Note: This initial guide was established for the 2019 Moravian Day of Service. For ideas for 2023, which take into account COVID-19 cautions or limitations, visit Day of Service Ideas for Your Congregation in 2023.
The 2018 Synods of both the Northern and Southern Provinces passed resolutions to establish a Moravian Day of Service inviting all North American congregations to join together in Christian service while celebrating our compassionate engagement in the communities in which we live.
September 17, 2023, has been established as the day of celebration to be held in your morning worship service and all congregations are invited to plan service activities on that weekend (or anytime that best fits your schedule). Just get out there at SERVE in Jesus’ name! Here are some suggestions that your congregation can do no matter where you are located.
- Free Car Wash for your community
- Free Hot Dog Night (be sure to offer veggie hot dogs as well)
- Parent’s Night Out (offer free babysitting and activities so that parents in your community can have a night to run errands, care for other loved ones, or enjoy a night out)
- Host a “Guide to Email and the Internet Night” (allow those in your congregation with computer skills to teach community residents how to set up an email account and useful ways to use the Internet. Then provide hours when folks can come and use a computer at the church if they do not have one.)
- Provide Free Backpacks and School supplies to community families at the beginning of the school year.
- During a morning worship service have each person in attendance write a “get well” or “thinking of you” card to sick or shut-in members. Children could be invited to color Biblical characters that could be included with the cards. Take up a children’s chat offering to help pay the postage to mail the cards.
Moravian Ministry Opportunities
Here are just a few Moravian ministries from around the Northern and Southern Provinces that would welcome your congregation to come and serve as part of this day of service. Some locations are offering a specific date for service; others are open to choosing a date and project that would best suit your group. We realize that there are many congregations that are not located near any of these sites, but we would invite you to find a social service ministry, park, or a way that you can offer something needful to your community.
Estamos Unidos Moravian Ministry
Estamos Unidos Moravian Ministry is a community called to serve the Hispanic immigrant community of Winston-Salem, NC through living testimony of our Christian faith by providing education to first-generation Hispanics and their descendants.
Estamos Unidos Ministry would like to invite you to experience God in a different way, through meeting and creating relationships with our Hispanic immigrant siblings. We offer a variety of programs, for adults, teenagers, and children. The only requirement is to have the desire to serve and share God’s love with others. We would like to build a supportive community that reaches beyond the barriers of language and culture, allowing us to discover God at work in the world around us. 1 John 1:5
Contact: The Rev. Angelica Regalado Cieza
Location: 319 Haled Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 336.770.9708
Hope Conference and Renewal Center
Hope Conference and Renewal Center is the Christian outdoor ministry of the Eastern District of the Moravian Church, providing programs & facilities for adults, children & families for opportunities for community & spiritual growth.
Camp Hope is open to having groups come and help complete a variety of projects such as building maintenance and cleaning, trail clearing, and landscaping. If your group has a particular skill set, they can find a project for you.
Materials to bring will depend on the designated project. Clothing will also depend on what they do, but generally, it should be “work clothes.”
Dates are negotiable to a time convenient for both the camp and the group.
Contact: Suzanne Curtis
Location: 15 Ridgeway Ave, Hope, NJ 07844
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 908.459.4435
Moravian Open Door
Moravian Open Door is a not-for-profit organization committed to providing transitional housing and supportive services to the homeless, distressed and underserved population of New York City. It is owned by the Moravian Church Northern Province.
Moravian Open Door (MOD) invites groups to contact the Ministry in New York City and schedule a day to come and help with either building maintenance or interactions with their residents such as supplying a meal.
Dates are flexible at the convenience of the group and scheduling at MOD.
The project chosen will determine what type of clothing volunteers should wear. At all times we encourage casual, comfortable clothing (jeans, tees, shorts, sneakers, tennis shoes etc.) that is weather appropriate. Those volunteering for projects like painting and cleaning should wear old clothing that can be thrown out if soiled or splattered with paint.
Contact: Susan Mendoza or Micael Ralling
Location: 347 E 18th St, New York, NY 10003
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Phone: 212.995.5810
Tricklebee Café
The Tricklebee Café is a pay-what-you-can community café that offers healthy meals, food-service training, & spiritual nourishment in an underserved neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI.
They are inviting individuals and groups to volunteer on Saturday, September 18, between 9 am-3 pm to help with food prep, serving, cafe clean-up, neighborhood clean-up, window-washing, & gardening.
Please contact Tricklebee if you have any questions or if you want to sign up to serve.
Please dress appropriately for the tasks that you will be assisting with such as comfortable and clean clothes with closed-toed shoes and a hat/bandana for food serving, and work clothes for doing the clean-up and gardening jobs.
Contact: Rev. Christie Melby-Gibbons
Location: 4424 W. North Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53208
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 414-488-2477
Sunnyside Ministry
The Mission of Sunnyside Ministry is to follow Christ by providing hope through service, education, and empowerment to those in need within our community. Following Christ by Empowering Others.
Here are areas where you can sign up to volunteer any time of year:
- Food Pantry: Assist Clients by bagging food orders and help clients in getting them to their cars. Receive and sort food donations.
- Clothing Center: Sort and size clothing Help clients choose clothing suitable for their needs.
- Interviewer: Talk with clients and assess their needs; make referrals and advise clients where to get additional help.
- Receptionist: Greet clients as they arrive at Sunnyside Ministry for assistance.
- Data Entry: Enter client and donor information into the computer database.
- Spanish Interpreter: Translate for clients during interviews and help them in receiving the proper assistance.
Location:319 Haled Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Contact: David Holston or Mary Beth Marquard at 336-724-7558 x 103 (Dave) and 105 (Mary Beth) to let them know that you are interested in serving here.
Email: [email protected]
Mount Morris Camp and Conference Center
Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center, hosts summer camps, church groups, retreats, meetings, conferences, and weddings. They are committed to providing a rich and beautiful setting that inspires and supports creativity and discovery. It is a ministry of the Western District of the Northern Province.
Mt. Morris invites groups to contact them at any time to schedule a day of service that is convenient for them and the Camp.
The task list is always changing, but it would almost certainly include things like clearing trails, raking/restoring flower beds, pulling weeds, raking, cutting wood, and things like that.
The tool list can be discussed when they set up the date to come. For the most part, they will have what each group would need.
Contact: Sunshine Vissers
Location: W6016 Blackhawk Rd, Wautoma, WI 54982
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 920.787.2861
Laurel Ridge Camp, Conference and Retreat Center
Come and Visit!
To celebrate the Moravian Day of Service, Laurel Ridge is opening the doors to anyone who wants to enjoy the day on the mountain! We will make every effort to accommodate your group’s event on or around the 19th of September. There will be plenty of opportunities to stay busy and this day of service will be no exception.
Call our front office to schedule a visit with your group!
The fall months on the mountain are still full of life and excitement, but we often lack the staff that comes during the summer camp season. Volunteering in September will help us prepare for the winter months while allowing us to keep Laurel Ridge in tip-top shape for our guests.
Location: 124 Pendry Drive, Laurel Springs, NC 28644
Contact: Call 336.359-2951
