Southern Province enters into Covenant Partnership with Presbyterian Church USA

The Moravian Church Southern Province Synod of 2010 adopted a resolution to form a Covenant Partnership with the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA)

The Covenant Partnership with the Presbyterian Church USA is the result of conversations between Moravians in the South and North and the PCUSA that took place between 2002 and 2007.  Participants chose the language of  “Covenant” since both Moravians and Presbyterians make common and frequent use of that term. Hardly a week passes that we do not speak of God’s Covenant with Israel or the New Covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We both practice “covenant baptism” and we Moravians practice “the Cup of Covenant.”

The following areas of cooperation are taken either from the working document, “An Invitation to the Table: A Proposal for Moravian/Reformed Covenant Partnership,” or from the action on the proposal taken by the 218^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA in 2008.  The language is abbreviated. A similar agreement was adopted by the PCUSA and the Moravian Church Northern Province at their Synod in June.

As Covenant Partners the PCUSA and the Moravian Church Southern Province will:

• Recognize each other as churches in which the gospel is rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered according to the Word of God in the Scriptures.  (This does not mean that we agree on all points of doctrine and practice.)
• Recognize each other’s ordained ministries as valid, and develop processes and procedures for the orderly exchange of ministers.  (In past we have sometimes exchanged ministers.  The covenant partnership gives the process more structure. In the Moravian Church the PEC will continue to function as in the call of a pastor already serving in our denomination.)
• Cooperate in mission—locally, regionally, and nationally. Such efforts may include sharing models of existing cooperation, as well as creating new opportunities for common witness and mission.
• Cooperate in developing resources, as appropriate.  Such resources may include but not be limited to Christian Education curriculum, mission education resources, and liturgical resources that may serve to officiate mutual understanding.
• Invite one another to participate in governance and other activities.  This means that we will regularly invite one another to participate in church-wide assemblies, synods, and councils, etc.   (We had a delegate from the PCUSA at our 2010 Synod.)

The idea of “Covenant Partnership,” seems more modest than the idea of “Full Communion,” yet the effect is virtually the same.  It offers the partners a wonderful opportunity of working together as we jointly profess our faith in Jesus Christ before the world.  It goes without saying that we will continue to recognize and value our independent existence, and our Diversity and the Diversity of gifts—which we hope to share with one another.

Southern Province elects Provincial Elders’ Conference

The new Moravian Church Southern Province Provincial Elders' Conference includes (l to r) Gary Kniskern, the Rev. Ray Burke, the Rev. David Guthrie, Joyce Vance, the Rev. Christopher Thore, the Rev. Dr. Neil Routh and Betsy Bombick (not pictured).

With ballots held throughout the 2010 Synod of the Moravian Church, Southern Province, delegates have elected the new Provincial Elders’ Conference to serve for the next four years.

The Provincial Elders’ Conference for the Southern Province consists of three clergy and three lay people in addition to the PEC president. These seven will provide leadership of all church ministries and administer the polity of the Southern Province.

The three lay members of the PEC include:

• Betsy Bombick of Winston-Salem, N.C. – Betsy is a scientist/manager and a member of Home Moravian Church in Winston-Salem.
• Joyce Vance of Charlotte, N.C. – Joyce is the director of Christian Education (DCE) for Peace Moravian Church in Charlotte.
• Gary Kniskern of Mount Airy, N.C. – Gary is a retired chief financial officer and vice president of administration and a member of Grace Moravian Church in Mount Airy.

The three clergy members of the PEC include:

• The Rev. Ray Burke, pastor of Clemmons Moravian Church in Clemmons, N.C.
• The Rev. Christopher Thore, pastor of New Beginnings Moravian Church, Huntersville, N.C.
• The Rev. Dr. Cornelius (Neil) Routh, pastor, Christ Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.

The newly elected PEC members join the Rev. David Guthrie, who was elected PEC president on Friday, Sept. 10.

David Guthrie elected president, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Southern Province

The Rev. David Guthrie (center) upon his election to Southern Province PEC President

On Friday, delegates at the 2010 Moravian Church Southern Province Synod elected the Rev. David Guthrie as president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference.  David was elected on the fifth ballot.

“I love the Lord Jesus Christ, I love this Church,” said David upon his election. “It’s been my privilege to serve it for the past 24 years and with the Lord helping me, I will serve as PEC president.”

David currently serves as executive director, Board of Evangelism and Home Missions of the Moravian Church, Southern Province.  He is a member of New Philadelphia Moravian Church and a resident of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Prior to his current role, David was pastor at Rolling Hills Moravian Church in Longwood, Fla. from 1994-2003 and at Prince of Peace Moravian Church in Miami, Fla. from 1986-1994.  He attended Moravian Theological Seminary was ordained in 1986.

David will assume his new role in November.

Moravian Church Southern Province enters full communion with Episcopal Church

Today, delegates of the Moravian Church, Southern Province voted to bring their Province into a relationship of full communion with the Episcopal Church. The proposal, brought to the floor of the Southern Province’s 2010 Synod held at Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, N.C., was approved by a vote of 121 to 74.

The full communion relationship of the Moravian Church, Southern Province and the Episcopal Church brings a greater unity to the Christian church. “We seek this relationship of full communion so that our mission as Christ’s church will be more effectively fulfilled and each of our denominations might be more complete because of the spiritual treasures of the other,” reads Finding Our Delight In the Lord: A Proposal for Full Communion Between the Episcopal Church; the Moravian Church Northern Province; and the Moravian Church, Southern Province. “We do this for the sake of the world so that the world may believe.”

“This is an important action for our churches, both Moravian and Episcopal,” said the Rt. Rev. Dr. Wayne Burkette, Moravian bishop and outgoing Provincial Elders’ Conference president. “Full communion acknowledges our essential unity as disciples of Jesus Christ and enhances our witness to the world.”

“This is truly a blessing,” said Rev. Steven Miller, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee and co-chair of the dialogue that produced the full communion agreement. “The action of the Southern Province in adopting ‘Finding Our Delight In the Lord’ is the culmination of years of work by many faithful servants.  We now begin the tasks of living more fully with the unity while the Lord gives us in common mission to the world He loves.  May God watch over us as we go forward together.”

In pursuing full communion with another church, both denominations remain faithful to Christ’s will for his church. However, full communion is not a merger. There will still be differences between the denominations, just as there are differences in individual churches, provinces and dioceses of any denomination.  Differences in structure, doctrine, liturgy and positions on social and ethical issues may require each church to speak for itself at times.

This communion maintains what makes each denomination special or unique to its members; it is about the unity of Christ’s church, not the uniformity of practice. The two will mutually recognize and respect each other as part of the one holy Christian and apostolic church, which affirms its faith through the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.

In addition to the unity of Christ’s church, full communion provides for the sharing of ministry.  With this agreement, ordained clergy in each denomination will be able to serve in the other, allowing for the orderly interchange of ordained ministers (subject to the approval of the receiving denomination), joint worship and the celebration of Holy Communion.

On a practical level, the full communion provides opportunities to share resources and mission work.  Full communion agreements bring mutual cooperation and laboring together in mission work, church planting, clergy education, disaster relief and other areas of common endeavors.  The communion also offers opportunities to enhance the life and ministry of local congregations.

The Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of their full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Episcopal Church in the U.S. also has full communion with the ELCA.  This is the first time three denominations have come to full communion agreements on their own.

The full communion is the result of many years of work between the two churches.  It was first proposed in 1999.  Since then, ecumenical representatives from both denominations worked to reach the accord.  The 76^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, meeting July 8-17, 2009, adopted Finding Our Delight in the Lord unanimously.  The Moravian Church Northern Province elected to affirm the full communion at their Synod in June.

Synod delegates elect board members

In early balloting at the Southern Province Synod on Friday, delegates elected members to the boards of Moravian-associated ministries and institutions.  To be elected, candidates needed to receive votes from at least half of the 200-plus voting delegates.

Results from the first election include:

Board of World Mission
Joseph Moore (First Georgia) and Jack Geis (New Philadelphia)

Mission Society, Southern Province Directors
Matthew Allen (Oak Grove); Scott Brent (Friedland); Martha C. Fisher (Kernersville); Donna Hurt (Grace); Bonnie Landreth (Friedberg); Lisa Mullen (Konnoak Hills); Dan Nelson (Fulp); Charles W. Nienow (Friedberg); Tim Sapp (Mizpah); Linda Smith (Calvary); Gary Stilley (Trinity); Donna Tesh (Christ)

Moravian Theological Seminary Trustees
Craig Troutman (Raleigh) and Heather Vacek (Raleigh)

Provincial Women’s Board, Southern Province
Cathy Ebert (New Philadelphia); Mallie Graham (Home); Janet Jennings (Hope); Betty King (New Philadelphia); Cindy Meier (First GA); Brenda Peoples (St. Philips); Ethalyn Richards (New Hope, FL); Clara B. Rollins (Christ); Tamra Thomas (Home); DeAnne Warren (Raleigh/Mt. Laurel Fellowship)

Salem Academy & College Trustees
Wayne Burkette (Home); Chi-Chi Messick (Home); Bill Petree (Home); Roddy Flow (Home); Anna Smith (Fries Memorial)

Salemtowne/Moravian Home Directors
Peggy Carter (Fries Memorial); Anne Geis (New Philadelphia); Frank James (Home); Bill McElveen (King)

Congratulations to all those elected.  Additional elections for Provincial Elders Conference will continue during the next several sessions.
(9/10/10)

Southern Province Synod 2010 Convenes

The 2010 Synod of the Moravian Church in America Southern Province convened this afternoon at Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, North Carolina.  During the next three days, delegates from congregations across the Southern Province will be working to help set the vision and actions that will guide the Province through the next four years.

Over the course of the next several days, we will follow the actions, discussions and resolutions of this Synod.

Photos from the opening session:

A Moravian band greeted Synod delegates with music

The Rev. Tracy Pryor of Covenant Moravian Church in Wilmington, N.C. led opening worship.

Communion during opening worship.

Synod Co-chairs the Rev. Dr. Frank Crouch of Moravian Theological Seminary and Donna Hurt from Lexington, N.C. outline standing rules for Synod during the opening session.

Delegates vote in the first round of elections for Board of Director members for Mission Society of the Moravian Church, Southern Province and Board of World Mission; members of Provincial Women’s Board; and Trustees for Moravian Theological Seminary, Salem Academy & College and Salemtowne.

Synod 2010

September 9-12, 2010
Blue Ridge Assembly
Black Mountain, NC

News will be posted on this blog throughout Synod 2010.  Information about Synod and Delegate Preparation is available on the Moravian Church Southern Province web site.