The 550th Anniversary of the Worldwide Moravian Church

March 1, 2007 - The 550th Anniversary of the Worldwide Moravian Church

March 1, 1457 was the beginning of the Unity of the Brethren in Bohemia - The Moravian Church, or Unitas Fratrum (Unity of Brethren), as it has been officially known since 1457, arose as followers of Hus gathered in the village of Kunvald, about 100 miles east of Prague, in eastern Bohemia, and organized the church. This was 60 years before Martin Luther began his reformation and 100 years before the establishment of the Anglican Church.

As we celebrate this monumental occasion within our Moravian Churches and to the community at large in areas where Moravian congregations exist, the Interprovincial Board of Communication has collected resources for use by congregations and at special anniversary events. We are hopeful the logos, liturgies, lovefeast services, bulletin inserts, and articles will help agencies, congregations, and groups in facilitating their own individual celebrations. It is important to note that at the 500th anniversary of the church, 50 years ago, many individual congregations grew in membership because of their emphasis on celebrating who the Moravian Church is and in turn speaking to the community more freely about how their relationship with Jesus Christ and the life of the church and its members affected their lives.

Please note some of the resources require copyright permission and/or responsibilities. If an author or credit is given to a piece, please make sure that information is used in any reprinted materials.

If you should have questions or concerns about copyright/permissions, contact the office of the Interprovincial Board of Communication at 800.732.0591.

Resources

Articles: The Birth of the Moravian Church 550 Years Ago [PDF]
Bulletin Inserts: The Founding of the Unity bulletin insert [PDF]; Jan Amos Comenius Bulletin Insert [PDF]; John Hus bulletin insert [PDF]; Renewal of the Unity Bulletin Insert [PDF]
Images: 550th Seal [ Hi-Res JPEG]; 550th Seal (alternate version) [ Hi-Res JPEG]; 550th Seal (Color version) [ Hi-Res TIFF]
Links: Commemorative Items and other publications in honor of the 550th; Moravian Music Sunday, May 6, 2007 Honoring the 550th Anniversary
Services: 550th Anniversary Liturgy [Word]; 550th Short Liturgy [Word]; Communion Service in Celebration of John Hus [Word]; From Generation to Generation - Liturgy [Word]