Paulette and I lived in North Carolina for forty-two years before moving here and joining Joy. While there, we were members of a Moravian church. It is a small denomination, but it nevertheless has influenced other Protestants, including Luther and Wesley. For example, it was founded by Jan Hus, and his writings were a great influence on Martin Luther a century later. Moravian beliefs and customs helped both Paulette and I mature in our faith. One of my favorites is the Moravian Motto which reads

In essentials, unity;
In non-essentials, liberty;
In all things, love.

To me, the motto is an excellent guide as to how to relate to other members of my local church and God’s world-wide Church. It does leave one question vague – what are the essentials and what are the non-essentials.

Christ as Savior is the biggest essential, as is His freely given grace. The Trinity as expressed in the Nicene Creed is another. Faith in Christ and a commitment to live as his followers are believed to be what really matters, as opposed to “Right doctrine,” which is not as important as “right living.”

Many things are considered non-essential. Variety in worship forms, musical selections, clergy styles, programs and outreach are not only tolerated but considered a positive, making the Moravian Church very ecumenical in nature. The nature and form of Communion is one example. It is hard to believe now, but beliefs about Communion were very divisive among early Protestants. Catholics, Lutherans and other Protestants all had different beliefs about how Christ was present in the elements. Moravians believed that He was present in the sacrament, but left it to individual believers as to what form.

Jesus told us to love one another, and we follow this commandment by having love be the guiding principle in our relationships with each other. This affirms the unity of Christians as members of His Church. Local matters such as those concerning the church building and finances are non-essential, but they can still lead to conflict and division. Remembering “In all things, love” helps restore unity. Approaching everything with love binds us together as a community of faith. This can be challenging, but we find the way to love by accepting His unconditional love for us all.

Jim