Moravian Church in North America

(Portions of this prayer are adapted from the Palm Sunday Liturgy in the Moravian Book of Worship) We read the watchword for the week: Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 118:4 We praise you, the Lord God of Israel! You came to the help of your people and […]

Convo is a tradition that youth and young adults in the Moravian Church have enjoyed since 1957. Held every two years, Convo traditionally rotates between a gathering here in North America for high schoolers and a gathering elsewhere in the Moravian Unity for young adults. Beginning with the 2025 Convo for high schoolers, the Board of World Mission is honored […]

For the past several months, I’ve experienced the Moravian Church’s Readings for Holy Week more than a dozen times. Why? Because I’ve been working to finalize an audio version of these traditional Moravian Passion Week services. Jill Bruckart, our customer service assistant here at the IBOC, is also a seasoned musician. She’s an accomplished organist, […]

Fifth Sunday in Lent “Thank you, Jesus”  Perhaps you have seen the yellow signs with black lettering popping up in yards everywhere, with three words on the sign: “Thank you, Jesus.” A homegrown project originating in a rural North Carolina church has resulted in well over 250,000 yard signs sold, along with garden flags, car […]

Fourth Sunday in Lent Finding Ourselves in the Story Perhaps the parable of the prodigal son is the most familiar of Jesus’ stories. It is certainly rich in images and open to many interpretations. And yet every reading, every hearing, can bring new insight, or remind us of something we already knew but had forgotten. […]

Third Sunday in Lent Look For the Helpers Sometime our suffering is the result of sin, our own and/or that of others. However, sometimes suffering just happens. Last fall two major hurricanes ravaged parts of the eastern United States: Hurricane Helene caused damage and destruction from the Gulf Coast of Florida through the Appalachian Mountains, […]

The watchword for the week: Seek the Lord while he may be found,  call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 Christ invites us to come and worship To rest from the things that are troubling us; To pray for the needs of those close to us as well as for the needs of […]

The Watchword for the Week:  The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1 Incline your ear to the Lord. Listen that you may live. Today let us seek after the Lord. Let us put aside our busy lives for just this moment, May we accept God’s grace in sufficient measure […]

Second Sunday in Lent Jesus’ Grieving and Ours Even Jesus did not have a life free from grief or sadness. Along with the Old Testament prophets, in whose footsteps he walked, his wisdom in evaluating the current state of affairs brought him sadness, and his knowledge of the consequences of human actions caused him grief. […]

March 10, 2025 Dear Moravian Friends: We, the bishops serving in the Northern and Southern Provinces, greet you with the grace, mercy, peace, and love of Jesus Christ, our Chief Elder. We send you this letter as we find ourselves in a divided world that needs God’s love. In his first letter to the Corinthians, […]

First Sunday in Lent Jesus’ Temptation and Ours  “When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). One of the more disquieting concepts of this story of Jesus’ time in the wilderness is the last line, which reminds us that conquering temptation once doesn’t mean it will […]

Watchword for the Week: No one who believes in Christ will be put to shame. Romans 10:11 In this Lenten season, Loving God, you call us to a time of reflection and contemplation. This is a time to ponder where our wandering steps have separated us from you. This is a time to consider who we […]

The Provincial Elders’ Conferences of the Moravian Church in America, Northern and Southern Provinces, have signed on to the Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge from Church World Service (CWS). This declaration represents a commitment by religious leaders and organizations to stand against policies that endanger refugees and immigrants. At a time when the United […]

Watchword for the Week: And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus alone. Matthew 17:8 From the distractions of our lives, we gather to see Jesus. From the busyness of business we pause to adjust our focus. We come into the presence of God, Knowing our need for God’s leading in our […]

Transfiguration Sunday Mountains to Valleys There’s something about the mountains that stirs the soul. For the Israelites, mountaintop experiences often reflected an encounter with God. This seems the case for Jesus as his clothes become dazzling white and, as at his baptism, a voice from the clouds calls him “Son,” “Chosen.” There is broader meaning […]