Page 2 - Moravian Messenger August 2019

Editorial
There is a great sense of relief for many of us as August comes around. An end to evening meetings and a bit more time to catch up with family and friends plus much looked forward days away. So, it is no surprise that two of the most important dates in Moravian history pass by without usually much fuss or special services.
On 13th August in 1727, the community at Herrnhut attended a communion service at Berthelsdorf Church, a mile from Herrnhut. Since May of that year the community had been brought together by the signing of statutes governing life in Herrnhut. There had been an increase in prayer, and some had banded together to study the First Letter of John. The heightened spiritual life in Herrnhut came to a climax on 13th August when the congregation at worship powerfully felt the presence of the Holy Spirit with them. They found it very difficult to describe the experience and it became known as the Manifestation of the Spirit.
This Manifestation changed them and led ultimately to the other important date of 21st August 1732, the beginning of Moravian Missions. The spiritually renewed community attracted many visitors and the leaders including Count Zinzendorf visited other places. In 1731 Zinzendorf was in Copenhagen for the coronation of the Danish King Christian VI. Whilst there he met a slave, Anthony Ulrich, from the Danish West Indies who told him of the spiritual and physical destitution of the slaves in the Caribbean. He also met two Inuit people from Greenland who told him of the needs there. On Zinzendorf's return to Herrnhut he told the community about the two meetings. Two men volunteered to go to take the gospel to these places whatever the cost. After much prayer and discussion two men left Herrnhut on 21st August the following year to go to St Thomas. They
were the first but not the last, and on 19th January 1733 three men left Herrnhut to go to Greenland. In the following ten years missionaries from Herrnhut went to Surinam, South Africa, the Gold Coast, Algeria, Arctic Russia, Ceylon and to native peoples in North America.
So this is our back story as a Church and we need to reflect. It was not a time of perfection but it was an example of what God did with around just six hundred mostly very poor people many of whom had fled from persecution in Moravia to find refuge in Herrnhut. This should cause us to wonder what God could do now. This has a contemporary slant because a task force has been set up by the Provincial Board, following a resolution passed at last Synod, to look at the sustainability of the British Province and to make recommendations for its future direction. This is sensible given our small size, compared to many other Churches, and our scattered locations.
However, our history teaches us that God often uses what is small and insignificant to fulfil his purposes.
The very first two sentences of our statement
of belief, The Ground of the Unity says: The
Lord Jesus Christ calls His Church into being so that it may serve Him on earth until He comes. The Unitas Fratrum (Moravian Church) is, therefore, aware of its being called in faith to serve humanity by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cannot not expect a simple repetition of what happened in the past, but we must be asking how we may serve our Lord Jesus on earth for this time and this generation.
Sr Sarah Groves Editorial Team
each congregation was again stressed. Br Philip Battelle (in his absence) sent a video of his recent three months in South Asia, that was viewed and much appreciated. There was time for questions and the responses were well received.
After a short break brothers and sisters returned to the Church for the celebration of Holy Communion. The right hand of fellowship was truly a sign of our unity and our oneness in Christ as verse after verse was added to allow for everyone to get around.
At the beginning of the Holy Communion, Br Bob Hopcroft asked to speak and informed the Rally that
Date for the Diary
Saturday 22nd June was also 'Windrush Day', noting how grateful we are in the British Province for our Caribbean brothers and sisters. It was acknowledged, 'Where would we be in the British Province without our Brs and Srs from the Windrush generation?' Their loyalty, their support, their enthusiasm for all congregation and provincial events, they are a shining example to us all. Three Cheers for the arrival of the S.S. Windrush. Then Holy Communion was celebrated, uniting us around the Lords Table.
Teas, coffees and light refreshments were made available by the congregation and offered to all. A time of fellowship continued closing around 5.15pm.
We extend our thanks to Sr Roberta, Brs Paul and Phill for what they shared with us, and an extra special thanks to all those who made everyone so welcome and prepared the refreshments. We were truly inspired with the
knowledge and enthusiasm shown by all our speakers - it was a joy and privilege to be there and share in the gathering.
Br Edwin Quildan
Minister of Bedford Queen's Park and Harlesden Congregations
..Provincial Men's Fellowship Rally Report
continued
86
Men's Fellowship Rally 2020
27th June at Leominster Moravian Church