Page 1 - Moravian Messenger - October 2021
P. 1
moravian
OCTOBER 2021
messenger
Moravian Church Oral History Project
Moravian Church Oral History Project
In the March issue of the Moravian Messenger, Br Livingstone Thompson wrote about a 'History taskforce' which was to be established in order to revisit aspects of Moravian Church history, that could also provide inspiration and stimulus towards the Decade of Evangelism announced at Synod that is planned for 2022 to 2032.
The Co-ordinating Committee for the Moravian Church History Project meet online, and include Ian Foster, a specialist on Hans Sloane and a descendant of those enslaved on Foster-Barham estate in Bogue Elizabeth Jamaica, Professor Pedro Welch, a historian based in Barbados and Livingstone Thompson, a Jamaican who is a member of the British Provincial Board, and myself, the Provincial Archivist. One of the ideas that emerged from these meetings was to document the experiences of the
Moravian Church members in the British Province who arrived in the UK from overseas after the Second World War, through an oral history project that would capture their voices and recollections. Material has already been collected sometime ago by Br Robelto Bruce, but this project is aimed to give a voice to those who may have not been heard, and to collect and preserve people's memories of that time in their own vernacular, which can help to explain and enrich our understanding of that era.
On 22nd June 1948, the Empire Windrush docked at a port in Tilbury with Commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean on board. They were invited by the British Government to help rebuild a broken Britain after the Second World War. People continued to arrive in the UK from Commonwealth countries to help fill post-war UK labour shortages, and
© Moravian Church Archive
they become known as the 'Windrush generation'. Some members of the Moravian Church overseas who arrived in the UK at that time wanted to find a Moravian Church to worship that was local to their residence, whilst others joined the Church after their arrival. It was not until 1958 when Br Kirby Spencer came to Hornsey Moravian Church that, with the support of others, the missionary work amongst Moravians from overseas began, by actively seeking out those who had arrived rather than wait for them to find a church.
We are looking to speak with Moravians of Caribbean and African descent who immigrated here and/or their children (i.e., first generation born in the United Kingdom) to capture their stories. After receiving interest from some members in London, Br Ian Foster from the Fetter Lane congregation has already conducted a
continued overleaf on page 111
A trip to Elim Home in South Africa
(page 112)
The Children's Christmas Candle Service and Christingles
(page 114)
Moravian Pilgrimage
- Day 1
(page 115)
Labrador Off to the Unknown
(page 117)