A Spiritual Heritage ⋆ UNITED INTERNATIONAL MORAVIAN MINISTRY

ARTICLE BELOW WAS WRITTEN (and showed up on facebook on January 8, 2025) BY MY FIRST COUSIN, GERALD “JERRY” NICHOLSON OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, A DOCTOR IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY AND HEATING:

𝗠𝗬 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧-𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥
𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐖 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 residing in Nushagak Alaska with the later namesake Lake Clark National Park & Preserve along with the Moravian Explorers 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗛. 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 and 𝗝.𝗔.𝗛 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻 were the 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦 of 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗞𝗔 back in 1884.

Prior to 1884 and before any Moravian Missionaries came to the Kuskowim River my
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁-𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐖 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 had spent many years traveling up and down the Kuskokwim River and knew precisely where the best spot was to locate 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗹 Alaska.

In 1884 The Moravian Explorers Weinland and Hartmann had never been up the Kuskokwim River before and wanted to established a Moravian Mission on the Kuskokwim River and call it 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗮. So their sailing ship harbored in Nushagak Alaska to visit with 𝐦𝐲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁-𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐖 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 to ‘𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡’ about the ❞𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱❞ up the Kuskokwim River.

Showing great interest in helping out the Moravian Explorers 𝐦𝐲
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁-𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐖 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 provided information explaining the physical topography of the Kuskokwim River area and described to them where to exactly locate Bethel.

As shown in attached images taken in Nushagak Alaska in 1884; also, in 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 my 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁-𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐖 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 ‘𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗟𝗬’ provided the Moravian Explorers 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗛. 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 and 𝗝.𝗔.𝗛 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻 Bidarka’s (skin boats) including four Alaska Native guides to travel from the Nushagak Bay up the Kuskokwim river to discover Bethel where it is located today.

Source: The History of the Alaska Moravian Church in Alaska 1885-1985: HARMONIOUS TO DWELL ; Authors: James W. Henkelman, Kurt H. Vitt – Pages 74-75 and 81

Note by Bishop William H. Nicholson, January 9, 2025:

It’s ok to take a moment to think back to our heritage; whatever it is. If bad we can learn from it and improve our situation for those that come after us. Anyhow a spiritual heritage is important because it provides a sense of identity. It gives us a connection to the past,. I believe we should live in the present and make the best of it for Christ, but someone has said that a spiritual heritage, “privides a foundation for our beliefs and values, allowing us to understand where we come from in terms of faith, guiding our actions and providing a sense of purpose through the stories and teachings passed down through generations.” This is why my Moravian heritage is important. My Moravian Theological Seminary New Testament professor, Bishop Arthur Freeman (1977) and bishop who consecrated me as a Moravian bishop in 2008, says, “Our Faith is a theology of Heart in Christ”. Indeed, our Moravian Revival faith is one of intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. And indeed it can be a type of roadmap for living a meaningful spiritual life and connecting with a larger community of faith.

Shown below is my professor of New Testament, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Arthur Freeman. He is one of two bishops, who consecrated me as a bishop of Moravian Heritage on May 4, 2008 in Anchorage, Alaska.