Liturgy of the Word

The Moravian Liturgy 1960 is currently the main authorised book of services. The liturgy of the Word is contained in six Orders of Worship, each one of which produces a service lasting about one hour. The words of introduction consist of texts from Scripture with a response from the congregation. Confession and absolution also follow Scripture closely and in some Orders feature the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Summary of the Law or the Beatitudes. There is provision for the chanting of psalms and canticles such as the Magnificat and the singing of hymns. Among the canticles is a festal doxology from the 1759 Moravian Liturgy. Many prayers are taken from Anglican, Scottish and Free Church texts but some elements are distinctively Moravian. The First Order is grounded in the Litany compiled by Martin Luther and printed in the Brethren's Hymn Book of 1566.^[10] The Sixth Order includes the 'Christ Litany' composed by Zinzendorf.

The Liturgy also includes the Apostles' and Nicene creeds and five 'confessions of faith'. The first of the ‘confessions’ dates from the early days of the Moravian renewal in Germany in the 1720s.^[11] This is usually used in the Easter dawn service, commonly held in burial grounds. The Nicene Creed in the Moravian Liturgy does not include the 'filioque' clause, i.e., like the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Moravians believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone and not from 'the Father and the Son'. Linyard and Tovey (1994) do not attach much importance to this but it appears that Zinzendorf accepted the Greek claim that the ‘filioque’ was a relatively late Western addition.

Offices of the Church

The Offices of the Church in the Liturgy Book include the Lord's Supper, the Lovefeast, the Cup of Covenant, the Thanksgiving of Mothers, Baptism of Infants, Baptism of Adults & Confirmation, the Reception of Communicants, the Ordination of Ministers, Solemnization of Marriage and Burial of the Dead.

The liturgy for the Lord's Supper or holy communion shows a Moravian characteristic in that prayers are addressed not to God the Father but to Christ. The communion prayer is a combination of Anglican and Presbyterian material.^[12] At the heart of the service is a structure taken from Luther’s 1526 Deutsche Messe.^[13] After the Minister has recited the Lord’s words of institution, the communion wafers are distributed to worshippers in their seats and consumed together. A verse of meditation on the death of Christ is then sung. The same sequence is repeated with the wine, which is distributed in small glasses. Podmore (1998) reports how impressed observers, including Roman Catholics, were to see up to 300 people taking the sacrament together in solemn stillness and then prostrating themselves.^[14] After a hymn and a prayer of thanksgiving, a covenant hymn is sung in which members of the congregation exchange the right hand of fellowship. The service concludes with the Aaronic blessing. In most Moravian congregations in Britain, holy communion is celebrated once a month.

In the New Testament, the Lovefeast was part of the common meal which included the Lord’s Supper.^[15] The Lovefeast was spontaneously revived in the Moravian Church on 13 August 1727 when Count Zinzendorf sent some food to sustain people who wished to remain in prayer and singing following a deeply moving communion service in the parish church of Berthelsdorf on his estates in Saxony.^[16] Some Moravian congregations in Britain celebrate the Lovefeast with simple refreshments and singing of hymns as a way of preparing for communion.

The Cup of Covenant is a peculiarly Moravian custom. Originating in 1729 as a way of dedicating young men leaving on overseas missions, it involves drinking from a common cup, singing hymns and exchanging the right hand of fellowship.^[17]

The rite for the Ordination of Ministers makes provision for the ordination of deacons and presbyters and the consecration of bishops. The Moravian Church has retained a threefold order of ministry since its early days and an unbroken succession of bishops since 1553.^[18]

It is noteworthy that the Order for the Burial of the Dead includes a prayer for the repose of the faithful departed, borrowed from the Book of Common Prayer.^[19]

Special Seasons

The Moravian Church observes the seasons of the church year and the 1960 Liturgy includes services for Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Whitsuntide and Trinity Sunday.

Passion Week is of particular importance. On Palm Sunday the Hosanna Anthem, written by Christian Gregor in 1783, is sung in antiphonal form by males and females. This service begins a week of meetings for readings from the ‘Passion Week and Eastertide’ booklet, which contains a harmony of narrative drawn from all the gospels. On Thursday there is a service of holy communion. The Good Friday Liturgy includes readings from the booklet and singing of hymn verses. The Easter Liturgy, which in the old settlements of the church takes place in the burial grounds early in the morning of Easter Sunday, celebrates the Resurrection of Christ and prays for unbroken fellowship with the faithful departed; and ends in church with a service of holy communion with the Risen Lord.^[20]

Christmas is also important to Moravians, who place a special emphasis on the humanity of the Incarnate God.^[21] The Hosanna Anthem is sung on Advent Sunday. Closer to Christmas, a Christingle service is held. Now common in many denominations, this service was first held in the Moravian church at Marienborn in Germany in 1747. Each child was presented with a candle decorated with red ribbon to remind them of the birth of Christ ‘who has kindled in each heart a flame’. Nowadays the candle is presented on an orange decorated with frills and sweets to symbolize Christ as the Light of the World. By the light of the candles, the congregation sings Hymn 45, ‘Morning Star, O cheering sight’.^[22]