The Anchorage Moravian Church while not having a long history comes out of the experience of the Alaska Moravian Churches. Organized in January 2001 it is the newest congregation in Alaska. The Bethel Moravian Church is the first and oldest Moravian Church in Alaska begun by Moravian missionaries from Pennyslvania in 1885.

Currently there are 23 Moravian congregations in the state of Alaska. The following information is provided so that you can better understand what is a Moravian.

• Believes in God as Trinity
• Is a Christ-centered church
• Looks to the Bible as the primary guide for life and faith
• Believes salvation is a gift from God
• Approaches Christianity as a living relationship with Jesus Christ
• Nurtures and encourages spiritual growth.
• Celebrates the sacraments of baptism and holy communion
• Is a worldwide church
• Works cooperatively with other Christian churches
• Has a continuing witness since 1457.

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What is a Moravian?

The question of what is a Moravian cannot be answered without answering the question, "What is its origins"? Moravians are rooted in history. They have learned to appreciate what God has performed so wonderfully on their behalf. The Anchorage Moravian Church leadership would like to share this information with anyone interested in attending our church:

Origins:

The roots of the Moravian Church spring from the Unitas Fratrum, the "Unity of the Brethren", which began at Kunvald in Bohemia in the year 1457. It has long been known that the Unitas Fratrum is the oldest known Protestant group that existed several decades before the Protestant Reformation. John Hus, its greatest leader, was martyred for his faith. Persecuted by the Roman Church in the early 1620s, the brethren survived as a "hidden seed" in Bohemia in Bohemia and Moravia.

Between 1722 and 1723, some families from Moravia settled on the estate of Nicolaus Ludwig, Count Zinzendorf, and built a village called Herrnhut. There under Count Zinzendorf's spiritual leadership the brethren emphasized more and more the power of the Cross of Christ that reconciled them to each other. Out of this the early Moravians experienced an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the celebration of Holy Communion on August 13, 1727.

After the Moravian Pentecost experience at Herrnhut, early Moravian missions work began in earnest. The Moravian missions work bore results in England. In 1732, the invigorated church started its first work among the slaves of St. Thomas in the West Indies and North America in 1735. Additionally missions work was undertaken in Greenland, Labrador, South Africa, Tanzania, Surinam, and other areas such as Northern India. A work has existed among the lepers in Palestine.

Today, the Moravian Church in North America has close to 60,000 members and maintains central offices in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Alaska mission work:

The Moravian Church in Bethlehem sent its first missionaries to Bethel, Alaska in 1885. Their work bore fruit under the able leadership of The Rev. Henry Kilbuck who learned the Yup'ik language.

Today, there are 23, mainly Yup'ik speaking, Moravian congregations in southwestern, Alaska, and a Moravian Church in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, Alaska. In summer of 2001, a Moravian Fellowship was begun in Napaskiak, Alaska. These churches are joined together as members of the Alaska Moravian Church, which has offices in Bethel, Alaska. The Alaska Moravian Church has a Moravian Theological Institute and Seminary which operates yearly and trains clergy. An annual synod is held at the Bethel church each January to conduct its important business.

Alaska's largest Moravian Church is located in Bethel, Alaska:

The Bethel community was a center for Moravian missions work. The first church was constructed in 1905. The second church was dedicated in September 1958. After over 90 years of missions work, the Bethel Moravian Church evolved into a self-dependent congregation in 1983.

After over 100 years of work on the Kuskokwim, the Bethel Moravian Church congregation moved into a new fellowship hall,( its third church building) in December 1996, and it's main worship sanctuary was dedicated in September 1999. The church family continues to work hard to meet the spiritual and social needs of both Yup'ik and non-Yup'ik people. It seeks to reach out to the community and the world beyond with its loving concern, its prayers, and its financial contributions.

The church in Bethel is open to anyone who would like to worship in English, each Sunday at 10:50 AM. A Yup'ik worship service is conducted each Sunday evening, at 7 PM. Sunday School is at 9:45 AM.

A Yup'ik Bible study group meets each Wednesday evening, at 7 PM.

Anyone wanting information on church activities at the Bethel Moravian church should call 543-3174.

What our church believes:

Moravians recognize the historic creeds of Christendom. We believe salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and that the Christian Church is the fellowship of believers who share this experience. We accept the Bible as the instrument of God's revelation of Himself and as the guide for Christians today.

Much of the spirit of the Moravian Church is understandable through a popular motto of the church. This motto says: "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, but in all things love". By this we mean that in certain essential Christian doctrines, the Trinitarian nature of God, the Deity of Jesus Christ, the universality of man's sin and need for a Savior, and the Scriptures as the ground of our faith and practice, we must stand united. On the other hand, in certain non-essentials such as how Christ is present in the elements of the Holy Communion, what mode of baptism should be followed, and how the Church should be organized there have always been differences of interpretation between Christians. We believe that these non-essentials should not divide those who love Jesus Christ. Finally, we believe that, whether or not we agree entirely on some of the less essential doctrines of the Christian Church, we can live and work together because of our common love for Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

We invite you to full participation in our worship, our Sunday School, our outreaches and other services we are doing on behalf of Jesus Christ. We solicit believers prayers that God will use us in a powerful and effective way. Without a prayer platform we recognize our church ministry will be ineffective. God bless you for your prayer support and financial gifts.

If anyone would like more information about our weekly services, please feel free to contact

Bethel Moravian Church at 543-3174 or Anchorage Moravian Church at 243-3837.