FROM THE ECUMENICAL OFFICER - APRIL 2021
Imagination is a greatly unappreciated gift of God.
One Moravian pastor has recently been called to establish a new ministry among a group of people often not served by the church. This call grew out of the imagination of the pastor and his wife.
We may lament divisions in the church, but they often originate in imagination. Jan Hus and Martin Luther imagined a church different from the one they knew. Count Zinzendorf imagined a different church, a church in which the Christian faith was personal, not simply a part of European culture. He further imagined a church including people who were not Europeans and so began the Moravian mission effort.
The modern ecumenical movement has roots in people in churches around the world who imagined a church not shaped by European ways of thinking and worshiping and serving and a church that did not assume that European culture was superior to other cultures.
One of the issues today in predominantly white nations is the convictions and actions of white supremacists, who lack the ability to imagine a better world not controlled by white people.
In the Moravian Church today we see examples of imagination. Tricklebee Café was birthed in the faith of a pastor who imagined a restaurant-centered Christian ministry in a poorer neighborhood in Milwaukee. At least one congregation has chosen to focus on combating racism. More than one congregation has found a special way to serve homeless members of their community. Three Moravian congregations previously served by three pastors are imagining how they can be served by one pastor. And there are many other ways God may be using our imaginations.
More often than not, such imaginative effort attracts support and interest from some other Christians, from some other churches, from some non-Christians—support and interest much less likely to be aroused by our normal week-to-week activity.
Our God-given imagination may thus both help us to inspire others and enable us to be inspired by others.
Lord Jesus, your imagination gave us parables, which help us to start to understand your will and your kingdom. May we continue to be invited by our imagination to see where you are working and where you are inviting us to follow. Amen.
Hermann I. Weinlick, Ecumenical Officer
Moravian Church, Northern Province
One Moravian pastor has recently been called to establish a new ministry among a group of people often not served by the church. This call grew out of the imagination of the pastor and his wife.
We may lament divisions in the church, but they often originate in imagination. Jan Hus and Martin Luther imagined a church different from the one they knew. Count Zinzendorf imagined a different church, a church in which the Christian faith was personal, not simply a part of European culture. He further imagined a church including people who were not Europeans and so began the Moravian mission effort.
The modern ecumenical movement has roots in people in churches around the world who imagined a church not shaped by European ways of thinking and worshiping and serving and a church that did not assume that European culture was superior to other cultures.
One of the issues today in predominantly white nations is the convictions and actions of white supremacists, who lack the ability to imagine a better world not controlled by white people.
In the Moravian Church today we see examples of imagination. Tricklebee Café was birthed in the faith of a pastor who imagined a restaurant-centered Christian ministry in a poorer neighborhood in Milwaukee. At least one congregation has chosen to focus on combating racism. More than one congregation has found a special way to serve homeless members of their community. Three Moravian congregations previously served by three pastors are imagining how they can be served by one pastor. And there are many other ways God may be using our imaginations.
More often than not, such imaginative effort attracts support and interest from some other Christians, from some other churches, from some non-Christians—support and interest much less likely to be aroused by our normal week-to-week activity.
Our God-given imagination may thus both help us to inspire others and enable us to be inspired by others.
Lord Jesus, your imagination gave us parables, which help us to start to understand your will and your kingdom. May we continue to be invited by our imagination to see where you are working and where you are inviting us to follow. Amen.
Hermann I. Weinlick, Ecumenical Officer
Moravian Church, Northern Province