The Cup Of Covenant

The cup of covenant is a liturgical celebration during which the entire congregation or a specific group within the church renews its unity and commitment to the service of Christ.

In the Moravian liturgical tradition, the Cup of Covenant is not to be confused with Holy Communion, although terminology and form remind us of Communion. Whereas the cup that is shared during the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is based on the cup that Jesus took after the meal, the Cup of Covenant goes back to the cup that was shared by Jesus and the disciples at the beginning of the Passover meal (Luke 22:17). The Cup of Covenant is not a sacrament, such as Baptism and Holy Communion, but a sign of the renewed commitment to service of those who partake in it.

The celebration of the Cup of Covenant is a tradition that goes back to the early years of the Renewed Moravian Church in Herrnhut, Germany. On August 17, 1733, a lovefeast was held in Herrnhut before the departure of a group of missionaries to St. Croix. Following the lovefeast they continued to Zinzendorf’s room where the Cup of Covenant was celebrated.

The decree of the 1775 General Synod states the following: “The intention [of the Cup of Covenant] is to praise God for particular displays of mercy as well as to unite together in new faithfulness in serving Jesus and adhering to the principals of the church. This intention is to be explained clearly to the group that shares this cup of covenant.”

The Cup of Covenant was not celebrated very frequently. Traditionally, the “workers of the church” (such as the ministers, the local helpers, and the teachers) would join in the Cup of Covenant once a year. Today the Cup is sometimes celebrated with individual boards or at youth conferences, but it is mostly the ordained clergy that gather for the Cup of Covenant. It is customary to do this on or around September 16th, the festival for the servants of the church.

September 16, 1741, was the day the Headship of Christ in the Moravian Church was experienced during a Synod that was being held in London. While determining matters regarding the leadership of the church during the period Zinzendorf was going to be absent on a journey to America, a decision also had to be taken regarding the office of the Chief Elder. Leonhard Dober, who had held this position since 1735, was ready to give it up. The Moravian leaders gathering in London decided to “entrust the Lamb” with this office. On November 13th of that year, Christ was proclaimed Chief Elder of the Moravian Church in every congregation. The experience of Christ’s Headship is celebrated by the Moravian Church every year around November 13. The day the decision was originally taken, on September 16th, has become the festival day of the servants of the church on which they celebrate the Cup of Covenant.

The Cup of Covenant is a simple gathering; usually an explanation of the event is given and a cup of wine or grape juice is passed around, during the singing of hymns. Traditionally, in order to avoid confusion with Holy Communion, white wine was used. The Book of Order of the Southern Province calls it “a specially good opportunity for them mutually to strengthen the consciousness of their opportunity for the leading of the Divine Chief Shepherd and Elder, Jesus Christ, and therewith of their high and holy calling and of their common debt of service” (paragraph 1364).

Paul Peucker serves as the Archivist of the Northern Province Moravian Archives located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. More information about the Moravian Archives can be found at www.moravian churcharchives.org (Northern Province) and www.moravianarchives.org (Southern Province).