Moravians and Lutherans Gather to Celebrate Their Partnership and to Focus on the Future
Winston-Salem, North Carolina – The Moravian Church in North America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) celebrated ten years of partnership on January 27, 2010. The day began with a meeting of ELCA and Moravian leaders gathering to discuss the partnership they’ve enjoyed for the last ten years. The agenda was simple, to come together as a body of believers to work together, hand-in-hand, to make a greater impact with ministry both individually and shared.
After opening reflections, the Lutheran-Moravian Coordinating Committee reported on the hurdles they’ve faced in creating the partnership and the work they’ve achieved to this point. In attendance in addition to various guests were the Reverend Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Reverend David L. Wickmann and the Right Reverend D. Wayne Burkette, Presidents of the Moravian Church in America, Northern and Southern Province, respectively. For a good part of the morning the group as a whole shared at the table perceptions of the partnership, what the partnership really means, the changing face of religion in today’s faith landscape, and what hopes and dreams both Moravians and Lutherans have for the partnership in the coming years. All of the ideas shared during the meeting were going to be taken to the Lutheran-Moravian Coordinating Committee on Thursday, January 28th, to create a three-year strategic plan setting goals and objectives.
The Rev. Peg Chemberlin, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Churches and current President of the National Council of Churches was on hand to encourage discussions on the topic of ecumenism and how denominations can come together to work for the greater good. Recently installed as President of the NCC, the Reverend Chemberlin is also an ordained Moravian minister and has worked in the field of ecumenism throughout her years of service.
In the evening a celebratory program and worship event was held at the Augsburg Lutheran Church, 845 West 5th Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Using the theme, “Following Our Shepherd – Jesus Still Lead On,” at 5:30 pm the community was invited to share in a program that spoke to the progress made in the last ten years of partnership by hearing from living voices of the initiatives that have been taking place. At 7:30 pm a worship service was held with a band prelude by the Moravian Band. The worship lifted up both Lutheran and Moravian elements, including singing by the Moramus Chorale led by Jayson L. Snipes and Organ Music played by Dr. Donald L. Armitage of Augsburg Lutheran Church. After a sermon by the Right Reverend D. Wayne Burkette, President of the Southern Province, Moravian Church, entitled, “The Space Between Us,” the congregants partook in the sacrament of communion under the leadership of the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA.
Dr. Michael R. Trice, Director of Ecumenical Formation and Inter-Religious Relations (ELCA) leads the morning gathering of Moravian and ELCA leaders.
This evening of celebration was held to honor the ministry that has occurred in the last decade and explore where God is leading Lutherans and Moravians together in the years ahead. Approximately a decade ago, following the affirmative vote in 1998 of both the Southern and Northern Provinces of the Moravian Church (the two governing bodies of the Moravian Church in North America), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also voted in 1999 to approve the full communion proposal between the two church bodies. On January 27, 2000 the first worship service of full communion was held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
This partnership is reflective of denominations around the world seeking deeper relationships with one another. Full Communion promotes visible Christian unity in ecumenical work around the world. Denominations reach consensus while also respecting important differences. In this way, Lutherans and Moravians have developed a relationship based on a common confessing of the Christian faith and a mutual recognition of baptism and sharing of the Lord’s Supper. The ELCA and Moravian pursue joint-worship together, listen to one another in decision-making, are able to exchange clergy, and are committed to evangelism, witness, and service in local communities and in the world.
