Every Easter morning, just before the sun rises, thousands of people gather in
different locations to participate in a Moravian Sunrise service. For some,
this is a deep-rooted part of their life as a Moravian; for others, though not
Moravian themselves, this is something their families have done for as long as
they can remember; for others still, they may be on the verge of their first
encounter with these “Easter people.” At that service, the people gathered
proclaim their faith in the compassionate Son of God who stands with us and
rescues us, in the Spirit who nurtures us like a Mother, in our God who raised
Jesus from the dead and promises to raise us to life anew. “This we verily
believe,” we respond (even as we are all still growing into that faith).
Every Advent season, when the days get shorter and colder, thousands of
people gather in Moravian congregations to worship and celebrate the bright and
eternal light that came in the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve lovefeasts
are, like Sunrise services, an important part of the rhythm of the year for
Moravian members and guests alike. In those services, the people gathered stand
and - holding up their shining beeswax candle - sing of the good news of Jesus’
birth. Here at Bethania we proclaim, “Sing hallelujah, Christ does live, our
Light forevermore.”
Perhaps you have been part of Moravian gatherings
such as these; maybe even here at Bethania. If so, then you have seen, heard,
and added your voice to the faith that we share. We celebrate that! We are a
people who are glad about our faith, glad to let others know about the light
that has shined into our lives, glad that God has shared this light so
generously that we don’t have to all agree on every point (and certainly don’t
all have to be Moravian) to stand side by side as people of faith and love and
hope. The faith that we share with many is a source of joy for us Moravians.
Yet, we are more than this. We are a people who are convinced that these
wonderful gatherings of sharing our faith are best when born out of sharing our
lives in Christ. In between Easter mornings and Christmas eves, we are trying
to live out our faith in community - and we would be very glad to share that
part of Moravian life with you as well!
I hope you get the chance to
see how Moravians are connecting their lives and their faith in community. And
I hope you consider Bethania as a location to not only see us trying to live as
a community of faith, but to participate in it. The information on this website
will give you an idea of the ministry and missions we are committed to together,
the ways we serve our own members and our neighbor, the passion we have for
worship and spiritual growth. But what you won’t be able to get from this
website is a chance to experience it for yourself. Just like coming to an
Easter Sunrise service or a Christmas Eve lovefeast, you gotta “come and see.”
Come and celebrate this faith with us as we gladly share it together every
day.
Russ
