Welcome to the first edition of the Moravian Magazine for 2022. As we begin a new year – our 53rd as the combined Moravian Magazine and my 11th as its editor – I am hopeful for an eventful and energetic 2022.
As a Christmas gift this year, my terrific staff – Sue Kiefner and Jill Bruckart – surprised me with a remarkable tribute. They created a 3’ x 4’ poster that featured an enlargement of my first Ponderings, written in the summer of 2010, along with images of all the issues of the magazine I have edited so far. As I look back at all those covers, I see a colorful, vibrant, living church – and am re-energized to keep the Moravian Magazine colorful, vibrant and living, too.
There are so many different ways we tell the story of the church today, be it through social media, on the Internet, and via day-to-day communications from our congregations. But the Moravian remains the one piece that the IBOC creates that goes to every Moravian member household in the Northern and Southern Provinces—a responsibility I take very seriously.
I see so much worthy of coverage in our Moravian community – a case of “so many stories, so little space.” Editing each issue of the magazine feels like a new experience for me. Despite my best planning efforts, I sometimes struggle to get everything together and ready for print. The challenges of the past two years have made it difficult to stay focused on the publication. But I also recognize what a valuable tool the magazine can be to tell the Moravian story. In 2022, I’ll be redoubling my efforts to keep the publication relevant, informative and resourceful.
In my initial ponderings, I shared, “…I will be looking to Moravians everywhere to help me tell the story of our modern-day church. Your voices bring to life what it is to be Moravian. My job is to help everyone within our North American church hear those stories and connect them with their own…” While much has changed since then, that sentiment remains the same. I look to you, our church members, to share your happenings, ideas, insights and words about what it means to be part of today’s Moravian Church.
I ended that first Ponderings with, “I look forward to continuing the tradition established by my predecessors as we look to the future.” That was my charge then, and it continues to this day.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the Moravian. As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions, questions and ideas.
Peace,
Mike Riess
Editor
