Congregational Spotlight
Trinity Moravian Church
New Carrollton, Maryland
Caring Committee
Congregational care at Trinity does not begin and end when a member enters and exits the pews. Care extends far beyond our church walls and into daily life. One example of how we minister in the community is through our Caring Committee. The main goal of the Caring Committee is to follow Jesus Christ’s teachings promoting service to our neighbors.
The Caring Committee has been an ongoing lay ministry at Trinity for over 20 years. Initially, the committee consisted of women who expressed willingness to serve not only members of Trinity, but also people in the local community. Later, a male member joined the group. The Caring Committee is responsible for those who are members of the congregation, friends of the congregation, and neighbors who are not able to be with us during worship services or who need our special care and concern and committee members engage themselves in numerous activities, including weekly member wellness check-ins, making phone calls, or sending text messages, greeting cards, and when safe to do so, home or hospital visits are made to those enduring grave, stressful situations. Intercessory prayer is another aspect of how our care “givers” work. The Caring Committee also celebrates newborns, recognizes graduates, makes care packages for college students, provides transportation for medical appointments, and coordinates “Card Showers” where the congregation can join in on writing messages of encouragement in greeting cards to send out to those in need.
Whether by mail, email, text, phone, personal visitation or prayer, the Caring Committee also endeavors to keep those missing from the pews “connected” with what is happening at Trinity Moravian Church.
Thanks to Bonnie Robertson (Penn-Mar region rep. of the EDEB) for providing this article. A special thank you to Sister Beverly Malcom from Trinity Moravian Church, New Carrollton, MD for sharing information on this ministry for this article!
Board Member Spotlight
Bonnie Robertson
Lay Representative to the EDEB for the Penn-Mar-DC region
Bonnie is a member of Trinity Moravian Church in New Carrollton, MD. Her parents Donald and Emilie Robertson were charter members, and she was the first child baptized at Trinity. Over the years, Bonnie has served as a Youth Leader, Elder, Trustee, Synod Delegate, Head Sacristan, a member of the choir and band, and more recently, has served as a weekly volunteer at Camp Hope. She loves to travel and feels blessed to have a job that allows her to travel to Alaska multiple times during the year, as well as to many remote areas of the country that usually are not tourist destinations. Her love of travel also involves cruising, and she enjoys the opportunity to board a cruise ship and “unplug” whenever she can. When she’s not traveling, Bonnie enjoys relaxing at home and watching her favorite British comedies.
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!
The Board of World Mission’s Blessings Flow Project has provided clean water to over 400 families in the La Moskitia region of Honduras this year through the distribution of household water filters. Through a partnership with local leaders and an organization called One Atta Time, we have blessed every family in the villages of Tumtum Tara and Warunta, with plans to serve three additional communities in the first stage of the project.
As we approach the end of the year, now is the best time to let the Blessings Flow! Our partners at One Atta Time are graciously extending the price of $50 per filter to our Moravian donors through the end of the year, despite having increased their general rate to $100 this summer. This means that by giving before December 31st, the impact of your donation will be doubled!
Your $50 donation covers the cost of purchasing the filter, shipping costs to get it in country, the purchase of the bucket, visits by BWM and One Atta Time staff to do health assessments, filter distribution, training on how to use and maintain the filter, and a follow-up visit to measure impact and ensure continued proper usage. That’s a lot of value to give EVERY family in these communities a decade or more of clean water to limit days of work and school lost to the effects of water-borne illnesses!
Those in the US can send checks to: Board of World Mission, 1021 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Canadians can send checks to: Moravian Church in Canada, 600 Acadia Drive SE, Calgary, AB T2J 0B8. Interac e-Transfer donations may be sent to [email protected]. Please indicate that your donation is for “Blessings Flow.” 
Learn more at www.MoravianMission.org/BlessingsFlow.
MMFA
Looking ahead and preparing for the future can be a daunting task. With the uncertainty of what tomorrow might hold, taking the first step in planning might be nerve-wracking. MMFA is here to help!
Moravian Ministries Foundation in America is a valuable partner and a free resource for Moravians seeking to contribute to the church in a tax-efficient and effective manner. Our online “Legacy Planning” tool allows you to draft your will, healthcare directives, and powers of attorney, all at no cost! This wonderful resource enables anyone to initiate their preparations for the future while simultaneously ensuring continued support for Moravian ministries for years to come.
We understand that this might be a confusing and time-consuming process, so we are here to help walk you through each step.
Beyond our “Legacy Planning” tool, MMFA offers additional support to help you:
- Establish gifts to provide an income stream that will eventually benefit your church and/or favorite ministries,
- Maximize tax advantages for both you and your beneficiaries,
- Transfer stock or retirement assets as a generous gift to your church or favorite Moravian ministry,
- And more!
Contact Chris Spaugh, MMFA President & CEO, for guidance or with questions.
Let MMFA be your partner in planning for the future. Let’s move ministries forward, together.
Moravian Ministries Foundation in America
Chris Spaugh, President & CEO
119 Brookstown Avenue, Suite 305 | Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336.725.2589 | [email protected]
The Moravian Music Foundation
announces the
26th Season of the Unitas Chorale
Singers Wanted: All voices welcome! No audition required! https://moravianmusic.org/category/unitas/
First rehearsal: Sunday, January 7, 3:00 – 5:00 pm; College Hill Moravian Church; 72 West Laurel Street, Bethlehem, PA.
Rehearsals are held January through April at College Hill on the first, and third Sundays of the month.
Final concert: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 4:00 pm; location tbd
Concert Theme: In All Things Love
Gwyneth Michel, Director; [email protected] MMF office: 610-866-3340 (PA); 336-725-0651 (NC)
An Advent-Season Gift for
Moravian Open Door
Each Advent season, we are reminded of the family long ago who was homeless, had no room at the inn, and not even a crib for their expected infant. Yet, they were provided for.
Moravian Open Door (MOD) is a Moravian ministry in New York City that provides a safe, clean, temporary home for up to 40 homeless men and women aged 50 years and older since 1987. While the facility (called Moravian House) provides accommodation in single and double rooms, the staff provides supportive services to rebuild lives and help residents move to affordable permanent housing.
As New York City struggles in dealing with the effects of repeated and extreme flooding, so also, MOD struggles to provide that safe and secure facility in an area of the city prone to flooding. The safety of our residents depends on us.
MOD receives no government funding at all.
MOD needs the financial support of Moravian congregations to continue its
important service to the homeless.
Please respond generously with your “No Room at the Inn” gift. www.moravianhouse.org
IBOC
Moravian Christmas Gift Ideas
Shop online for these unique gifts at the IBOC store. store.moravian.org
Travel Tumbler $32.95. Sale: $24.95
Blue Tote $18.95
Red Café Mug $11.95
Book: Advent Hope Shop $10.95
Book: Brian Dixon Bundle
save $4.95 $17.95
Camp Hope
Suzanne Curtis has been the Executive Director of Camp Hope since September of 2019. In her time with us, she provided the necessary and creative leadership to keep Camp Hope open in new and exciting ways. She implemented Summer Family Cabin Rentals when we were unable to have our weekly camp because of the pandemic. She has reconnected Camp with the town of Hope and the relationship that has grown from that has been beneficial to all involved. Through her contacts with other camp directors in the area and through the American Camp Association, Suzanne has learned much and passed that knowledge on to both the Board of Management as well as our weekly volunteer and our summer long staff.
Suzanne has decided to resign from her position as the Executive Director. The Board of Management has accepted, with heavy hearts, this decision and we are beyond appreciative for all that Suzanne has done to help move Camp Hope forward.
Upcoming Event
Christmas at Camp — December 8 – 10, 2023
- Stay in a cozy cabin with your friends and family
- Swap cookies
- Participate in Hope’s Moravian Christmas Lantern Tours (with yours truly acting in one of the “porch skits”)
- Learn to fold a Moravian star
- And more!
Visit camphope.org for more information and to register for this event. Hope to see lots of you at camp this fall and winter!
