Moravian Magazine • October 2010

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On the cover: A collection of Daily Texts from the 1730s to today at the Moravian Archives in Winston-Salem. Photo: Mike Riess

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SPECIAL FEATURE: MORAVIAN DAILY TEXTS

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9 Christ and him crucified remain our confession of faith In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love

In This Issue Special Feature: The Moravian Daily Texts 11 Daily Texts: Bringing Watchwords from Herrnhut to the world for 280 years 16 Producing the North American Daily Texts 18 A guide for using the Daily Texts Faith and Order 5 Answering the question, “Who Are Moravians?”

Moravian Music 7 New, shorter hymnal has Moravians “Singing from the Heart” 21 North American Moravians take music to its European roots

Member, Associated Church Press

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 2010

Working For Peace 8 Conference teaches Peace Among the Peoples Congregations In Mission 9 Youth Conference reaches out in Western Tanzania 25 Dental ministry brings smiles to Ahuas, Honduras 27 Antioch Project Feet First gathering builds mission spirit and knowledge In Our Communities 20 Promise Church’s “Go Sunday” takes different approach to Sunday morning 29 Growing a garden ministry in Winston-Salem In Every Issue 4 Ponderings—Carrying on a tradition of daily devotions 31 Official Provincial Elders’ News 3

PONDERINGS

Carrying on a tradition of daily devotions During

the past few months, we at the Interprovincial Board of Communication have been putting the finishing touches on the Daily Texts for 2011. We’ve been busy taking orders, proofing copy, choosing cover colors, determining quantities and making space for the pallets of books which are expected to arrive at our office by the time you read this.

But with all this “business” going on, every once in a while I step back and realize what it is we are doing. Quite simply, we’re carrying on a tradition that dates back more than 275 years. Our work makes it possible for thousands here in North America to share a daily devotional with more than a million people around the world.

On my first day in my position with the Church — May 10, 2010 — the Daily Texts spoke volumes of my own personal situation. “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps,” (Proverbs 16:9) reads the Old Testament text, followed by the New Testament’s, “John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.’” (John 3:27) And the prayer really brought it home for me: “Generous Father, all we have is a gift from you. We so often take for granted the talents, resources and blessings you give so freely. Even in difficult times, inspire us to return a portion of our wealth to help spread the gospel…Lead us in the way you would have us go each day. Amen.”

Those words helped me believe that I was in the right place, doing the right thing for the right reasons.

I know that many of you have similar stories about your life with the Daily Texts. In this issue, we share the story behind producing the Daily Text in Germany and North America, along with information on how to use it. We also offer stories on Moravians travelling around the globe and working close to home.

Remember, if you haven’t ordered your 2011 Daily Texts, there’s still time to get your order in before next year!

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Mike Riess, editor

(ISSN 1041-0961 USPS 362600) October 2010, Vol. 41, 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.

Make checks payable in U.S. funds to The Moravian.

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, Advertising Coordinator/ Communication Assistant Interprovincial Board of Communication Gary Kniskern, Paul Peucker Chair Adam Pristas Jane Burcaw Richard Sides Jane Carmichael Valerie Wagner Lance Fox Jill Westbrook Paul Knouse 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>

The Moravian

FAITH AND ORDER

Answering the question “Who Are Moravians?”

In June, 2009, The Moravian published an article in which I described a conversation with a member of my church who had asked for help in explaining the Moravian Church.

In that article I shared a draft of a document called, “Who Are Moravians” that represented several years of work by the Interprovincial Faith and Order Commission of the Northern and Southern Provinces of our Church. The document sought to provide a brief description of the Moravian Church which can be used in casual conversations with friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

We published the preliminary draft to solicit feedback from readers of The Moravian. Several readers graciously offered their comments on that brief description of our Moravian identity. All of these comments were read by the members of the Commission and were very much appreciated and helpful.

As a result of this feedback, the Commission made a few changes to the document before submitting it to the Provincial Elders Conferences of the Northern and Southern Provinces for approval. Thanks in part, I believe, to the input from readers of The October 2010

Moravian, we were able to provide a description of our Moravian identity which met with the hearty approval of both PECs. You will find the final version of this document attached.

We hope that many throughout our Provinces will find it helpful and might clip it from the magazine, stick it on the refrigerator, share it with a friend or place it in a wallet. One day you might be having coffee with a friend who asks you to explain the Moravian Church.

“Moravian? I’ve never heard of that. What kind of church is that?” I know that has happened to a lot of us. Use the Moravian identity document to help with your discussion. Hopefully, this will initiate a conversation that will enrich your faith in Christ and also that of your friend. ■

The Rev. Tim Byerly currently serves as Pastor of Mayodan Moravian Church in Mayodan, North Carolina. He is a member and vice-chair of the Interprovincial Faith and Order Commission.

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Who Are Moravians We hope that you find this description of our identity to be helpful, but it is essential that we never lose sight of the fact that our faith is not simply a list of statements about us or our Church. Our faith is relationship — relationship with Jesus Christ. This provides a basis for relationship with each other. This should always be the foundation of our understanding of Moravian identity. Once we understand this, then we can use the statements below as a way to describe this relationship.

• • •

• • • •

Moravians believe in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit Moravians believe that Jesus Christ is the way to God and God’s way to us.

Moravians believe that a personal, heart-felt relationship with God through Jesus Christ is an essential part of faith.

Moravians hold that faith in Jesus Christ must also be a community experience.

Moravians believe the Church is called into existence by Jesus Christ to serve him and follow him.

Moravians find guidance for doctrine and faith through the Bible.

Moravians subscribe to the major creeds of the Church, including the Apostles’ and the Nicene creeds.

• • •

•

Moravians share God’s love in word and deed with people of other cultures and in all the world.

Moravians have a heritage of creativity in our music and worship.

Moravians believe that discerning God’s will is a task to be shared among many leaders rather than to be vested in a single person or office. Thus, there is a conferential form of government which shares this responsibility.

Moravians place great value on their ties with Christians of other Moravian provinces and with Christians of other denominations throughout the world.

MORAVIAN MUSIC

New, shorter hymnal has Moravians “Singing from the Heart” Did you ever wish for a “shorter Moravian hymnal”?

At more than 950 pages, the standard Moravian Book of Worship can be a weighty tome, especially when travelling. And while it is the core of our worship services, some have requested a smaller, easier to carry version for use in Women’s Fellowship meetings, retreats, camps and even as a small gift to acquaint others with the best-loved Moravian hymns.

At the direction of the Southern Province Synod of 2006, the Interprovincial Board of Communication recently published the answer to that wish — Singing From the Heart: A Shorter Moravian Hymnal and Liturgies.

“The spiral-bound soft-cover book has about 100 hymns, the ‘core’ liturgies from the Moravian Book of Worship (Baptism/ Confirmation, Memorial Service, Easter Morning, the Shorter Church Litany, etc.), and a ‘baker’s dozen’ of shorter liturgies and ‘Congregational Prayers for Moravian Worship’,” says Nola Knouse, director of the Moravian Music Foundation. The Moravian Music Foundation provided editorial services, under the oversight of the Commission on Music and Worship of the Southern Province.

To make the new book more useful for camps, retreats and youth ministries, all of the hymns in “Singing from the Heart” include guitar chords along with the traditional four-part settings.

“Of course, like most ideas Moravian, it really isn’t new — a very similar thing was October 2010

done 100 years ago with the production of the Shorter Moravian Hymn Book, printed in 1902 (and reissued in 1920),” says Nola.

“And even earlier, in 1579 , the Unitas Fratrum published a smaller (and more affordable!) version of its big 1576 hymnal.”

Copies are available for $9.00 from the Interprovincial Board of Communication and the Moravian Music Foundation. To order, call 1-800-732-0591 or visit <www.moravian.org/ publications>. You can also purchase from the Moravian Music Foundation offices in Winston-Salem and Bethlehem. ■

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WORKING FOR PEACE

Conference teaches Peace Among the Peoples In

July I had the privilege of being the Moravian representative to a conference hosted by the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. The event, advertised as “An Ecumenical Peace Conference on Overcoming the Spirit, Logic and Practice of Violence,” was held as a regional conference preliminary to the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, being planned by the World Council of Churches to be held in Kingston, Jamaica, 17 – 25 May 2011.

Nearly 200 delegates and presenters attended the conference, coming from a wide variety of traditions: historic peace churches — Mennonite, Quaker, and Church of the Brethren; mainline Protestant churches, including the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, and United Methodist; and evangelical traditions such as the Assemblies of God and Seventh Day Adventist.

Both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communions were represented, as well as international delegates from Canada and Australia. Representation from such a wide range of traditions greatly enriched both the discussions and the worship experiences.

As the only Moravian present, I found myself in a number of fascinating conversations sharing information about our history, theology, and worship practices.

The conference schedule include plenary

sessions during which keynote speakers delivered major papers, followed by a question & answer session, and concurrent small group sessions on a number of peacemaking topics. Each day began with morning prayer and ended with worship at one of the area churches.

One of the more challenging of the plenary sessions was the discussion by Stanley Hauerwas of Duke University and Gerard Powers of the University of Notre Dame on “Just War and Pacifism in Dialogue.” Dr. Hauerwas pointed out that Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross ended the need for sacrifice and that language about sacrifice in war is therefore idolatry. Citing the Gettysburg Address as an example of such rhetoric, he decried the idea that we have to continue killing people in the name of those who have died in past conflicts.

Noting that churches don’t have an alternative to war but that churches are the alternative to war, Hauerwas observed that part of being a peacemaker is to give your (continued on page 33) Marian L. Shatto is a member of Lititz Moravian Congregation, where she sings in the choir and volunteers in the Mission Gift Shop. She served as a member of the Moravian-Reformed Dialogue committee.

…part of being a peacemaker is to give your enemy hope, and hope is precisely what the Gospel provides.

CONGREGATIONS IN MISSION

Youth Conference reaches out in Western Tanzania The Moravian Church of Western Tanzaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (MCWT) comprehensive AIDS program began its tenth year of service in July, 2010. It consists of three components: prevention, treatment, and orphan care. Since its inception, Tanzanians have taken responsibility for all clinical and community work. Supervision and financing, including United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) grants for the medical aspects of this program, were transferred to MCWT in partnership with the Sikonge District Council by the end of the eighth year.

Orphan care and youth prevention seminars are the only portions of the program that continue to receive assistance from the Moravians of North America.

AIDS has taken a disproportionate toll on Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s young adults. They have therefore been specifically targeted with a variety of strategies to change their high risk sexual behavior that transmits this fatal disease. The Christian church has long advocated values October 2010

that, if practiced, would stop the epidemic; its difficulty has been in finding a medium to effectively transmit these values to the target audience.

To help address this need, the first Moravian Church AIDS Youth Conference was held at the main Moravian church in Tabora in August, 2007. Organized by Pastor Christopher Mbutu, chairman of the Moravian Church in Tabora, it was attended by nearly 100 young adults. Bishop Nicodemo began each session with a Bible study; church personnel and AIDS counselors alternated leading discussions during the nine-hour sessions. The seminar was closed at the conclusion of the fifth day by the (continued on next page) Bill Hoffman is a member of Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Photo above: One of the youth leading a hymn. Photos provided by Bill Hoffman.

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(continued from previous page) countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Regional Commissioner, the Honorable Abedi A.S. Mwinyimsa.

All of the subsequent six Youth Conferences have been held in Moravian churches located in the Sikonge district. Each has been organized by Pastor Mbutu; they have been led by at least two Moravian pastors, a retired Moravian teacher, and two certified AIDS instructors from the Sikonge Moravian Hospital. As in the first seminar, each day has opened with a Bible study and is followed by presentations on Christian living, with topics ranging from friendship, engagement, and marriage, to economics and the church. These talks alternate with those addressing frank, factual information on HIV/AIDS prevention. The relationship between these two broad approaches is stressed in the quest for behavioral change. It must be emphasized that these sessions are not lectures but discussions; the youth participate nearly as much as their leaders, often quite vigorously. The program provides

notebooks, pens, and t-shirts, as well as tea in the morning and lunch in the early afternoon. Hymns are sung and prayers are raised spontaneously throughout the day.

The most recent conference began during the third week of July in Kiloleli, a remote village nearly as large as Sikonge with no electricity or running water. The pastor, Rev. Shomari, is responsible for six churches in the area, and each was well represented; there were over 140 youth present every day, a new record for attendance.

As the final day of the seminar drew to a close in the afternoon, the participants remained enthusiastic, requesting a follow up conference later in the year. While it is encouraging to see the youth so stimulated, it is difficult to know if this emotional energy will be transformed into the behavioral change needed to protect them from the surrounding epidemic. The seeds have been planted; we need our God to help them grow.

For more information on the Moravian Church in North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AIDS ministry, visit <http://www.moravianmission.org/aids/> â&#x2013;

Conference staff, evangelists, and youth leaders surround Pastor Shomari at the conclusion of the seminar.

DAILY TEXTS

Daily Texts: Bringing Watchwords from Herrnhut to the world for 280 years Today, reading the Bible daily is not common. Often you can hear people say: “The Bible is an old book. It doesn’t have any relevance for my life. Also the Bible uses very old language. I can’t understand it.” If someone would say this to us in the Moravian Church, we would recommend the Daily Texts, which are known in Germany as the Losungen.

Daily texts include only two bible verses per day; that is not so much. But when you read them, you have a theme for one day.

Maybe you will find in them a special The Rev. Karin Wiedemann is the editorial officer of the Moravian Daily Texts, working in Herrnhut, Germany. Photo above: Vogtshof, administration building of the European Continental Province.

Photos by Peter Isterheld.

October 2010

importance for the daily life you live. Maybe they will raise some questions and lead you to look into their context in the Bible.

That is the goal of the Daily Texts: to help people to find a way to read the Bible more and with more interest. (continued on next page)

Reverend Karin Wiedemann, editorial officer of the Moravian Daily Texts

Bowl with lots to be drawn for the 2013 Daily Texts

(continued from previous page) And there is a second thing: Those who read the Daily Texts are in a very close connection with other Christians all over the world, because there are many translations of this collection of biblical readings. Today there are 50 editions of the Daily Texts in different languages.

History of the Daily Texts Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf got the idea for what became the Daily Texts in 1728. In the early years of Herrnhut in the eighteenth century the congregation gathered daily in the church for singing, praying and informational meetings.

It was on May 3, 1728 when Zinzendorf gave the first Daily Text to the sisters and brothers during the service. It was meant for the following day. The idea was that all inhabitants of Herrnhut should be accompanied by the same good word of God throughout the whole day. And so Zinzendorf’s idea has gone on, day by day, from 1728 to today.

In Germany the texts are called “Losungen.” It is meant like the French 12

“parole” or the English “watchword” and is taken from military language usage. The bible-verses were meant as an aid to improve the connection between Jesus and all of his followers and, of course, also for a closer relationship between the sisters and brothers in Herrnhut.

This idea was actually very helpful for the Herrnhut inhabitants, because they practiced very different kinds of spirituality. Refugees from Moravia were joined by Christians of many kinds, looking for a home in the small town. As you might expect, problems and conflicts arose, causing a lot of trouble between the inhabitants of the newly founded settlement.

Eventually, in May 1727, Zinzendorf gave the people at Herrnhut some rules for civic and spiritual life. All adult persons were required to subscribe to these rules or leave Herrnhut. That was a very important step to make peace between the different groups.

A spiritual re-birth took place in the same year. On August 13, the whole congregation went by foot to nearby Berthelsdorf to take Collection of old Daily Text Books — German Edition

The Moravian

Holy Communion together with the local Lutheran congregation. (In this time it was usual for the settlers at Herrnhut to visit the Lutheran services in Berthelsdorf, because they were part of the Berthelsdorf parish and there was no independent Moravian Church.)

Later in their church diary the Moravians wrote about this Holy Communion service: “We learned to love…”

And they actually took trouble to love one another after this event.

But the “peace” remained fragile, so Zinzendorf and his staff looked for ideas to strengthen that peace. I think one of his best ideas in this time has been the Daily Texts in the year 1728.

In August 1732 — 275 years ago — the first missionaries left Herrnhut for the West Indies to bring the Gospel to African slaves.

But even before that, brothers started visiting Christian groups in the area surrounding Herrnhut, assisting the Lutheran pastors in prayer-services and bible-studies for the congregations. Often they had to spend nights with their hosts because the way back home was too far.

To give these travellers the opportunity to participate in the Daily Texts, Zinzendorf decided to print them. That meant he had to look for good words for each day of the year one year in advance. He did so — and this was the birth of the Daily Text Book. The first one, only in the German language, was printed in 1731. And since that year there has been one book per year. Today, we now read the 280th edition in the German language.

While he was alive, Zinzendorf himself chose the texts. Sometimes he alone decided which word should be the one for the day. In other cases he and his staff drew the words October 2010

out of a special collection of Bible verses and parts of hymns.

After his death the staff began drawing all the words out of the collection with the idea that the Saviour himself determines the special word for each day. The people drawing are only assistants of His will.

The only thing human beings have to do is to update the collection, which Moravian brothers and sisters continue to do to this day. In intervals of between 10 and 20 years they reviewed all verses, added new ones or removed the difficult ones. We continue to do this today. The last update took place in the years 2009/2010.

Since 1812 all watchwords are drawn only from the Old Testament.

Producing the Daily Text Creating the Daily Texts for each year is an intricate activity steeped in tradition. What follows are the steps we take in Germany to draw, compile and produce a Daily Text for each year.

First Step: The Drawing The drawing of the watchwords takes place in April — near to May 3, when, in 1728, Zinzendorf gave the first Daily Text to the congregation. We draw the Old Testament verses three years in advance; on April 15, 2010, we drew the Daily Texts for the year 2013. Our collection of Old Testament verses to choose from now includes 1829 verses.

A dignified atmosphere surrounds the ceremony of drawing in the Vogtshof in Herrnhut. The day starts with worship. We beg the Saviour to bless the drawing, so that his will be done.

Then the drawing starts. In the middle of a (continued on next page) 13

Texts for 2013 were drawn during the ceremony on April 15, 2010.

(continued from previous page) large oval table there is placed an ornate bowl containing small cards numbered 1 through 1829. Each number is a code. In a special book we have a list with all numbers and the corresponding Bible text. People appointed by our provincial board are responsible for the drawing of four months.

One takes a card and the other one reads the text out loud. Two clerks record the minutes, to ensure that there will be no mistakes.

After finishing the drawing — it takes approximately four hours — the drawn numbers are separated in a small box. There they stay for two years. That means these words cannot be drawn again before three years are over. We want to have a change in the bible-verses so that the readers can experience the great abundance of God’s word.

Second Step: My job Once the Old Testament readings have been selected by lot, I have to look for an appropriate New Testament text and a hymn or prayer for the German edition. I feel a 14

great responsibility to find really appropriate texts. And that takes a lot of time.

I want to say some words about the special meaning of the so-called “Lehrtext”, which might be translated as “doctrinal texts”, and the third texts of a prayer or a hymn.

The doctrinal text is always taken from the New Testament. It interprets the Old Testament text from a Christian point of view.

The third text is meant as a response of the congregation of readers. It speaks about the relevance of the scriptural passage for the individual and the social situation of the readers in this time.

For my job there are some rules: I am not allowed to choose a particular New Testament passage more than once a year.

And I have to pay attention to the church year.

That can be very difficult sometimes, because the drawn Old Testament texts are not necessarily appropriate to the church season.

Let me give you an example: The Daily Text for Dec. 24, 2010 is: “By the ordinances of the Lord is your servant warned.” (Psalm 19:9,11). That’s true, but it is not really a good word for Christmas.

The Moravian

So I tried to make it a little bit more Christmas-like. My idea was this: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.“ (Hebrew 12:15) And then Christmas songverses can follow.

Third step: The Review committee Our Board has appointed a “Review committee” that consists now of eleven persons, both clergy and lay sisters and brothers.

They read all my texts and make their recommendations for modification or give me better suggestions. I think they have a very important task: Together we share the great responsibility!

Forth Step: Confirming the definite Text One year after the drawing, mostly in the first days of May, I meet two ministers on our board and then together we confirm the definite text and give our “good for print”.

Fifth Step: Printing and Translation In Germany printing begins at once. At the same time, the German manuscript is sent to editors all over the world, so that they can start translating. They have to translate both Bible texts — Old Testament and New Testament. But they are not required to translate the third reading, which may be difficult to translate, especially in the case of hymns. So in a second step the translators have to look for their own third texts in their language. You see, of course, that takes a lot of time. So three years in advance for the drawing is not so much. (For more on how the North American editions of the Daily Texts are produced, see the article on page 16.)

Today we have 50 different editions of the October 2010

Cover of the 2011 Die Losungen version distributed in Germany

Daily Texts book all over the world. And there are ideas for new translations. The most recent new editions have been the Corean (Korean) 2009 and the Georgian and Bemba (Africa) in the year 2010.

Meaning of our mission In conclusion I will say some words about the meaning of this very special Daily-TextMission in our Moravian Church.

I think it is as Jesus said: The small mustard seed — the idea of Zinzendorf — has grown up into a huge tree. Now it provides spiritual food for many Christians all over the world, who hunger for God’s word.

When I read the Daily Texts in the morning then I realize two things: • I am united with sisters and brothers all over the word. There is one good word of God for all of us.

• Also this: I am united with sisters and brothers in different churches or denominations. God has a good word for every day for all Christians.

When readers write letters to us, they often say “thank you” since they have received exactly the word they needed on a specific day. We only can wonder and thank God, because he has chosen this word.

I want to say: Thank you, Lord! ■ 15

DAILY TEXTS

Producing the North American Daily Texts Each year, the Interprovincial Board of Communication produces the Moravian Daily Texts in a variety of sizes and formats in English, along with a Spanish-language version. Siobhan Young, communication assistant with the IBOC, discusses the process of bringing the Daily Texts to Moravians across the Western Hemisphere.

As with all Daily Texts, the North American version begins in Herrnhut, Germany. We receive the Losungen from the German office

Designer Sandy Fay and IBOC Communication Assistant Siobhan Young review cover proofs for the 2011 Daily Texts.

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in the summer and send it to a translator for our North American English purposes. We require an actual English translation of the German text because of the differing Bible verses in each translation. For example, a watchword drawn from Daniel 3:33 in the German Bible does not exist in English translations: the wording is found in Daniel 4:10. The essential concern is that the text is correctly translated so that readers around the world will share identical devotional material on any given day.

When I receive the English version of the Losungen, I then formulate the Scriptures for the year. The North American versions include Scripture references that, when followed, allow all the Psalms to be read through in one year and the entire Bible in two.

The texts from Germany are commonly referred to as the Watchword and Doctrinal Texts by many English readers. Once compiled with the Scripture references, they are sent for initial copyediting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one great rule in the editing world is always use a second set of eyes! When the project returns and corrections are made, this skeleton form is then sent to translators around the Moravian Unity, molding our framework into the some of the 50 languages into which the Daily Texts is printed every year.

While translating and initial editing are underway, writers from across North America are identified to assume responsibility for one month of the Daily Texts. Using the translated daily Watchwords and Doctrinal Texts as their themes, these writers choose The Moravian

The essential concern is that the text is correctly translated so that readers around the world will share identical devotional material on any given day. hymn stanzas and compose prayers appropriate for each day of their month.

Writers, who represent both clergy and lay people, reflect many ages and backgrounds and represent the diversity within the Moravian Church.

When these writers have finished their task and return their work to me, I begin the compilation process. As one can imagine, combining many Moravian ideas to create a cohesive devotional text is not an easy process. We contract additional expertise to help with hymn substitutions (for repeated hymns, etc.), research copyrights and then determine the appropriate meter of how each hymn is presented. The prayers are given a small amount of editing for content, inclusive language and consistency but for the most part are run intact to preserve the thought and emotion of the writer. Prayers are also added to the Spanish version.

Then the design and editing stages begin.

Since the Daily Texts come in multiple versions — soft cover, hardcover, large print, journal and flip calendar — each needs to be reviewed for layout and content. The Spanish version also goes through the same editing and design process — without the insertion of hymns.

Editing is perhaps the longest step in the process and the most important. Steeped in tradition and serving as a devotional staple for many, the accuracy of the Daily Texts is a Moravian essential.

From the design and editing stage, the final project is sent to the printer, usually in the beginning of August. The entire process October 2010

culminates with the autumn delivery to our small office in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania of 10 to 12 pallets of the books many of you hold in your hands every day. They are shipped all over the world and into both Moravian and non-Moravian households.

I believe what makes the Daily Texts project my favorite is its unity. Having a hand in the rich history and yearly creation of what is the most widely used devotional in our Christian church, aside from the Bible, is an honor and one I am grateful for every year I have worked and experienced the love within the Moravian Church. ■ A D V E RT I S E M E N T

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A Guide for Using The Daily Texts The strength of the Daily Texts lies in presenting the Scripture unhindered by commentary or illustration. The texts are left to stand alone and to speak to each reader in his or her life.

This also allows the Daily Texts to be adaptable to different patterns of devotion and study.

The printed texts, hymn verses and prayers are the heart of the devotional guide. Their purpose is to help the reader get more closely in touch with God and to meditate upon the Word of God. • Feel the encouragement found in the texts.

• Hear any word or correction for your life.

• Ponder the great message of faith.

• Meditate upon the hymn verses and prayers.

• Feel God’s presence surrounding you in faith.

• In silence, hear God’s word speaking to you.

These texts can be the center of a daily spiritual diary where you keep a journal of your daily meditations and their meaning in your life.

Private devotion and prayer are the times that we converse and respond to God and allow God to speak to us in life. These times should include:

•

Adoration: Praising God’s great love and concern for you and for all people.

•

Confession: Looking within yourself, finding where you need to confess sins and shortcomings.

•

Thanksgiving: Thanks, not just for daily bread and support, but for all God’s gifts through Jesus Christ.

•

Supplication & Intercession: Coming to God with concerns, cares, and burdens for yourself, for others, and for the world we live in.

Photo above: Daily Texts from 1729, preserved at the Moravian Archives in Winston-Salem.

Daily Texts Contents for Each Day

Prayer: A response to God of praise, confession, thanksgiving, or intercession in light of the texts and hymn verses. New prayers are written by members of the Moravian Church each year.

Watchword For The Week/Holiday (every Sunday and some church holidays).

Like the daily watchword, the weekly/holiday text is to accompany the reader throughout the week or holiday and is related to the events of the church year. These differ every year based upon the lectionary cycle.

Watchword For The Day: From the Old Testament, it is to be a “watchword” to accompany you throughout the day. Usually a promise, encouragement, admonition, or comfort.

Hymn Verse: Broken down by meter and usually related to the watchword or theme for the day. It is a devotional response or commentary on the text. Can be used for prayers.

Doctrinal Text: From the New Testament; contains a point of Christian doctrine to expand on the watchword.

Hymn Verse: Broken down by meter and usually related to the doctrinal text, although both hymn verses and texts together often have a common theme.

Scripture Lessons: At the top of each page are listed Scripture passages for ongoing study which are not related to the printed texts. Monday through Saturday are part of a plan to read through the Psalms in one year and the rest of the Bible in two. Sundays and special days are the assigned lessons for that day of the church year from the Moravian Revised Common Lectionary, also common to many denominations.

(From “Using the Daily Texts” published in brochure form by the Interprovincial Board of Communication, Moravian Church in North America)

IN OUR COMMUNITIES

takes different approach to Sunday morning The congregation gathered on Sunday, August 1, at the usual time. But instead of the normal Sunday morning routine, congregants organized into three teams. One team went to a local nursing home to visit residents.

Another team went to a subsidized housing area and did ministry with children. The third team went to the home of some senior citizens and laid 60 bags of mulch.

Afterwards everyone gathered back at the church to share lunch and stories of what they had experienced.

Lisa Windsor (right) and others spread mulch for senior citizens.

Jesus didn’t tell the world to go to church; he

(continued on page 34) Bill Snively (foreground) and Tom Dailey move some of the 60 bags of mulch.

told the church to go to the world. So The Promise Church in Lewis Center, Ohio, took an unusual step recently of canceling “normal” worship and going into the community to serve in Christ’s name.

We wanted to worship by being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. We called it “Go Sunday.”

Rev. Darryl Bell is pastor of The Promise in Lewis Center, Ohio. Top photo: Tug of war with the children at Dooley’s Orchard.

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The Moravian

MORAVIAN MUSIC

Single file, we pick our way through a narrow cleft in sheer gray rock atop a forested hill. Footing is treacherous, so we must brace our hands against stone walls slippery with moss. We who are able reach back for those less steady on their feet, and we emerge into a sunlit clearing, guarded by cliffs and evergreens. We are inside the Chalice Rocks, remembering brothers and sisters of the ancient Unity who worshipped here in secret during years of persecution. The chalice — communion cup — was their symbol, and it adorns the rocks.

We have been guided here by the pastor from nearby Zelezny Brod. The Rev. Dr. Nola Knouse, director of the Moravian Music Foundation, leads us in worship and song — ancient tunes that these stones may have heard before, with the harmony that we know by heart. We climb carefully back up the steep path, emerging into the 21st October 2010

century reality of a gravel parking lot, tourist cafe and blessedly air-conditioned buses. And for many of us, this stop became what Sally Zimmer of Unionville, Mich. describes as our “top of the mountain” experience and most important reminder that we are pilgrims as well as performers.

This stop at Chalice Rocks, between Prague

in the Czech Republic and Herrnhut, Germany, occurred at the mid-point of this summer’s tour by the American Moravian Church Choir. The tour, sponsored by the Moravian Music Foundation, took 50 singers, 10 orchestra members and friends and family members to historic Moravian sites in Europe.

Tour participants included Moravians representing more than 30 congregations in the United States and Canada, along with (continued on next page) Photo above: The pastor and his wife from Zelezny Brod, Czech Republic show the Rev. David Wickmann the chalice carved in Chalice Rocks.

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Moravian singers and musicians “on tour” in Germany

(continued from previous page) conductor Dr. John Sinclair and eight of his students from Rollins College in Florida.

The tour group travelled under the auspices of the Moravian Music Foundation led by Director Nola Knouse; Gwyneth Michel, assistant director; staff member Margaret Brady, board member Kat Wendt and Dr. Sinclair.

A journey into history The journey began in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where we rehearsed, presented

Conductor Dr. John Sinclair directs rehearsals in Bethlehem, Pa.

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a concert and provided music for worship at Central Moravian Church. The European part of the tour started in Prague with visits to sites important to the founding of the Hussite movement — progenitors of today’s Moravian Church — in the 15th century. We presented concerts to large, enthusiastic audiences in two beautiful churches in the historic Old Town: St. Nicholas, a baroque gem that now houses the founding congregation of the Czechoslovakian Hussite Church; and St. Simon and Judah Church, now a concert hall boasting an organ that locals say was once played by Mozart and Haydn.

From Prague, the tour travelled to Herrnhut in the eastern tip of Germany, where Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf welcomed survivors of the ancient Unity to his estates and helped revive the church in the 1720s. We stopped at sites important to Moravian history along the way, including the Chalice Rocks. In Herrnhut, led by Rev. Erdmute Frank, whose late husband Albert was assistant director of the Moravian Music Foundation, we toured God’s Acre and sang at the graves of some of the composers whose works we performed on the trip.

The Moravian

Also while in Herrnhut, we visited Zinzendorf’s nearby estate Berthelsdorf, where we celebrated a private communion in the church; we presented a concert and provided worship music in the Saal of the Gemeinhaus (church) and visited Herrnhuter Sterne, the Moravian star factory. We then performed our final concert in the nearby Moravian town of Niesky.

Following the visit to Herrnhut and Niesky, half the group returned home while the other half travelled on to visit Oberammergau in Bavaria for the famous Passion Play, with a stop at the Moravian site in Ebersdorf. In Oberammergau, tour members accepted a last-minute invitation to sing hymns in the Lutheran church next to the Passion Play theater.

What was this journey about?

As we reflected on the journey, participants offered their thoughts on what the tour meant to them.

Certainly, it was about the music and the thrill of performing challenging music in gorgeous settings in the historic heart of our church, for people who truly appreciate our

efforts and, at least in the congregations, sing with us. “During the concert at Herrnhut, as the choir sang the hymns in English and the congregation sang the same hymns in German, it sounded like the songs of praise around the throne of God,” says Carol Parfitt of Schoolcraft, Mich.

It was also about the history. “When we set foot off the airplane in Prague, we saw a clock reading ‘14:57’,” remembered Rev. John Giesler and his wife Barbara of WinstonSalem. “That might say ‘3 p.m.’ to most of us,

Below and above — American and Canadian Moravian Singers perform in the Czech Republic

(continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) but we recognized the date of the founding of the Unitas Fratrum in the Czech town of Kunwald.”

Most of all, it’s about the people who make up the church we know as the “Unity.” Over potato dumplings, we compared notes about Moravian practices in our home states and provinces. We clued non-Moravians in on the “code,” such as singing the table grace. And our conductor, John Sinclair, experienced his first Moravian communion at Berthelsdorf. “I knew I truly belonged the first time a Moravian greeted me as ‘Brother Sinclair,’” he said.

Cellist Jo Cleland, who traveled from Arizona to play in the orchestra, says, “In 1950, I played in the orchestra at the very first Moravian Music Festival under conductor Dr. Thor Johnson. What a joy, 60 years later, to be a cellist in this tour orchestra accompanying the choir as it sang familiar anthems. Like Dr. Johnson, Dr. Sinclair drew from all of us deep spiritual fervor, a hallmark of Moravian music. The tour was a powerful time for uniting with my brothers and sisters of the Moravian Church. Raised as the daughter of a Moravian minister, Joseph Schwager, I will always be a Moravian at heart.”

During the trip, we broke bread and drank coffee with Moravians and other people of faith who have lived through World Wars, communism and the falling of the Iron Curtain. Czechs and Germans remembered the visit 30 years ago of the choir of Home Moravian Church (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and pull out photographs to prove it — much to the delight of Nola’s husband Paul, who is in those pictures.

John Webb, formerly with Peace Moravian in Charlotte and now at Raleigh Moravian, was delighted in the warm welcome received from European congregations. “I was most impressed with the congregation of Zelezny Brod,” says John. “It was obvious that this church is struggling, but welcomed us with food and fellowship and made us feel at home. I also enjoyed Niesky; I must admit that I was tired, hot, and not looking forward to the concert there. However, after seeing the response of the congregation and learning their story, I was happy that we were giving a gift of music.”

Marian Shatto of Lititz Moravian in Pennsylvania summed up the trip this way.

“The dreams and plans of two years’ making came to marvelous fulfillment. For nine days we prayed and sang our way through some of the most significant spots in Moravian history.” ■ Chancy M. Kapp is a member of Raleigh Moravian Church, where she sings in the choir and joins her husband Keith and daughter Katie in the band. Chancy recently returned to the board of the Moravian Music Foundation. She and her husband are past presidents of the Foundation and frequent participants in Moravian Music Festivals. Photos by Myra Jones.

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The Moravian

CONGREGATIONS IN MISSION

While

there may be a shortage of a great many things in Ahuas, Honduras, there certainly is no shortage of smiles…the genuine kind that shine from the inside out! I never cease to be amazed that while most of the population lacks so many things that we Americans consider basic essentials (like electricity and safe water for drinking and cooking), they manage to keep smiling. I’m sure that it is in no small part due to the beautiful and sincere faith with which they are blessed, faith that God will provide even when it looks like the world will not.

My husband, Dr. Scott Booth, and I have learned a lot about smiles from our time in

Dr. Scott and Lorrigan Booth are members of Dover First Moravian in Dover, OH. To contact them, please email <lorriganb@hotmail.com> or call 330.364.3594. Photo above: Dr. Scott Booth treats a patient in Ahuas October 2010

Ahuas. We’ve learned that they can speak volumes when our poor Miskito and Spanish fail us. Unfortunately, we’ve also learned that smiles can tell a tale of hard-lived lives by their missing or painfully decayed teeth that speak of malnutrition, of a lack of toothbrushes and toothpaste and instruction (continued on next page)

Lorrigan Booth with a young dental patient

(continued from previous page) in the best way to use them and a lack of basic oral healthcare that we all take for granted here.

Our mission for the past six years has been to help share God’s love by providing dentistry and oral hygiene supplies and instruction to the people of Ahuas and its surrounding communities on our annual short term mission trip.

To our surprise and delight, the Clinica Evangelica Morava in Ahuas has a dental unit. Each year we have been able to make improvements to the facility; we are on the verge of having a relatively “state of the art” clinic where Scott and I feel comfortable bringing other Christian dentists to serve the need there. The improvements have proved to be challenging due to transportation and installation issues, but we remind ourselves of the age old adage, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

While there are “tooth pullers” in the community, the response to our presence at the clinic has been overwhelming. We have been able to devote most of our efforts to saving teeth, rather than pulling them, and there is more work to do than we could accomplish even if we saw patients 24 hours a day while we were there. Believe it or not, we have been faced with having to institute a lottery system as the only fair way to decide who will receive treatment. Each household is entered in the lottery, and those families who are chosen may send one family member to be seen. Once a family has had their turn, they may not reenter the lottery until each family has had a chance to have one of their own seen.

You see, when I mentioned shortages in 26

Ahuas, one that I left out is the shortage of dentists. Sadly, the dental unit sits quiet and empty for most of the year. The doctors who initially equipped the facility and served there for many years have retired, and we are currently the only dental team going in on a regular basis. Through the blessings of a generous and supportive community of faith in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, we have been able to purchase updated instruments, drills, an overhead light, a suction unit, autoclaves (instrument sterilizers) and other specialized equipment. The clinic is ready, now it needs staff.

I won’t say that the work is easy in Ahuas, but I will say that we have been blessed with some of the best times of our life while we have been there and have taken away experiences which will be a part of us forever.

Although our evangelizing is limited by a language barrier, we hope that we are acting as God’s hands in caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the smiles that we receive from patients relieved from pain, from young children who’ve been given toothbrushes and toothpaste, and parents who know that their children have a better chance of keeping their teeth are far better compensation than any day’s work at home could ever provide.

You can join us in our work by helping us to find more dental professionals to serve at the clinic in Ahuas. If you are a Christian dentist or hygienist, we would love to talk to you about our experiences in Ahuas in more detail. If you are a Christian dental patient and know that your dentist is also Christian, please help us in this mission and talk to him or her about the possibility of doing a short term dental mission in Ahuas and pass on our contact information. Please help us keep the smiles in Ahuas shining brightly! ■ The Moravian

CONGREGATIONS IN MISSION

ANTIOCH PROJECT FEET FIRST GATHERING

builds mission spirit and knowledge

Lititz Moravian Church in Lititz, Pennsylvania hosted a regional mission gathering that brought together representatives of the Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church as well as young adults who desire to live in relationship with God through mission. The day and a half gathering included conversation about current mission opportunities offered through the Board of World Mission/Antioch, a Moravian Lovefeast, general frivolity, the establishment of new friendships and worship with the Lititz community. Lauren van Ommeren of Lake Mills Moravian Church shared her impressions.

T his Feet First gathering took place at Lititz Moravian Church in a beautifully quaint town with plenty of Moravian history. The first evening was spent in celebration with the rock and roll sounds of the Moravian Buns, a worship/rock band led by Bishop Sam Gray.

October 2010

We opened the concert to the community and set up a booth for the Board of World Mission for anyone that may have been interested in learning more about the organization and how to help.

The next morning we gathered on the Lititz grounds to discuss the meaning of missions within the worldwide Moravian Church; the groups and organizations involved; and the means by which groups like the Board of World Mission find places who need aid and workers to come serve. This important (continued on next page) Lauren van Ommeren is a member of Lake Mills Moravian Church in Lake Mills, Wis. Photos above, left: Chelsea Mixon, voice of an angel among the boys in the band, Antioch mission concert; middle: Lauren Van Ommeren, Antioch Mission concert; right: Lovefeast on the front lawn of Lititz Moravian Church.

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(continued from previous page) meeting showed us the less glamorous side of mission — all the phone calls, the planning and the paperwork needed to make each trip run as smoothly as possible. Although this wasn’t the normal singing and dancing we as Moravians might be used to, it was a necessary meeting for those who wish to become seriously involved in the grander scheme of serving others around the world.

The result was a broader understanding of the intricacies between partnerships and cultural boundaries surrounding each mission, where we can go and what we are being called to do.

As Saturday night drew on, we prepared for our Lovefeast. After the concert the night before, we had concluded that we should bring our celebrations out of doors, not only to enjoy the beautiful summer weather but to share our joy with the community and the world at large. After singing the worship songs that Moravians everywhere seem to know and love, we broke bread and shared some particularly delicious Lovefeast buns.

(If there is any reason to be jealous of the good people of Lititz, it’s because they possess both the Wilbur Chocolate Factory and their own bakery-special Moravian Lovefeast buns. These caramelized beauties were the best Lovefeast buns I’ve ever had!)

After giving thanks, we happily chewed and enjoyed being together outside, in the middle of the beautiful community.

Following the Lovefeast we engaged in Bible study and further discussed the meaning of mission within the church. Being around this group of people, listening to their hopes and goals as well as how far they’ve come, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of commitment within myself to serve.

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It is important that we engage in fellowship, not only because it provides more opportunities, but because just being around others with similar dreams and aspirations provides us with the healing love to put aside all of our worldly distractions and remember who truly comes first in our lives: Jesus. If anyone is looking for a way to rejuvenate the soul and kickstart their service, these gatherings are just the place to do that.

In regards to service and mission, Jesus tells us, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these... you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40). Part of the discussion centered on our tendency to complicate the Church’s need of love and mission by trying to impose our own opinions. After recognizing that at times there is dissonance between our worldwide brothers and sisters, it is important to keep this broad idea in mind: Regardless of prejudices, partnerships, or who has the biggest bank account, all God is interested in is seeing that we tend to those who need it most. What better proof for why, non-essentials or not, we as Moravians believe in all things love.

If I could make one broad observation about those who come together for Feet First, it is that God calls people from all walks of life, all interests and from all backgrounds. In just our small gathering of people, we had among us an electrician, a social worker, assistants at a retirement community, a cross country coach, and a bartender. What so few people know is that you don’t have to be a bishop or a seminary student or a missionary in Nicaragua to hear God’s calling. You just have to listen for the call. Although our group was small that came together that weekend, I have rarely seen another company of people so committed to hearing their call. ■ The Moravian

IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Growing a garden ministry in Winston-Salem On a muggy evening in late June, a group of

Moravians convened a meeting outside on a grassy mound. That grassy mound, situated between the Belo House and God’s Acre in the historic area of Winston-Salem, is now a thriving garden.

I am not sure that I have ever been with such an eager group of people, so called were they to start digging. We gathered not only as a response to the Intersynodal Conference, but also because several people unbeknownst to us were already dreaming of such a garden.

It was at the Intersynodal Conference in April of 2008, when we convened at New Philadelphia Moravian Church to do some “asset mapping” of the Southern Province, that land came up more than once, as we explored what gifts God has given us.

We haven’t forgotten God’s invitation to dig into the earth and share her treasures! So that late muggy evening, we joined our sisters and brothers of the eighteenth century in Old

Lisa Mullen, director of Children & Family Ministries for the Board of Christian Education of the Moravian Church, Southern Province, leads the Salem garden ministry effort. Garden photos by her daughter, Anna.

October 2010

Salem in the process of preparing, planting and harvesting a garden.

Garden ministries are not new. Our Creator placed us in a garden of delight and called us to do no less than love God’s whole inhabited Jonathan Barnes and Ella Shepherd deliver fresh produce from the garden to Sunnyside Ministries in Winston-Salem.

Photo: Ashley Sanders

(continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) earth. Maybe that is why the garden calls to us and is such a natural “classroom.” John Amos Comenius believed that children could learn so much through the natural world and that every school should have a garden. Jesus used the natural world of vines, seeds, fig trees, lilies, and birds, to help his listeners hear and see, taste and touch his good news of God’s reign.

While we have yet to name this garden, we have a sense of God’s mission before us. We hope to: • Promote and teach sustainable gardening practices and stewardship of God’s gifts.

• Provide opportunities for fellowship, friendship and stewardship among the

congregations of the Moravian churches and Salem Academy and College.

• Encourage interaction between generations where knowledge can be shared from one generation to another.

• Provide fresh produce grown without pesticides to Sunnyside and any other ministries in need.

• Design resources for children, youth and their families so that we might learn the lessons the garden teaches us and follow the faith practices of Sabbath rest, gleaning, simplicity, generosity and hospitality.

This ministry has received the blessing of the Salem Congregation Elders and Trustees.

Of course, participation of our church members of all ages is vital to our fruitful success. Anyone is invited to share in the labor and love of fellow gardeners, as we join in the garden every Tuesday evening between 6:00 p.m. and dusk. We’ve already had some teens and children who have helped out and were very happy to share of their labors. We have some wonderful plans for the fall and look forward to learning more about the joy of generosity. By the way, the pumpkins are coming in! ■

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The Moravian

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 10, 2010 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, Central America, Eastern West Indies, Honduras, Labrador, Nicaragua, and Western Tanzania. Remember the BWM ministries, including the Antioch Project, Likewise Ministries, MDR, Schools of Music and Worship in Costa Rica and Nepal, and the Bethlehem Moravian Mission Community. Pray for our retired missionaries as they continue serving in ministry.

NORTHERN PROVINCE Prayer Day for Peace with Justice and Freedom, October 17, 2010 The third Sunday in October is designated as a Day of Prayer for Peace with Justice and Freedom.

Ordination Brother Reid Lauderman was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church on August 29, 2010 at Lititz Moravian Church, Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bishop C. Hopeton Clennon officiated at the ordination service. (continued on next page)

For specific information for your prayers about these and other new and continuing ministries, please see the BWM web site, www.moravianmission.org.

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 are available by contacting Siobhan Young at the Communication Office.

October 2010

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(continued from previous page)

SOUTHERN PROVINCE

Durbin and Leonard, North Dakota Brother Reid Lauderman, a recent graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary, has accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Bethel Moravian Church, Leonard, North Dakota and Goshen Moravian Church, Durbin, North Dakota. Br. Lauderman began his work September 1, 2010.

Leave of absence Sister E. Christine “Christy” Clore requested and was granted a one-year leave of absence from pastoral ministry effective October 18, 2010. Sister Clore has served as Associate Pastor for Youth at Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. since 2008.

Leave of absence Sister Wanda Weidman, who has been serving as pastor of Covenant Moravian Church, York, Pennsylvania, requested and was granted a one-year leave of absence effective September 1, 2010.

Retirement Brother Gary M. Straughan, who has been serving as pastor of East Side Moravian Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin, requested and was granted permission to retire from the active call of the Moravian Church effective January 1, 2011.

Brother Straughan was ordained a deacon of the Moravian Church June 12, 1966 and served the church in pastorates in Wisconsin (Appleton-Freedom, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Rapids, Rudolph, Green Bay-East Side), California (Downey), Indiana (Hope) and Pennsylvania (Lititz). He also served as a member of the Western District Executive Board, President of the Pacific Southwest Moravian Board, and President of the Eastern District Executive Board.

The church is grateful for his 45 years of faithful service.

Elizabeth D. Miller Provincial Elders’ Conference 32

Retirement Sister Patricia “Patty” F. Garner has requested and been given permission to retire from active ministry of the Moravian Church effective September 28, 2010. Sister Garner was ordained a deacon on September 13, 1998 at Home Moravian Church and consecrated a presbyter on September 26, 2004 at Home Moravian Church. She graduated from Moravian Theological Seminary in May 1998 and served as Associate Pastor and then as Pastor at Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Provincial Elders’ Conference appointed her for Spiritual Formation Work in 2003-2004 and she also served as Interim Pastor for Spiritual Discernment at Good Shepherd Moravian in Kernersville, N.C. in 2004-2005 until she accepted a call to become Pastor of Fries Memorial Moravian Church in WinstonSalem, N.C. in 2005 where she served until her retirement. We express deep appreciation to Patty and Hal for their faithful and dedicated service to the Moravian Church and wish them many blessings in retirement.

D. Wayne Burkette, Provincial Elders’ Conference The Moravian

Peace

(continued from page 8) enemy hope, and hope is precisely what the Gospel provides.

During a later workshop, the Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, founding co-director of Faith Voices for the Common Good, pointed out that U.S. soldiers are carefully instructed in Just War Theory as part of their military training. But they face severe penalties if they apply what they have been taught to analyze a current conflict, conclude that it does not comply with just war requirements, and then refuse deployment on that basis. There is no provision in current U.S. law for selective conscientious objection. The result is imposition of substantial moral injury on precisely those soldiers who take their training most seriously.

Dr. Brock and David Miller, associate professor at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, reported on the work of the Truth Commission on Conscience in War, which held hearings at Riverside Church, New York City, in March 2010. James Lavoy, a recent Moravian College graduate, was one of the Commissioners. Two groups testified during the hearings â&#x20AC;&#x201D; soldiers who related their personal experiences of war and leaders from the fields of medicine, religion, and psychology who served as expert witnesses.

As a result of the work of the Commission, the Veterans Administration is now writing protocols to deal with moral injury experienced by U.S. soldiers. Brock and Miller noted that the ongoing work of the Truth Commission is to restore relationships and to create a better society.

Another powerful speaker was Linda Gehman Peachey from the Mennonite Central October 2010

Committee. Speaking on violence against women, she identified four specific areas where peace theology may contribute to abuse of women and children: (1) Emphasis on suffering and the cross can imply that suffering is required for salvation. (2) The understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation can be used to avoid accountability and stop the process of healing.

Repentance must be a part of reconciliation, and the perpetrator must understand that harm was done. (3) The myth of entitlement asserts that some people have the right, and even the duty, to control others. This is the dynamic of empire, not of the gospel. It is also the rationale used to justify destruction of the earth. (4) The understanding of the power of God in terms of control and domination makes God too much like Caesar.

Peachey urged conference attendees to pay close attention to those who have been hurt by individual and systemic violence, and to engage in regular self-evaluation to assure that our peacemaking efforts are not inadvertently harming others.

This is just a sample of what proved to be an extremely rich experience. Peacemaking is an on-going challenge in a world wracked with violence, but it is our calling and our joy. â&#x2013;

14K Gold Moravian Medallion 13/8 inches in diameter $495.00 ppd* Sterling Silver $125.00 Designed and handcrafted by

SHIRLEY T. MARRIOTT 425 Fairfax Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27104 ph: 336.794.3447 email: SMARRIOTT@triad.rr.com A percentage of proceeds will be donated to Sunnyside Ministries *(Price subject to Gold Market)

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We wanted to

“GO SUNDAY” (continued from page 20) One of the men at the nursing home wasn’t interested in talking. He “had to get to lunch.” But when a church member noticed a photo of a young man in uniform and asked if it was the resident, suddenly he had lots of time. “Sit down,” he said. And he shared lots of stories of his time in the military.

As the team doing children’s ministry was packing up, a little girl came to them and said forlornly, “Will you guys please come back again?” It melted their hearts.

The senior citizens whose yard got “mulched” were so grateful they went to the church and joined the group for pizza. It

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worship by being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.

would have taken them weeks to do the work the volunteers did in less than an hour.

While we believe our first priority is worship, and we wouldn’t want to do this every week, we believe there were lots of positives about “Go Sunday.” The people who were served were helped, and those who did the serving were also blessed. We saw it as worshiping with our hands and feet instead of with our voices and minds. We hope God was pleased. ■

The Moravian

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