Ezekiel 33:7 says, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth give them a warning from me. ” What does a watchman do in our world. We know they checks windows, doors, and entrances to buildings to make certain they are secured; Deters admittance of unauthorized persons to the premises; Investigates unusual conditions or disturbances; Prevents damage to property; Checks condition of fire hazards; etc.
God wants me to share that as Moravians and even if we are not Moravian, we can all do better to remain in Unity as a living family of God. We all can do better as we follow Jesus Christ and His holy Word. There is no need to hide but share the truth in love. The scripture speaks of loving rebuke. Luke 17:3-4 ESV says, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
The Moravian Church of today appears to have left its roots. For hundreds of years she has tried to live up to her great motto: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”
In 2016 the Alaska Moravian Province and the Unitas Fratrum literally threw our United International Moravian Ministry (UIMM) group into the wash, which is probably more Moravian historically than many Churches in the world. The Anchorage Moravian Church, home Church for UIMM was excluded by action at Unity Synod in Jamaica. This has done violence to one of the “most cherished” principles of the Church for centuries – the great principle of unity.
In light of the above, no matter what has been done to us, we continue to cherish our Unity with Moravians everywhere. For almost two years UIMM has been inviting traditional Moravian bishops to speak in our pulpits. We long for the day, when they will invite us to share Christ and our Moravian heritage with them in their pulpits.
Like Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf said, we are a “Living Church” and a church that should uplift Christ and follow the full counsel of His Word. Like the Rev. J. Kenneth Pfohl said on August 12, 1917 and I’m sure he would say it today, “Remember our points of union are far greater than our points of differences.”
In 1457 Gregory and his fellow believers purposed only a kind of brotherhood or society within the established church which would seek to reestablish the pure and simple Christian life of the apostolic days and purify the church of which they were a part. There was no thought of separation from the church of their day.
In 1727 under Zinzendorf he also felt that a separate church should not be established. He supported the idea that their group should become a spiritual body within the established church, a spiritual seed or leaven to “leaven the whole lump” of the church, to bring about a purer and better life within the church itself.
Initially, since 2012 UIMM (formally UAMM) was recognized by the Unity Board. Since disassociation in 2016, UIMM continues to strive to function as a Moravian ministry group that is alive and fulfilling the great Commission of Jesus Christ.