next president will have the opportunity to lead the COLLEGE to greater heights and accomplishments, with a wide set of leadership opportunities forming the foundation of his/ her role. The ideal candidate will embrace MORAVIAN’s core values inherent in its rich heritage and liberal education in general, with appreciation for and encouragement of the traditions and mission of the Moravian Church in supporting the work of the seminary. Along with a combination of personal qualities and professional experiences, including progressively responsible experience in higher education administration or other extraordinary leadership experience in a complex organization, he/she will have an advanced degree from an accredited institution (terminal degree preferred) and experience in a liberal arts collegiate environment, either as a student or professional. Moravian’s next president will be a bold, innovative and passionate October 2012
leader, communicator and participant for the College’s community in the development and articulation of values and mission, using the existing strategic plan as a focal point, while further developing bold, entrepreneurial and effective strategies for pursuing institutional excellence. A leadership style that is marked by integrity, vision, courage, transparency and collaboration is highly prioritized. Confidential applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled. Candidate screening will begin immediately. For best consideration, applications and nominations should be provided by October 7, 2012. An application should include a letter describing relevant experiences and interest in the position; a resume; and the names of five references with titles, addresses, business telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses. References will not be contacted without written consent from applicants. Individuals who wish to nominate a candidate should submit a letter of nomination, including the name, position, address, telephone number, and email address of the nominee. Greenwood/Asher & Associates, an executive search firm, is assisting Moravian College in the search. Applications and letters of nominations should be submitted to: Jan Greenwood or Betty Turner Asher Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc. 42 Business Center Drive, Suite 206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 Phone: 850.650.2277 Fax: 850.650.2272 E-mail: jangreenwood@greenwoodsearch.com E-mail: bettyasher@greenwoodsearch.com For more information about Moravian College please visit: www.moravian.edu ■ 31
An intern’s story: (continued from page 4) I was surprised with the level of trust that I received just upon walking through the door. On my first day with the IBOC I was asked to edit an outdated book so that it could be published in a new edition. Throughout the next few weeks as changes were made to the text, I got to see them through. I made edits, conversed with my supervisor about those edits and got to actually go into the file and make the changes to the document electronically. I came to the IBOC with very little in my portfolio, and will be leaving with a long list of accomplishments and works to show for them. This experience has proven to me that
The Widow’s Society of Bethlehem Annual Report • June 30, 2012
Cash in Banks Stocks Total Assets
ASSETS
$ 6,147 357,081 $363,228
EQUITY Membership Fees $ 83,839 Accumulated Capital Gains and Losses 198,294 Accumulated interest 3,000 Legacies and Bequests 76,143 Unexpended Income 1,952 Total Equity $ 363,228 Dividends Paid: 12/12/11 76@ $230 $ 17,480 06/18/12 75@ $285 21,375 Total $515 $ 38,855 Members as of June 30, 2012: Ministers 110, Laymen 128; Total 238 Membership in the Society is open to any married man who is a member of the Moravian Church or whose wife is a member, for a one-time membership fee of $100 up to age 50; slight additional fees added for each year to age 60. For further information write or call: The Widow’s Society of Bethlehem 561 E. Market St., Suite #1, Bethlehem, PA 18018-6323 Phone: 610.866.1841
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the field that I have chosen to study is the right one for me. In addition to the materials that I got to work with, the people really made this experience an excellent one. My desk was at the front entrance of the Church Center, so I had the pleasure of meeting people who came in for all kinds of reasons: work, visiting or what I came to most look forward to, a Bible study group. All of those people brought a bright spot to my day, where I could look up from whatever I was working on and have a nice conversation with someone about whatever happened to be on their mind at the time. In addition to sharpening my editing and proofreading skills, the people and materials that I worked with have strengthened my faith. I have been exposed to new ideas and new people, both of which have introduced me to new ways to look at my faith. Every day I see God in something new, be it within the Daily Texts, an article in the Moravian where I hear about the impact that Moravians are having on the world or just in a short conversation with someone passing by. It was amazing to have been a part of this office and to have become more familiar with the Moravian faith as I also become more familiar with the real world. I cannot wait to take what I have learned here and apply it to my future professional life. I know that I have been shaped and made better for this experience, and I cannot thank enough everyone who was a part of it. ■
Ad Policy for The Moravian — The Moravian accepts paid advertising that is consistent with the magazine’s objectives and editorial convictions as they are stated in the purpose and mission of the Interprovincial Board of Communication. Advertisements for activities, services and products of specific interest to members of the Moravian Church have priority. The Moravian does not accept purely editorial advertisements that advocate specific ideas or issues. Articles, columns and letters to the editor are the appropriate vehicles for the presentation of ideas and issues. The Interprovincial Board of Communication is responsible for the content and design of the magazine, including advertisements. Ad rates and specifications are available www.moravian.org.
The Moravian
Cooperative Ministries (continued from page 24) • communications efforts designed to share information about the many resources, activities, groups, retreats, events and opportunities available; and • retreats, Convos, and other special events. We MOBILIZE Moravians through: • Sunnyside Ministries; • Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries; • The Environmental Stewardship Task Force; • The Parish Nurses; • Latino Ministries Committee & Conference; • Ideas for worship and observation in celebration of Christian educators, older
adults, children, and other special groups throughout the church year; and • Providing a place for other social ministry groups to convene and take action around common and compelling interests like racial reconciliation, poverty, women’s issues, and others. We serve individuals, families, classes and small groups, congregations, and RCCs, as well as pastors, lay leaders, Christian educators and church staff. The Board of Cooperative Ministries looks forward to growing with you, your congregations and Regional Conferences in faith, love, and hope. To learn more about the Southern Province Board of Cooperative Ministries, visit www.moravianbcm.org. ■
The 24th Moravian
Music Festival July 14-20, 2013 in Bethlehem, Pa.
Join us for a week-long celebration of the spirituality, heritage and beauty of Moravian music. The 24th Moravian Music Festival is a unique opportunity to lift up your voice, blow your horn, ring your bells and make a joyful noise with musicians, fans and friends of this inspirational music. For registration and program information, visit www.MoravianMusicFestival.org
Come to sing, play, learn or just listen! October 2012
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Ephraim Moravian
Covenant Moravian
(continued from page 11)
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our “open door” church, refinish the floors in the Fellowship Hall, and build new cabinets for the Fellowship Hall and choir room. To make sure we are visible to the community for a century to come in that iconic view from across the bay, the church steeple will be replicated exactly in August (the last work done for major steeple repair was forty years ago). We are only $12,000 away from our total goal, which will enable us to replace the back roof of the church, straighten the parsonage foundation, and repay what we borrowed for earlier parsonage work.
To continue our outreach to the community, Covenant Moravian held its second annual “Blessing of the Backpacks” on August 19. This ceremony was particularly meaningful to recognize our teachers as God’s and Covenant’s representatives while collecting over 300 school supply gifts for local students in need. The school supplies were blessed by educators and students in the congregation along with their own backpacks and briefcases. A tweet regarding the ceremony was seen by a local news photographer and the event was prominently featured in the York Dispatch the next evening. The Communications Team at Covenant is working hand-in-hand with other committees—the Christian Education Committee has begun selling Covenant Moravian t-shirts and are creating a new digital logo for use on our website and social media outlets. The Planning and Stewardship team has been busy putting Covenant’s information into easily understood language in an effort to streamline our messages. With the holidays right around the corner we plan to continue a few Covenant traditions with the help of the Communications Team. We will once again host our annual Holiday Bazaar on December 1 which will include tours of the sanctuary and an explanation of Moravian’s heritage, decorations and Love Feast by Covenant’s elders. Our two community Love Feasts will aim to educate our neighbors about Moravian traditions and our annual donations of candy, apples and oranges to various community organizations will further our committment to community outreach. ■
Or you can tell them that to be The Church…to be the Church Jesus wants us to be — we have to take action. On June 17 of this year, we gratefully held a dedication of our accessibility upgrades, and some of our members at the local nursing home were able to enter the church for the first time in years. It was a wonderful day shared by the community and earlier pastors of Ephraim Moravian Church. You can say “where there’s a will, there’s a way” and hope that people will step up to the plate; we tried that for several years. Or you can tell them that to be The Church, to be inclusive, welcoming and remove barriers from full participation by all who want to come— to be the Church Jesus wants us to be—we have to take action. It’s possible even in these lean times, and it’s necessary. Ephraim Moravian Church can now call itself “the church of the Open Door” and mean it. ■ 34
The Moravian
Andy Griffith
(continued from page 17) wrong against Bishop Pfohl, but Bishop got mad at me because I was majoring in Sociology and, just to be honest with you, I hated it. I hated every second of it. I was crazy over the music department and I was ill-prepared for it because I started late, but Bishop didn’t want me to major in Music and still stay in the ministry, and he was right, ... so I suffered under that a long time. So finally I went home and stopped by to see Ed Mickey to tell him and he said, ‘Well, I had a feeling that was coming.’ It’s funny the transitions that your life goes through and you don’t even know it’s going to. The upshot is how important alternatives are for young people, and the more the merrier! In my case, the factor that music was an alternative gave me direction in my life I didn’t have. That’s why I feel in my case and, many peoples’ case that music is important. The Moravian Church wouldn’t be quite the same Moravian Church without music.” What does it take to be a successful actor, musician or entertainer? “This is important. Moss Hart wrote a book called Act One, and in his fascinating book he said to be successful in any business, whether it is show business or any business, you have to have talent at what you’re doing. You have to have the ability to work hard. And he also said being at the right place at the right time is also important. But, he said perhaps the most important quality a person can have is the ability to know what to do when an opportunity presents itself. “Another thing you must have to be successful, and more than that happy, in any line of work goes by a lot of different names: thickskin, resilience and many other things. In October 2012
any artistic endeavors such as singing, acting, painting and writing, you tend to expose your inner feeling, you tend to say to someone, ‘I love you’ who may not love you back or care if you love them. What you either have to have, or develop is the ability to be rejected, and that may not sound like it would be hard to do, but I’m going to tell you that it is very hard to do!” In his book, The Andy Griffith Show, Richard Kelly writes, “There are few television programs today that embody the high moral and artistic standards of the Griffith Show. Lust, anger, betrayal, greed, and violence seem to be the order of the day. Soaps such as All My Children, The Young and the Restless and As the World Turns and popular evening melodramas such as Dallas all show people to be fundamentally immoral and the family to be a focus of strife and anxiety…Like the solid old westerns that create a dream vision of the American past, with its clear moral code, the Griffith Show captures a romantic myth that continues to entice and satisfy our yearnings for a simpler world, one filled with hope, purpose, respect, love, laughter, understanding and a sense of belonging and permanence.” Such are the fruits born in dynamic Christian living. We thank you Andy Griffith for your constructive contribution to television and the field of entertainment; for countless amusing half-hours of afterschool relaxation and studybreaks spent on the streets of Mayberry; and for the gracious sharing of yourself with the youth of the Southern Province. ■ The Rev. John D. Rights is now pastor of Konnoak Hills Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.; The Rev. Carol Foltz serves at Friedland Moravian Church in Winston-Salem. 35
Postmaster please send address changes to: The Moravian, P.O. Box 1245, Bethlehem, PA 18016-1245
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