History, Beliefs and Vision

 A Brief History of the Moravian Church

What Moravians Believe

The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living   

The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living is an attempt to state in clear arrangement and contemporary form a document which has long served the Moravian Church. The Moravian Covenant in its original form was adopted by the Moravian Church at Herrnhut, Saxony, as the Brotherly Agreement on May 12 of the year that marked the Church's spiritual renewal, 1727. The Covenant was not intended to be a “discipline” forced on the congregation from above, but rather an “agreement” into which the members entered voluntarily. This pervades the new Covenant, which in itself is only a recommended form, to be voluntarily accepted by each of the local congregations before it becomes effective for their congregational life.

The Ground of the Unity  

The Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church are a small but very important part of a larger whole – the Unitas Fratrum, a worldwide church whose roots trace back to the mid 1400s.  One of the central underpinnings of this worldwide church is the Ground of the Unity, a doctrinal statement that was adopted by the Unity Synod of the Unitas Fratrum in 1995.

This document is a revision of a similar statement prepared and approved by the Unity Synod of 1957, which marked the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Unitas Fratrum, and reviewed by subsequent Unity Synods. The material contained in the 1957 statement and in this 1995 version of The Ground of the Unity is based on earlier statements about the beliefs and practices of the Moravian Church.

For a downloadable copy of each of these documents, click on the buttons below.

                                    

The Moravian Church affirms the historic creeds of the Christian faith such as the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. The Moravian Church motto directs its faith and practice of serving God in daily life:

In essentials, Unity;
In non-essentials, Liberty;
And in all things, Love. 

The Moravian Church defines its core essentials by focusing on what God does and how we respond to God's actions. 
God's Essential Works: 
  • God creates.
  • God saves.
  • God blesses and sustains. 
Human Response to God's Work: 
  • Faith: Responding to what God has done and is doing with faith.
  • Love: Loving God, oneself, neighbors, and enemies.
  • Hope: Facing the future with hope because God is with us. 

Holy Communion  

The Moravian Church practices open communion. That means Christians of any denomination are welcome to share in the bread and the cup of the sacrament.  We come to the Lord's table because we are hungry and needy, not perfect and worthy.   Children may also partake, provided they have had a conference with the pastor to talk about the deep spiritual significance of this meal, or if you are a visitor, if your child partakes in your church.

The form in which Holy Communion is served in the Moravian Church differs from that of other denominations.   It is based upon practices that began in the 15th century.  The bread and the cup are brought to the congregants by the pastor, symbolically reminding us that God, through Jesus Christ,  comes to each one of us where we are.  Return to Top

Baptism  

Baptism is the sacrament of Christian initiation. Through baptism believers and their children are embodied in the covenant of grace and become a part of the fellowship of the church.

Adults are baptized upon profession of faith after instruction. Children of Christian parents are baptized upon the basis of “the faith of parents and of the church” (Moravian Book of Worship, Liturgy for Baptism, p. 165).

Moravians appreciate the significance of both kinds of baptism: The baptism of an adult who has newly become a Christian reminds us that faith is required of all who are baptized. The baptism of a child – particularly the baptism of an infant – reminds us that God’s love precedes any act of faith on our part. Return to Top

Lititz Moravian Congregation Vision Statement

We are a community that seeks first, last and always to follow Jesus.

We see a community of FAITH where all are welcome to join in Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Evangelism. We see people on a faith journey, actively living a Christian life in our world and providing support for all those in need both at home and in mission.

We see a community of HOPE where people are encouraged and equipped to develop their spiritual gifts and to use them in the service of the Risen Lord. We see a congregation where all are involved in a rich variety of opportunities to serve and be empowered to follow God's calling.

We see a community of LOVE where questions of faith are welcome, where the broken find comfort, where unconditional acceptance and love abound, and where all are under God's canopy of grace and forgiveness.