Living Faith provides a model of intentional congregational care, spiritual growth, and faithful service that draws on our past heritage while pointing us to a future built on faith, love, and hope. Now we offer it for small group use as we explore ways of staying together while we are physically apart.
Living Faith was conceived in 2016 as a different approach to the life of a congregation, focusing primarily on spiritual growth and development as a critical component of church life. Its premise is that this growth happens principally in the context of 4 to 5 persons gathering frequently to share with each other their spiritual journeys. Neither public worship nor private devotions–both of which are also critical–is sufficient without these small groups of individuals dedicated to walking alongside one another.
There are times when various factors make these small group gatherings difficult or impossible. This is one of those times. This dramatic shift in cultural norms throughout the world has caused a re-examination of how we interact with each other. For the Church, it has become necessary to re-think how we maintain fellowship and function as living communities. Many in the Church, as well as in the larger society, feel that things likely will not return to the “pre-COVID” status quo once the current crisis is behind us.
Much of the work done to invigorate and inspire the early Moravians (particularly those in Herrnhut) relied on strong spiritual care and leadership, both of which continue to shape congregational life today. The practice of the prayer bands provides a particularly relevant example, one on which the Living Faith experience is based.
Interested in starting a Living Faith small group in your faith community? Simply take advantages of the resources here. If you’d like to participate in a Living Faith group, let us know and we’ll connect you with other Moravians interested in this experience.
Living Faith Resources
- Participants Workbook (PDF) | Printed copies are available for $5/each through the Commission on Congregational Development. Send an email for more information and to purchase.
- Living Faith Small Group Ministry (Series of articles by Rev. Tim Byerly)
- Key Components of Living Faith (PDF)
- Learning from our Past: Ideas for a 21st Century Choir System – The Hinge, Spring 2012 by Lanie Graf Yaswinski (Online Magazine)
