Moravian Beliefs

Beliefs and Teaching of the Moravian Church

The Moravian Church regards as the chief doctrine of the Christian Faith the firm conviction that Jesus Christ "is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2) The person of Jesus Christ and His redeeming love is the central point of our church's preaching of salvation.

The source of all Christian doctrine is the Bible. As Moravians, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are and shall remain the only rule of our faith and life. The Holy Scriptures present eight main subjects (doctrines) which the Moravian Church holds as essential to one's knowledge of salvation:

1. The universal depravity (sinful tendency) of human nature. (John 3:6, Romans 3:23, Romans 7:18, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:9-18, Ephesians 2:8-13) Moravians do not dwell on this morbidly but believe that history all too clearly gives repeated evidence of this truth.

2. God's love to fallen humanity. That He chose us in Christ before the world was even created, and "so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (Ephesians 1:3-4, John 3:16, 1 John 4:9)

3. The real Godhead and real humanity of Jesus Christ. That the One and only Son of God, through glory which He had before the world was made, took on flesh and blood and became like us in every way, except He was without sin. (John 1:1-3, John 1:14, John 17:15, Philippians 2:6-7, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 4:15, Colossians 1:17-19, 1 John 5:20)

4. Our reconciliation with God and our justification before Him through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That Christ died on the Cross for our sins and was raised again to live in order to give us a brand new beginning in our relationship with God. It is by faith in Jesus alone that we have forgiveness of sin, peace with God, and power for living. (Romans 3:24-25, Romans 5:1, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Hebrews 2:9-12, Hebrews 2:17, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:19, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

5. The Holy Spirit and the working of His grace.The Holy Spirit is God living in us. He points out our sin, reminds us of God's truth, leads us into an ever growing faith in Jesus Christ, and continually assures us that we are children of God and belong to Him. (John 16:8-11, Romans 8:16, 2 Corinthians 12:3)

6. Good works as the fruit of the Spirit. Good works are the outward sign that God really is alive in us. They identify the Christian as a person who, because of his/her faith in Jesus, is given power to follow God's commands. God desires that we follow His commands not out of fear, obligation, or the desire to win His favor, but out of genuine love for Him and gratitude for what He has already done. (John 14:15, Romans 6:11-14, Galatians 5:6, Galatians 5:22-24, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 John 5:3-5, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17)

7. The fellowship of believers with one another. Those who accept Jesus as the forgiver of their sins and leader of their lives are members of His body (the Church). Jesus Christ Himself is the Head of the body. The Church (the body of Christ) is a living organization that transcends race, age, gender, nationality, culture and local church affiliation. Our faith in Jesus Christ unites us together as one. Every believer is of equal value in the body of Christ and each one has an important part to play in helping the body accomplish it work. (John 17:21, Matthew 23:8, Ephesians 4:4)

8. The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will return again in glory, just as He promised. Believers (both living and dead) will be raised to eternal life. Those who reject Christ in life will face the judgement of God. (Acts 1:11, John 6:40, John 11:25-26, John 3:36, John 5:25-29, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)

Acceptance of these basic teachings is required of all who would become members of the Moravian Church. With special emphasis on the relationship we have with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the church expects a spirit of unity on the part of all its members in regards to these essentials.

On other matters, especially where the scriptures are not explicit on particular points, the Moravian Church allows for variation in individual points of view. However, even when we are unable to agree on some of these "non-essentials" we must keep a spirit of Christian love and tolerance toward one another.

Our unity in the essentials and the love of Christ in our hearts is more important than debate over fine points of theology.

The motto of the Moravian Church expresses our view of doctrine best:
In Essentials, Unity;
In Non-Essentials, Liberty;
And In All Things, Love

Moravian History

History of the Moravians

The name Moravian identifies the fact that this historic church had its origin in ancient Bohemia and Moravia (part of present-day Czechoslovakia).

About the middle of the ninth century these two countries were converted to Christianity chiefly through the influence of two Greek Orthodox missionaries named Cyril and Methodius. They translated the Bible into the common language of the people and introduced a national church tradition. In the centuries that followed, Bohemia and Moravia gradually fell under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church as it spread its influence across Western Europe.

By the early 1400's the Catholic Church had fallen into spiritual and political corruption. Unified under the Pope, it had become a very powerful political force in partnership with the nobility of that day. Unfortunately, this power led to many forms of abuse. Clergy bought their positions with wealth rather than earn them through spiritual commitment. The communion cup was not shared with the lay people. The Holy Scriptures and the preaching of God's Word was required to be done in Latin rather than the common language of the people. The word of the Pope, rather than the Bible, had become the rule of faith.

During this time several voices began to rise up and demand that the church return to a Biblical faith. They denounced the selling of indulgences (special pardons) by the church and proclaimed that Christ was the only path to salvation. They demanded that the communion cup be shared with lay people and that the Bible, not the Pope, should be the authority and final word concerning the Christian faith.

One of the strongest of these voices belonged to John Hus (1369-1415). Hus was a priest, professor of philosophy and rector at the University of Prague in Czechoslovakia. The Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, where Hus preached, became a rallying place for the Czech reformation. He gained support from students and the common people and led a protest against the questionable doctrines and abusive teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. His bold proclamation of faith and efforts to reform the church lead to his death. Hus was falsely accused of heresy, imprisoned, put on trial at the Council of Constance, and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415.

The reformation spirit did not die with Hus. In spite of the efforts by the Catholic Church to silence his views, Hus' followers continued to cling to his teachings and claimed a renewed vision for the church. They rose in armed conflict against the powers in Rome. The Hussite Wars marked the first large-scale opposition to the domination of the Papacy.

In 1457 members of the Hussite movement gathered on the estate of Lititz, about 100 miles east of Prague, and organized a church called the Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren). For many years the Unity grew and flourished. By 1517 it numbered more than 200,000 members in over 400 parishes. Using its two printing presses it published some of the first Bibles and hymnals in common languages. It established schools, trained and ordained its own clergy.

As the Lutheran Reformation swept through northern Europe in the early Sixteenth Century, military confrontations decimated the Unity. Bohemia and Moravia became a battleground for the armies of Rome and those of Protestant nations. By the end of the Thirty Years' War, in 1648, only a small number of Brethren survived. In the agreement which ended the war (The Peace of Westphalia) citizens of each nation assumed the faith of their rulers, and thus Bohemia and Moravia became a Catholic nation. Protestants living there had to either convert to Catholicism, flee the nation or face execution. A small band of Brethren fled into Poland. Others chose to go underground, publicly pretending to be loyal to Rome, but secretly clinging to the Biblical faith and teachings of the Unitas Fratrum.

One of the great leaders of the Unity during its darkest days was John Amos Comenius (1592-1670). Elected Bishop and President of the Unity during the Thirty Years' War, it was he who led the small band of surviving Brethren into exile in Poland. Under his spiritual leadership they established religious communities which enjoyed rapid growth.

In addition to being a great spiritual leader Comenius was also a pioneer in modern educational methods. He was the first to use pictures in textbooks and believed in what might be called a holisitic concept of education. He taught that education began in the earliest days of childhood and continued throughout life. He advocated the formal education of women, an idea which was unheard of in his day. He believed that learning, spirituality and emotional growth were interconnected and should be pursued together. His educational thought was highly respected in Northern Europe. He was called upon to completely restructure the school system of Sweden and was even asked to become the first President of Harvard, an honor he declined because of his leadership of the troubled Unitas Fratrum.

The Unity of the Brethren and her Risen Lord remained Comenius' first love throughout his life. He could have easily abandoned the church and lived a life of relative ease spreading his teaching methods throughout the modern world, but he chose not to do so. Instead, proceeds from the sale of his books on education went to support the struggling Unity. He tried to use his influence to secure a place of peace and religious freedom for the church he loved. Time and again he saw plans and possibilities fall through. He died in Holland, a broken man, believing he had failed the church. His prayer was that some day the "hidden seed" of his beloved Unitas Fratrum might once again spring to life.

Comenius' prayer was answered in the early 1700's when remnants of the Unity made their way into Germany and onto the estate of a Lutheran Nobleman, Count Nicholas Louis von Zinzendorf. There along with other religious refugees they found safety under his protection. They became known as the Moravians at this time because they traveled from a region of Czechoslovakia known as Moravia.
Zinzendorf had a tremendous impact on the Moravian Church. His pietistic faith (emphasizing a personal relationship with Christ) greatly influenced the Moravians. In 1722 they built the town of Herrnhut (The Lord's Watch) on his estate. This new community became the haven for many more Moravian refugees.

Following an early period of dissension, the group came to formulate a unique document, known as The Brotherly Agreement, which set forth basic tenets of Christian behavior. The document is known today, in its revised form, as The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living. Residents of Herrnhut were required to sign a pledge to abide by these Biblical principles. August 13, 1727, marked the culmination of a great spiritual renewal for the Moravian church in Herrnhut. The Holy Spirit gave to Zinzendorf and this group of Christian's a vision to take the gospel to the far reaches of the earth. In 1732 the first missionaries were sent to the West Indies. This marked the beginning of the modern missionary movement.

The Moravian's felt called by God to preach the Gospel to slaves as well as the native peoples of the North American continent. This mission work sent Moravians out to every corner of the earth proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For many years there were more Moravian missionaries in the field than there were folks in the church back at home supporting them.

After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a Moravian settlement near Savannah, Georgia (1735-1740), the Moravians settled in Pennsylvania on the estate of George Whitefield. The Moravian settlers purchased 500 acres to establish the town of Bethlehem in 1741. Soon they bought the 5,000 acres of the Barony of Nazareth from Whitefield's manager, and the two communities of Bethlehem and Nazareth became closely linked in their agricultural and industrial economies.

Bishop Augustus Spangenberg led a group of men to survey a 100,000 acre tract of land in North Carolina, which came to be known as Wachau after an Austrian estate of Count Zinzendorf. The name was later changed to Wachovia and became the center of growth for the church in that region. Bethabara, Bethania and Salem (now Winston-Salem) were the first Moravian settlements in North Carolina.

Following the Unity Synod of 1848 the Moravian Church in America began to develop as an autonomous church body. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Winston-Salem, North Carolina became the headquarters of the two American Provinces (Northern and Southern). Over the years the church slowly spread out from these two geographical centers.

It wasn't until after World War II that strong pushes for church extension took the Northern Province to Southern California as well as to some eastern, mid-western and Canadian sites. The Southern Province added numerous churches in the Winston-Salem area, throughout North Carolina and extended its outreach to Florida, Virginia and Georgia. Today, there are approximately 48,000 Moravians in America (28,000 in the 103 congregations of the Northern Province and 20,000 in the 57 congregations of the Southern Province).

The worldwide Moravian Church entered the 21st century with 19 Provinces and over 788,000 members. Over half of all Moravians (more than 410,000) reside in the four Provinces of Tanzania, Africa. Once a mission field these provinces continue to enjoy strong growth as their members faithfully live and proclaim the good news of Jesus in their pluralistic culture.

The history of the Moravian church teaches us a great deal about its vision of ministry today. The Moravian heritage of a Christ centered faith, a reverence for Scripture, a burden for the lost, a commitment to education and willingness to face persecution and even death to take the gospel to all people is compelling. If we are to successfully share the truth and love of God with the people of our complex, modern world we must follow in the footsteps of Moravians who have gone before us. We too must demonstrate in word, attitude and action a radical and passionate devotion to the Lordship of Jesus Christ - putting Him first in all we do.

 

The Ground of the Unity

Many people want to know what Moravians believe. "The Ground of the Unity" was composed by Unity Synod in 1957 of the 500th Anniversary of our church. It is a succinct statement of our faith that has proven itself to be both broad and deep.

The Lord Jesus Christ calls His Church into being so that it may serve Him on earth until He comes. The Unitas Fratrum is, therefore, aware of its being called in faith to serve humanity by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It recognizes this call to be the source of its being and the inspiration of its service. As is the source, so is the aim and end of its being based upon the will of its Lord.

The Belief of the Church

With the whole of Christendom we share faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe and confess that God has revealed Himself once and for all in His Son Jesus Christ; that our Lord has redeemed us with the whole of humanity by His death and His resurrection; and that there is no salvation apart from Him. We believe that He is present with us in the Word and the Sacrament; that He directs and unites us through His Spirit and thus forms us into a Church. We hear Him summoning us to follow Him, and pray Him to use us in His service. He joins us together mutually, so that knowing ourselves to be members of His body we become willing to serve each other.
In the light of divine grace, we recognize ourselves to be a Church of sinners. We require forgiveness daily, and live only through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He redeems us from our isolation and unites us into a living Church of Jesus Christ.

Personal Belief

The belief of the Church is effected and preserved through the testimony of Jesus Christ and through the work of the Holy Spirit. This testimony calls each individual personally, and leads each one to the recognition of sin and to the acceptance of the redemption achieved by Christ. In fellowship with Him the love of Christ becomes more and more the power of the new life, power which penetrates and shapes the entire person. As God's Spirit so effects living belief in the hearts of individuals, He grants them the privilege to share in the fruits of Christ's salvation and membership in His body.

God's Word and Doctrine

The Triune God as revealed in the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is the only source of our life and salvation; and this Scripture is the sole standard of the doctrine and faith of the Unitas Fratrum and therefore shapes our life.

The Unitas Fratrum recognizes the Word of the Cross as the center of Holy Scripture and of all preaching of the Gospel, and it sees its primary mission, and its reason for being, to consist in bearing witness to this joyful message. We ask our Lord for power never to stray from this.

The Unitas Fratrum takes part in the continual search for sound doctrine. In interpreting Scripture and in the communication of doctrine in the Church, we look to two millennia of ecumenical Christian tradition and the wisdom of our Moravian forebears in the faith to guide us as we pray for fuller understanding and ever clearer proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But just as the Holy Scripture does not contain any doctrinal system, so the Unitas Fratrum also has not developed any of its own because it knows that the mystery of Jesus Christ, which is attested to in the Bible, cannot be comprehended completely by any human mind or expressed completely in any human statement. Also it is true that through the Holy Spirit the recognition of God's will for salvation in the Bible is revealed completely and clearly.

Creeds and Confessions

The Unitas Fratrum recognizes in the creeds of the Church the thankful acclaim of the Body of Christ. These creeds aid the Church in formulating a Scriptural confession, in marking the boundary of heresies, and in exhorting believers to an obedient and fearless testimony in every age. The Unitas Fratrum maintains that all creeds formulated by the Christian Church stand in need of constant testing in the light of the Holy Scriptures. It acknowledges as such true professions of faith the early Christian witness: "Jesus Christ is Lord!" and also especially the ancient Christian creeds and the fundamental creeds of the Reformation.*

* Note: In the various Provinces of the Renewed Unitas Fratrum the following creeds in particular gained special importance, because in them the main doctrines of the Christian faith find clear and simple expression:

• The Apostles' Creed
• The Athanasian Creed
• The Nicene Creed
• The Confession of the Unity of the Bohemian Brethren (1535)
• The Twenty-One Articles of the unaltered Augsburg Confession
• The Shorter Catechism of Martin Luther
• The Synod of Berne of 1532
• The Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England
• The Theological Declaration of Barmen of 1934
• The Heidelberg Catechism

The Unitas Fratrum as a Unity

We believe in and confess the Unity of the Church given in the one Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior. He died that He might unite the scattered children of God. As the living Lord and Shepherd, He is leading His flock toward such unity. The Unitas Fratrum espoused such unity when it took over the name of the Old Bohemian Brethren's Church, "Unitas Fratrum" (Unity of Brethren). Nor can we ever forget the powerful unifying experience granted by the crucified and risen Lord to our ancestors in Herrnhut on the occasion of the Holy Communion of August 13, 1727, in Bethelsdorf.

It is the Lord's will that Christendom should give evidence of and seek unity in Him with zeal and love. In our own midst we see how such unity has been promised us and laid upon us as a charge. We recognize that through the grace of Christ the different churches have received many gifts. It is our desire that we may learn from each other and rejoice together in the riches of the love of Christ and the manifold wisdom of God.

We confess our share in the guilt which is manifest in the severed and divided state of Christendom. By means of such divisions we ourselves hinder the message and power of the Gospel. We recognize the danger of self-righteousness and judging others without love.

Since we together with all Christendom are pilgrims on the way to meet our coming Lord, we welcome every step that brings us nearer the goal of unity in Him. He himself invites us to communion in His supper. Through it He leads the Church toward that union which He has promised. By means of His presence in the Holy Communion He makes our unity in Him evident and certain even today.

The Church as a Fellowship

The Church of Jesus Christ, despite all the distinctions between male and female, Jew and non-Jew, white and colored, poor and rich, is one in its Lord. The Unitas Fratrum recognizes no distinction between those who are one in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to testify that God in Jesus Christ brings His people out of "every race, kindred and tongue" into one body, pardons sinners beneath the cross and brings them together. We oppose any discrimination in our midst because of race or standing, and we regard it as a commandment of the Lord to bear public witness to this and to demonstrate by word and deed that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Church as a Community of Service

Jesus Christ came not to be served but to serve. From this, His Church receives its mission and its power for its service, to which each of its members is called. We believe that the Lord has called us particularly to mission service among the peoples of the world. In this, and in all other forms of service both at home and abroad, to which the Lord commits us, He expects us to confess Him and witness to His love in unselfish service.

Serving Our Neighbor

Our Lord Jesus entered into this world's misery to bear it and to overcome it. We seek to follow Him in serving His brothers and sisters. Like the love of Jesus, this service knows no bounds. Therefore we pray the Lord ever anew to point out to us the way to reach our neighbors, opening our heart and hand to them in their need.

Serving the World

Jesus Christ maintains in love and faithfulness His commitment to this fallen world. Therefore we must remain concerned for this world. We may not withdraw from it through indifference, pride or fear. Together with the universal Christian Church, the Unitas Fratrum challenges all with the message of the love of God, striving to promote the peace of the world and seeking to attain what is best for all people. For the sake of this world, the Unitas Fratrum hopes for and looks to the day when the victory of Christ will be manifest over sin and death and the new world will appear.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is the one Lord and Head of His body, the Church. Because of this, the Church owes no allegiance to any authority whatsoever which opposes His dominion. The Unitas Fratrum treasures in its history the vital experience of the Headship of Christ of September 16 and November 13, 1741.

The Unitas Fratrum recognizes that i is called into being and has been sustained hitherto only by the incomprehensible grace of God. Thanksgiving and praise for this grace remain the keynote of its life and ministry.

In this spirit it awaits the appearing of Jesus Christ, goes forward to meet its Lord with joy, and prays to be found ready when He comes.

The Moravian Covenant for Christian Living

Formerly known as The Brotherly Agreement of the Moravian Church

Preface

This 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 Church today has need of a clear statement of its faith and life through which each member may become aware of the nature of his/her Christian commitment. Such a document can become an invaluable aid in the instruction of both new and present members and a meaningful guide in the expression of the Christian life. That such a revision of the Agreement should have been made is entirely in harmony with the spirit of the early Moravian Church which believed that all forms should be updated and made relevant to the present life of the 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.

Most of the Covenant deals with the Christian life, and since it is in terms of everyday life that the Christian witness is often most effectively borne, the document is subtitled "Principles by Which We Live and Bear Our Witness." The theme of "witness" is carried out in all the sections. The introductory section, "Ground of Our Witness," deals briefly with the faith and doctrine of the Moravian Church, something that is not explicitly dealt with in older forms of the Covenant . Section I, "The Witness of the Christian Life," describes the "how" of the life in Christ and thus forms a basis for all that follows. The following sections then consider various areas of Christian responsibility. Section II deals largely with Christian responsibility in the local congregation and in relation to Christians of other churches; III, responsibility in the home; IV, one's duties as a citizen; and V, as a Christian in the world.

Variations in the form of the Moravian Covenant recommended by Synod may be adopted only with the approval of the Provincial Elders' Conference.

Principles by Which We Live and Bear Our Witness

The Ground of Our Witness

• We are called into a Christian fellowship by the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the eternal purpose of God the Father (Ephesians 3:11) by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:18-21), and as members of Christ's Body, the Church, to serve all people by proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to our faith by word and deed.

• The Triune God as revealed in the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments is the only source of our life and salvation; and this Scripture is the sole standard of the doctrine and faith of the Unitas Fratrum and therefore shapes our life.

• With the universal Christian Church, we share our faith in the Triune God, who revealed Himself in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Savior of all people. We particularly declare His living presence and Lordship over the Church, joy in the benefits of His life, sufferings, death and resurrection and emphasize a close bond of fellowship with each other in His name. We believe that Christ is present with us in Word and Sacrament. We decline to determine as binding what the Scriptures have left undetermined, or to argue about mysteries impenetrable to human reason. In this regard, we hold to the principle "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity."

• We thankfully recognize the value of the historic creeds of the Christian Church in calling upon believers in every age to give an obedient and fearless testimony, recognizing Jesus Christ as Lord. A Moravian confession of faith is to be found in the Easter Dawn Liturgy.

I The Witness of the Christian Life

• We believe that as in baptism we have been united with Christ in His death and resurrection, so we have died to sin and should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-11).

• When seeking guidance we find that the simplest expression of Christian living is contained in the earliest of Christian confessions, "Jesus Christ is Lord." This implies that obedience is due Him as the absolute Ruler and Lord of our lives. Not only His teachings (e.g., Matthew 5-7) but, even more, the example of His life (Philippians 2:5; Ephesians 4:20) provide an understanding of the obedience that He desires. Although the early Church, guided by the Spirit of Jesus, did not develop a code covering all issues, it offered guidance in various areas of Christian living (e.g. Colossians 3:1-46; 1 Peter 2:11- 3:12; Ephesians 4:1-6:20).

• Living the Christian life depends not only on our own effort but upon God our Father, who in Jesus Christ accepts us as heirs of God (Galatians 4:4-7) and strengthens and sustains us (Philippians 4:13).

• We realize that our Christian faith must continually be nourished if it is to remain living and vital. Therefore, we desire to grow in our Christian lives through family devotions, personal prayer and study, and the opportunities for spiritual development offered by the Church.

II The Witness of a Living Church

A. The Moravian Unity

• Recognition of Authority
  As members of the Moravian Church we will abide by the decisions made by the official boards of our congregations, and agree to be governed, both as individuals and as a congregation, by the enactments of the Unity Synod of the Moravian Church and of the Synods of the Province to which our congregation belongs.

• Stewardship
  We deem it a sacred responsibility and genuine opportunity to be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to us: our time, our talents, and our financial resources. We view all of life as a sacred trust to be used wisely.

• We will support, according to our ability, the financial needs of the local congregation, the District, the Province, and the Unity. We will consider the support of the benevolent causes of the Moravian Church, both at home and abroad, as a privilege, an opportunity, and a responsibility.

• We will also recognize the support of worthy causes outside of the Church as part of our stewardship.

• Personal Relationships
  Since disciples of Jesus are to be known by the love they have to one another (John 13:35), we will cherish Christian love as of prime importance.

• We will be eager to maintain the unity of the Church. Realizing that God has called us from many and varied backgrounds, we recognize the possibility of disagreements or differences. Often these differences enrich the Church, but sometimes they divide. We consider it to be our responsibility to demonstrate within the congregational life the unity and togetherness created by God who made us one. How well we accomplish this will be a witness to our community as to the validity of our faith.

• We will endeavor to settle our differences with others in a Christian manner (Galatians 6:1), amicably, and with meditation, and, if at all possible, avoid resort to a court of law (Matthew 18:15-17).

• Worship and Sunday Observance
  Remembering that worship is one of our proper responses to Almighty God, an experience designed for our benefit, and a part of our Christian witness, we and our children will faithfully attend the worship services of the Church.

• We, therefore, will be careful to avoid unnecessary labor on Sunday and plan that the recreations in which we engage on that day do not interfere with our own attendance or that of others at divine worship.

• Holy Communion
  In the celebration of this Sacrament we receive the renewed assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, and of our fellowship with Christ; unite with one another as members of His Body; and rejoice in the hope of His return in glory. Therefore, we will commune faithfully and thus renew our pledge of allegiance to Him.

B. The Unity We Seek

• We will have fellowship, in all sincerity, with children of God in other Christian churches, and will carefully avoid all disputes respecting opinions and ceremonies peculiar to one or another church. In this fellowship we will cooperate with other churches in the support of public charities or Christian enterprises, which have a just claim upon us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

• We realize that it is the Lord's will that the Church of Jesus Christ should give evidence of and seek unity in Him with zeal and love. We see how such unity has been promised us and laid upon us as a charge. We recognize that through the grace of Christ the different denominations have received many gifts and that the Church of Christ may be enriched by these many and varied contributions. It is our desire that we may learn from one another and rejoice together in the riches of the love of Christ and the manifold wisdom of God. We welcome every step that brings us nearer the goal of unity in Him.

III The Witness of the Christian Home

A. Marriage

• We regard it as a sacred obligation to hold to the ideal of Christian marriage as a lifelong commitment given by our Lord in His teaching. We consider it essential, therefore, that all persons contemplating marriage should receive premarital counseling and that our young people should be instructed, beginning in adolescence, in the meaning and obligation of Christian marriage. This instruction should be given through the Church and home.

• We regard Christian marriage as a lifelong covenant before God which requires the continuous loyalty of the man and the woman toward each other. Any breaking of the marriage bond is a result of sin and causes human suffering; therefore it is the duty of husband and wife to meet all frictions, offenses, and disagreements with a humble, forgiving spirit that persistently works for reconciliation. If at any time the stability of their marriage is threatened, the couple is to seek the counsel of a pastor, of other spiritual leaders in the Church, or of other professional Christian counselors as soon as possible before any other action is taken.

• Following the example and teaching of our Lord, we acknowledge the responsibility to deal compassionately and redemptively with human frailty and sin in every area of life, including the failure of marriage. As ambassadors of Christ we are called to be agents of reconciliation, we recognize that persons of sincere faith and with good counsel may still decide or be forced to divorce. We believe it our Christian responsibility to pray for, support, and encourage those who have divorced, the children of the divorced, and all who are wounded by divorce.

B. Family Life

• As parents, remembering that our children are the property of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 1:19), we will bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) and take all possible care to preserve them from every evil influence. For this reason we will seek to approve ourselves as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, setting an example for our children. We will give faithful attention to the spiritual development of our children, both in the home and in the church. We will endeavor to conduct regular family devotions.

IV The Witness of a Christian Citizen

A. Recognition of Civil Authority

• We will be subject to the civil authorities as the powers ordained of God, in accordance with the admonitions of Scripture (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14) and will in nowise evade the taxes and other obligations which are lawfully required of us (Romans 13:7).

B. Responsibilities

• Considering it a special privilege to live in a democratic society, we will faithfully fulfill the responsibilities of our citizenship, among which are intelligent and well-informed voting, a willingness to assume public office, guiding the decisions of government by the expression of our opinions, and supporting good government by our personal efforts.

C. A Higher Loyalty

• Though giving our loyalty to the state of which we are citizens, we do recognize a higher loyalty to God and conscience (Acts 5:29).

D. Peacemakers

• For the sake of the peace which we have with God, we earnestly desire to live peaceably with all people and to seek the peace of the places where we dwell.

V Our Witness in the World

A. Love Toward All

• We will not hate, despise, slander, or otherwise injure anyone. We will ever strive to manifest love towards all people, to treat them in a kind and friendly manner, and in our dealings with them to approve ourselves upright, honest, and conscientious, as becomes children of God. Together with the universal Christian Church, we have a concern for this world, opening our heart and hand to our neighbors with the message of the love of God, and being ever ready to minister of our substance to their necessities (Matthew 25:40).

B. Our Manner of Life

• We will at all times be ready cheerfully to witness to our faith (1 Peter 3:15,16) and if need be, to suffer reproach for Christ's sake (Luke 6:22,23). Being aware that our witness is made by both what we do and what we avoid doing, we will endeavor to let our manner of life "be worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Philippians 1:27), "not being conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). But in our yearning for the redemption of the whole creation, we will seek to meet the needs of the world in self-giving love, and as true yokefellows of Jesus Christ, willingly share in the fellowship of his sufferings, walking in his strength, by whom all things "are given us that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

C. Temperance in All Things

• Remembering the admonition of Scripture to be temperate in all things (1 Corinthians 9:25), we shall endeavor to look upon our bodies as temples of God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We must also remember to respect the welfare of others who may be affected by our actions (Romans 14:20,21). We are aware of the problems that can be caused by the intemperate use of such things as alcoholic beverages, food, tobacco, drugs, and other things. We consider it the responsibility of every Christian to decide most carefully how they can be used in good conscience. We regard intemperance in any area of living as being inconsistent with the Christian life.

D. Unity

• Christian: We recognize no distinction between those who are one in the Lord. We believe that God in Jesus Christ calls his people out of "every race, kindred, and tongue," pardons them beneath the Cross, and brings them into a living fellowship with himself. We regard it as a commandment of our Lord to bear public witness to this and to demonstrate by word and deed that we are one in Christ.

• Universal: Because we hold that all people are God's creatures (Genesis 1:27) and that he has made of one blood all nations (Acts 17:26), we oppose any discrimination based on color, race, creed, or land of origin and declare that we should treat everyone with love and respect.

E. Other Areas

• We realize that all areas of Christian life and conduct cannot be covered in this statement of principles by which we live and bear our witness, and we call attention, therefore, to the Christian's responsibility to follow Christ as Lord of all areas of life.

VI Discipline

• We make it a duty of the Board of Elders, which is charged with the spiritual welfare of the congregation, to see that this Moravian Covenant be adhered to and faithfully observed; and we will cooperate with the Board of Elders in its efforts to maintain the discipline of the congregation. As a redemptive community we will be much more concerned in aiding than censuring those who falter, being conscious of our own need for correction and forgiveness.