Worship Service Brings A Year of Celebration To An End

“Be of the same mind one with the other.” With this text to serve as their watchword for the day, a group of Moravian brethren arrived in the land the church had purchased in North Carolina. The date was November 17, 1753. Two-hundred and fifty years later the work that began on that day continues. The Southern Province recently concluded a year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Moravians arrival in North Carolina. On November 16, 2003, Moravians from all over gathered to offer worship and praise to God for the 250 years of doing his work in the southern United States.

A year that began with a day of celebration in the form of a birthday party at Bethabara concluded with a day of worship a few miles away at Wait Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University, North Carolina. Events over the past year marking the anniversary included: a series of hymn-writing workshops; commissioning of compositions for choir, children’s choir, handbells, band, and organ; publication of a comprehensive history of the province With Courage for the Future written by C. Daniel Crews and Richard W. Starbuck; a Commemorative Concert Series; and weekly historical sketches of all the churches in the province. The entire year of celebration came to a spectacular conclusion at the November 16 worship service.

Worship began outside of Wait Chapel with a band prelude. The Moravian Church Band, under the direction of N. Denny Fordham, Jr. and made up of musicians from many Moravian congregations, filled the autumn air with familiar chorales. They set the stage for worship by helping the gathering congregation to remember the constant presence of our Lord and Savior, the one who was and is and is to come. As the band prelude concluded outside, the organ prelude began inside. Organist Raymond Ebert, Jr. offered a musical piece commissioned for the 250th Anniversary. A Moravian Celebration:

I. Introduction, Toccata and Fugue on Moravian Hymn Tunes II. Nine Variations on “Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice” was written by Wade Peeples and received its first public performance at the service. The congregation soon joined in the service by praying together responsive prayers adapted for the anniversary of the province from the Moravian Book of Worship. The prayers were led by the Rev. Dr. Robert E. Sawyer, the president of the Southern Province Provincial Elders’ Conference.

Following the prayers, the service continued with more new music. A large Children’s Choir, directed by Laura Jane Kist, offered another piece written especially for the 250th anniversary celebration. The anthem, Ode to Jesus, was written by Beth Mochnick. It was commissioned for the anniversary of the province in honor of Clemmons Moravian Church. The worldwide Moravian Church was represented by the Rev. Angetile Y. Musomba, Chair of the Unity Board. The Rev. Musomba brought greetings to the province on behalf of Moravians throughout the world. A special offering, designated for AIDS relief in Tanzania, was collected. The offertory anthem was a piece originally written for the 50th Anniversary of the Southern Province in 1753. A new edition of Simon Peter’s original was prepared by Nola Reed Knouse, and a new translation of the German text was made by C. Daniel Crews and Nola Reed Knouse. The choir was made up of members of a number of Southern Province congregations. They were conducted by Drake Flynt.

The choir, accompanied by organ and orchestra, then presented another new composition. Live in Harmony, One With Another was commissioned in honor of Home Moravian Church. It was written by Brian Henkelmann and received its first performance at the 250th Anniversary Celebration. The message for the day was brought by the Rev. Dr. C. Daniel Crews, archivist for the Southern Province. Using 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 as his scriptural basis, the Rev. Dr. Crews preached a sermon entitled “What It Was, Was Jesus.” Using that paraphrase from Andy Griffith, the Rev. Dr. Crews reminded the congregation that it was their confession of faith in Christ, and him crucified, that first led the Moravians into North Carolina. It was that same confession that sustained the province throughout the past 250 years of growth, change, and challenge. And it is the same confession that will see the Southern Province into the future. What it was, is, and will continue to be, is Jesus.

The worship service was then brought to a memorable conclusion with the singing of a new hymn. Two Hundred Fifty Years Ago was written to be sung to the Worship tune (159 A), which was the same tune the Single Brethren used to sing their first song in their new home. Following the benediction, the final movement of Wade Peeples’ Moravian Celebration III. Chorale Medley in the Form of a Rondo on Moravian Hymn Tunes was offered as the postlude to the service.

Words can not adequately convey the true beauty and meaning of this wonderful service of worship celebrating the anniversary of the Southern Province. There is nothing quite like a large group of Moravians getting together to worship, sing, and pray. Jonsie Poindexter, a member of the choir, described the feeling of the service, “It’s just like old-home week.” The Southern Province has been the home of the Moravian Church for 250 years. In faith we followed his leading to this place, in faith we have served and learned and grown, and in faith we look to the future relying on our Savior to lead us and guide us.

Two hundred fifty years ago
you brought us to this place
and still we seek to learn and grow
to manifest your grace.
With wider vision may we give
ourselves to others while we live;
O may we all with one accord
still follow you, dear Lord.

Dear Christ, in faith we heard your call
in this and ev’ry land
the Gospel to proclaim to all,
upheld by your strong hand.
At times our steps have not been sure,
but by your grace we shall endure
to sing our God’s redeeming will,
and faith with deeds fulfill.

O Lord, in love you came to earth
to rise, but first to die;
yet in your death we find our birth,
all lives to sanctify.
When all your saving works we view
our hearts are filled with love for you,
and love for one another grows
as your love overflows.

And so, good Savior, now we pray:
grant us your spirit’s pow’r
as in the past, so in our day
and ev’ry future hour:
with hope may our lives testify
that you all needful gifts supply
to serve the world and unify
your church for life on high.