MORAVIAN LEADERSHIP FROM THE NORTHERN & SOUTHERN PROVINCES
MEET TO CHART THE FUTURE

The Moravian Church in North America, which is broken into governing provinces of the Northern Province and the Southern Province, will be meeting jointly on July 28-29, 2006 at Home Moravian Church, located in Old Salem, the historic district of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Attending are the governing leaders of the Northern and Southern Provinces, called the Provincial Elders’ Conferences, under the leadership of the Rev. David L. Wickmann, President, Northern Province, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. D. Wayne Burkette of the Southern Province, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

These leaders, recently elected at the synods (business meetings) of the Moravian Church which are held every four years, will be reviewing the agendas of both Provinces to see how they impact each other and how they can work together to chart the path of a successful future for the Moravian Denomination. Topics of exploration will be structuring consistent policies for ministry and clergy, the curriculum at Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which provides the courses of study for individuals interested in ordination within the Moravian Church, planning and scheduling a combined Clergy and./or Laity retreat between the Provinces, the planning of additional Interprovincial events including the Moravian Music Festival, and hearing reports of progress and future direction of Interprovincial agencies.

This meeting is held annually and serves as a way to communicate what is happening in the Provinces individually as well as finding ways to partner successful endeavors that will benefit the Moravian Church in North America.

Other members of the Provincial Elders’ Conferences who will be in attendance represent areas of the Moravian Church in North America. From the Southern Province: Donna Hurt, Mt. Airy, North Carolina; the Rev. Lane Sapp and the Rev. Richard Sides, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Kathy Sparks, Advance, North Carolina. From the Northern Province: the Rev. James Hicks, Green Bay, Wisconsin; the Rev. Gary Straughan, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; the Rev. Stephen Gohdes, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; JoEllen LaPrade, Northfield, Minnesota; William Kiessling, Jr., Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and Jill Westbrook, New Philadelphia, Ohio.

The Moravian Church is celebrating the 550th anniversary of their founding in 2007. One of the oldest Protestant denominations, the Moravian Church dates back to 1457 in Europe. Moravians first came to America in 1735. Best known for their missionary work and its music, Moravians also have a strong tradition of ecumenical work. The Moravian Church in America is comprised of the Northern Province and the Southern Province. The Northern Province includes about 28,000 members in 102 congregations, which are located in 13 states in the U.S. and two Canadian provinces. The Southern Province includes nearly 20,000 members in 58 congregations, which are located in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. The worldwide Moravian Church consists of 19 provinces with nearly 789,000 members, half of whom live in Africa.