Page 2 - Moravian Messenger June 2019

..Editorial
I have just returned from my first 'Bishop's Meeting'. It is a bilateral annual meeting between the bishops in the Continental Province and the British Province. It was a respectful and reflective meeting where the bishops shared and discussed a number of matters. One of the major themes that occurred was what does unity in the Moravian Church really mean in practice. The official name of the Church is the Unitas Fratrum, the Unity of the Brethren, our doctrinal statement is called 'The Ground of the Unity', our motto calls for unity through love even in diversity and we refer to the world-wide Moravian Church as 'The Unity'. So, Unity is a core understanding of who we are, what we do and believe and how we understand ourselves.
However, the bishops wondered if that were still so in an increasingly diverse world. How can we call what we have unity when members in the Moravian Church do not share a common language or a common liturgy. What does unity mean when we come from very different cultural backgrounds and these backgrounds affect how we interpret matters of sexuality; when we have different understandings of what bishops can and should do; when the historic heartlands of the Moravian Church are in a minority and don't always agree with younger provinces. This is not the first time I have heard people question what is it that makes us Moravians, what is our distinguishing world-wide feature.
For me Pentecost on 9th June gives a hint. This day recalls and celebrates the Day of Pentecost recounted in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles. On this day the Holy Spirit descended on the believers, gathered in a house in Jerusalem, in signs of flames of fire and the sound of the blowing wind. Pentecost was a Jewish festival and members of the Jewish diaspora from across the Roman empire had gathered in Jerusalem to mark the festival.
The Holy Spirit seems to have filled the believers with praise. As they left the security of the house the people in the streets heard the believers' voices in the language of the colonies that they had come from. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7
Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!'12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, 'What does this mean?' Acts 2:5-12
Reflecting on the passage you can also see how it is in some way a reversal of the story of the tower of Babel. In this ancient story in Genesis the people all have a common language which is then confused by God because they have striven to reach the heavens. Now in the miracle of Pentecost the languages don’t become the same but they are understood by others. I see Pentecost as a wonderful vision of unity in diversity. The languages and national identities of the hearers on the streets in Jerusalem remain but they all have the opportunity to understand the good news of Jesus.
But all too soon the gift of the language being in common disappeared and men and women had to go back to struggling with difference in language, culture and viewpoint and this can be traced in the writings in the New Testament.
Sometimes we need to realise that nothing this side of heaven is perfect and it is part of the path of discipleship to strive towards what we profess and not to assume that we have it already. For me the genius of the unity that we profess as Moravians is relational. That when we meet Moravians from other places we recognise that we have much in common.
Seeking Our Unity
A document about the current mission of the Moravian Church, approved at the Unity Mission Conference in Cape Town speaks about this. ‘Through our Lord and Saviour we are bound together in a fellowship of love and forgiveness. Our Unity does not mean agreement in all things, but it does mean a willingness to love one another, care for one another, and pray for one another.’ Then ‘our Unity is a powerful witness to the world ...’
May this unity be found in our families, our congregations and in the world-wide Unity so the we can all in our different ways do the work of Christ in this world.
Sr Sarah Groves Editorial Team
SUMMER CAMP 2019
W hen: 3-10th August 2019 Where: Dovedale House, Ilam
For: Young people aged 10-17 with links to the Moravian Church
Can you help
62
Cost: £340
More information and booking forms can be obtained from
We want to share your expertise with the young people at camp so if you have a skill you would be able to share and teach, whether it is origami, hockey, dance, music or building Lego models, please get in touch with me if you are willing to come along to camp. Meals provided and we can give you a bed for the night if you need it. Email youth@moravian.org.uk or phone Joy on 01753 553549.
We are also looking for your financial support for camp. The fees only cover the basics and in order to make camp the best ever we need additional funds to pay for outing, materials and equipment. Please donate either by cheque payable to Moravian Union Inc or by BACS payment to CAF BANK Ltd, The Moravian Union, Account 00023436, Sort code 40 52 40, and labelled 'SC Donation'. It is helpful if you let Joy know you have made a donation. Examples of the expenses you could contribute to are; an activity, £18 for an hour and a half per person, a day ticket to the theme park £22, coach fees for the week £800, pack of sparklers £12.95, bag of marshmallows £1. Many thanks.
Joy Raynor
your minister or Joy Raynor at: youth@moravian.org.uk
Information about the venue can be found at www.dovedalehouse.org
Booking before 31st May is recommended as we need to have a minimum number for camp to happen.
Summer Camp?