Manokotak Spiritual Feast:  An Amazing Outpouring of God's Spirit? 

By Bishop William Nicholson

November 6, 2008

The Manokotak Spirit Feast was an eye-opener for me as to what God may be doing for revival in the hearts of Moravians in rural Alaska.  Although an eye-opener, it may not be a surprise for the workings of the Holy Spirit within the Christian Church remains the same throughout the ages.  New churches and new spiritual movements have sprung up from revival.  Each main-line Christian denomination has their stories of revival and workings of God’s Spirit.

For days after attending the Manokotak feast, my heart is full of rejoicing and appreciation for what God has done.  To this day, over three weeks later, my heart still remains touched.  Indeed something beyond the norm, something very different and very real may be happening to our beloved Church!  I came to this realization after attending what everyone is now calling a “Spiritual Feast”.  The Spiritual Feast term is still new for most Moravians in Alaska and most have not participated in this type of worship experience.

This year's Spiritual Feast in Manokotak - an Alaskan Yup’ik village in southwestern, Alaska was held October 17-19, 2008.  This event planned by Young People leaders of the Manokotak Moravian Church was well attended by Moravians from at least seven or eight other communities of southwestern Alaska.  As a bishop of the Alaska Moravian Church I was invited to participate. I would like to thank the Elders of the Anchorage Moravian Church for allowing me to attend because the experience left me with a strong awareness of the presence of the Holy Ghost, literally maybe like the original Moravian Pentecost in August 1727, “a strange warmth in my heart”. 

Since my trip to Manokotak, other manifestations of the presence of God in my life has become apparent.  Its’ evidence is a desire welling up from deep within.  It is to pray more, to read God’s Word more, to share the gospel more in a special anointing of the Holy Spirit, and in holiness to submit to the leadership of God more to bring glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Where this goes, I hope, will transform my own Church ministry as I seek God's leading.  With my own limitations and even sometimes personal doubts I question where God will lead, but where He leads is always good.

The norm for Moravian churches is that we are a liturgical church with a rich musical and historical heritage.  We are members of the world-wide Unity of 18 other Moravian Provinces.  Our worship has evolved slightly different than other provinces.  The Churches in Alaska are filled with predominately Yup’ik congregants.  Emotion in the past is seldomly displayed in the worship services.  Historically the Church worship services are very traditional and I have never thought legalistic in any way.  Our formal traditional worship services continue to be very meaningful and touching.  It is the usual practice for a regular Moravian worship service to display an order of service shown usually in a printed worship bulletin or sheet of paper.  At the high point on the church calendar, we celebrate Moravian Love Feasts (singing and eating together in church), schedule corporate communion services with the use of the Right Hand of Fellowship, and practice the holy sacraments.  The influences deeply felt is that we are truly an alive church.  Strongly felt is that we are members of a main-line Moravian denomination that has been around a long time, actually predating the Reformation by 60 years.  Since organization in Eastern Europe in 1457, today we are the oldest Protestant Church in existence. 

Indirectly the Alaska Moravian mission field and later the Alaska Moravian Church came into being as a result of an outpouring of God’s Spirit.  This is the well-known outpouring of Moravian Pentecost in Herrnhut in 1727 which unified the local body and inspired them to send missionaries who carried the gospel to the colonial states in America. In Alaska the Moravian work was brought to life in 1885 through the labor of faithful Moravian missionaries who entered the Kuskokwim and Bristol Bay region.

The Moravian Church in Alaska born from the missionary era, by 1982 became America’s only indigenous, self-independent, self-propagating, and self-supporting Native-led Church.  The early days were filled with revival as whole villages responded to the gospel.  A fervent spirit was evident up to the early 1980s, however since then, it may be that our Church has become somewhat complacent; instead of reaching outward, possibly we have turned too far inward and as a result the Churches that exist today are still doing the same things that was done 50 years ago. 

Many people nowadays do not attend or have left the Church.  The younger generation has different needs.  They are feeling that they need to express their faith differently.  The hurts in the beginning of the 21^st century are great.  There is a larger and younger population in the Alaska Moravian Church area of influence that has to face many evils - sexual abuse, alcohol and drug addictive lifestyles, the highest incidence of suicide in the United States, lack of jobs, divorce becoming more frequent, broken relationships everywhere, and now recently due to the high cost of energy, many are becoming energy refuges and are moving more to the urban settings in Alaska.  Can our Moravian Church speak today more effectively to these new contemporary challenges which the older generation did not have to face?

As a student of Church history, I know that God in His wisdom in the life of the historical Christian Churches brings renewal and revival when He chooses.  It is His choice and timing!  Is this now happening in the Alaska Moravian province?  That’s what I was wondering about after my first night at the Manokotak Spiritual Feast.  Today I am still pondering the implications.  How am I going to explain what I saw?

This three day and night Manokotak Spiritual Feast (feast) was literally a series of several four hour Spirit-filled worship services held one after another with little time to eat.  An example of one day - along without other Church leaders, I spent Sunday with a total of over 14 hours at the Church worshiping without a liturgy or order of service in-hand and experiencing great joy!  On the part of the leadership, whether it was Panta Paul, Melvin Andrew, Louise Gloko or Teresa Ayojiak, what I saw in hand to get the feast going was simply a list of people on a piece of paper.  These were asked to give their testimonies or to sing.   It was obvious that the leadership had prayed before the feast began for God the Holy Spirit to pour out.  I believe that is what has happened!   This is a new manifestation of God’s grace and freedom never before evident in the Moravian Churches in Alaska. 

Before drafting this article, I waited three weeks so that I can objectify my own experience or “allow the dust to settle”; I want to have a clear mind and heart as I contemplated my experience at Manokotak’s Spiritual Feast.  I must admit what I observed was a genuine outpouring of love and joy and thanksgiving!  Hands were raised in worship as the Eskimo participants sang.  Folks clapped with joy and the Spirit of God - a special presence of the Holy Spirit was evident in the sanctuary.   A minor miracle possibly - without an order of service it was evident that there was a special flow of harmony and rhythm in the flow of the worship; everything was done in ‘decency and order”.  This was a powerful demonstration of God the Holy Spirit leading the congregation gathering in worship.  Although our services in Anchorage are liturgical and even though I am used to a specific order of service in the Moravian Church in Anchorage, Alaska, I felt that something special was happening at the Manokotak Moravian Church  I understood it simply because the more space I have given to the Holy Spirit to direct our Sunday worship services, especially in our non-denominational singspirations, the more of a blessing it has been for us!

Countless manifestations exhibited themselves in the first two days of the feast.  People literally broke down in tears with repentance.  Hearts where filled with a desire to experience more of the joy of the spirit.  People flooded the church early before the church service began with great anticipation.  People gave their testimonies one-after-another.  One young teenager who was about 14 years old said that he needed to speak because God wanted him to; he was allowed to share his story of Christ coming soon.  Another man full of the Spirit was drunk with joy; when he gave his testimony that the rapture is going to happen soon, he was so full of the Holy Spirit that his speech was slurred, which brought much laughter.  When people spoke it was with great authority and power; shouts of faith was common place!  Three well-known near death participants - Abraham George, Michael Nicholai, and Louie Alakayak attended the feast, but the feast did not revolve around them.  It revolved around those who participated either directly or indirectly.

After the worship service many people remained to be prayed for and be ministered to.  Others remained just to experience God's presence in the sanctuary.  As a bishop I was expected to minister along other leadership.  A couple of Moravian Lay Pastors including a retiree, a team from Mercy Wings Ministries of Soldotna, Alaska, and a pastor from a non-denominational church in Anchorage ministered freely.  Due to large number of people needing spiritual assistance, I began to tire noticeably as we laid hands on people, young and old that needed prayer. 

The third day and our final service was a big blessing as the Spirit of God began to build on the previous services.  After this service during a period of feeling fatigue, again what I think is a miracle happened.  What I saw was fascinating!  I noticed Christian young people at work for our Savior, Jesus Christ.  One of them, a little skinny Eskimo girl with long hair, maybe nine years old, was one-by-one laying on her hands on the chests of older children who towered over her.  Also there were two other Native boys, one 14 years old; the other 17 years of age, at work doing the same.  Today, I can still vividly see them in my mind's eye - two very Spirit-filled teens, hard at work in a receiving line with a large crowd of teenagers and  some young elementary school aged children waiting to be prayed for.  Some of children went through the receiving line more than once to further enjoy the presence of Christ, the Great Shepherd.  Incredibly these young people fervently prayed for salvation.  Oftentimes the sinners receiving prayer broke out with tears of remorse, then soon had smiles of wonder and joy on their faces.  God answered the teen leader’s prayers, again and again.  Literally it was children leading children to full and joyous repentance and justification by faith.  I have never heard of such a thing happening in a public service anywhere.  Praise God!

As I worked with the older people in the Church sanctuary who needed prayer, the same teens and little girl in the receiving line continued to receive other children for over two hours.  This unique manifestation of a move of God was not a dream.  I saw young children and youth beyond their years ministering to others.  These child leaders recited the sinner’s prayer in varying degrees.  I heard clearly prayers that the sinner’s names would be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and simultaneously laying their little hand on their peers heads and hearts, they then with authority asked God to fill the recipients with the Holy Spirit.  Evidence was a number of kids lying with hands out-stretched flat on their backs on the Moravian Church floor. There they lay with hands outreached heaven-ward communing quietly with their God.  It looked like they were receiving spiritual blessings.  A couple of others shook on the floor; it was almost as if it was a seizure in progress, but as we prayed for these young people, they began to slowly lift their arms and hand to the Lord Jesus.  Later an elder shared with me that she felt that one of the teens had lost a parent, and had also experienced much abuse.  It was her feeling that this youth was experiencing spiritual healing of emotions and soul. 

Every spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit seemed to be in operation at the feast.  This was evident through specific manifestations - healing, repentance, ministrations of praise, a couple delivered from demonic possession.  Forgiveness was a big factor.  What was a marvel for me was to see a Moravian Lay Pastor asking forgiveness of Pastor Paul Jenkins of the Pentecostal holiness church who graduated from Moravian Bible Seminary decades earlier.   Brother Paul had been hurt in unspeakable ways.  Great spiritual healing was commonplace. 

During a spirit-filled guitar, banjo, and key board driven song by Sam and Maggie Alexie, believers from the Bethel area, the Spirit of God fell again, this time in a big wave.  The result was spontaneous; couples went forward for marriage renewal.  The aisle was full of marriage partners confessing adultery with a desire for restored commitment. What takes marriage counselors years by the Holy Spirit was taken care of in a few short minutes.  Tears of forgiveness and joy was everywhere.  Praise God!

In conclusion what has been an unusual experience for me, albeit a blessed one, let me offer the following.  It is obvious in all the services of the Spiritual Feast, the Word of God was used.  Christ was glorified again and again.  Real time testimonies were shared and the result were sinners converted or recommitting by the boat load.  Those that lived in carnality recommitted their lives to walk in the Spirit.  All the fruits of the Spiritual Feast glorified Christ.

The October 2008 Manokotak Spiritual Feast is the third event in three years.  Those who lives had been changed during the first two years shared their testimonies with great power.  A theme throughout the 2008 feast is that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and that the Church of Jesus Christ must wake up, get busy winning others, and prepare to enter the eternal kingdom.

I can share more, but time does not permit!  The reality is something with great influence and power has begun touch the Moravian Church in Alaska with a promise of  renewal.  This type of experience may be frowned on by those who do not know or want to understand the way of the Spirit of God.  In the history of the Moravian Church, there have been times of renewal.  It is possible that God is calling all of us to pray for revival and renewal in our hearts to win those around us in our sphere of influence.

The pastors and lay pastors and elders of the Alaska Moravian Church may meet in synod 2009 to discuss the phenomenon of the Spiritual Feast.  May we all pray that this concept is studied with an open mind and heart.  We can learn things that will empower our ministries.  I think it is indeed “a new thing” God is doing in our midst.  If it is God’s work we cannot stop it!  If it is of God, there will be true revival bringing great repentance, love, unity and renewal of purpose for Christ’s glory. 

If the feast concept is a manifestation of a true revival, it must bring glory to our Savior. When there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like the Moravian Pentecost experience of 1727, the local churches will be strengthened, and believers will be gifted with inspiration to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and in turn reach out to win others for the Kingdom of God.  True revival will turn our church from looking inward to looking outward.  True revival may mean changes to the way we do things.

I thank the Elders and Young People of Manokotak Moravian Church for inviting me to attend this year’s feast.  They paid for my round-trip air ticket from Anchorage, Alaska.  Everyone received me cordially.  I thank my cousin, Sarah Catalone and her family for allowing me to overnight at their home.

William Nicholson

Thoughts on Spiritual Feast & Believer Priests

November 26, 2008

A Spiritual Feast will be held at the Denaina Center in Anchorage, Alaska, on November 28 and 29, 2008 at 6:30 PM. I have been told this is not a Moravian Church sponsored event.  My understanding is that it is being put on by Manokotak Young People leaders who simply want to share Christ and glorify His name and win souls for the kingdom and bring revival to young people wherever God leads them.  While the concept of the Spiritual feast is a new one, I understand it truly to be a great worship opportunity lead by “Believer Priests” who are Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-led, and who give God the praise honor and glory.  I will share the concept of the Believer Priest which is an old doctrine and the idea of an Open Worship opportunity, which is also an old idea resurrected in this time and age as the Spiritual Feast.

I am writing about the Spiritual Feast as an outsider, but one who is beginning to understand it because I have spoken to the Manokotak Young People one-to-one about it.  Their minds are pure and unselfish and extremely Christ centered.  I will try to explain what I understand about it.  I will attempt to explain the Spiritual Feast from the stand point of scripture.  At this point I am supporting it because of its fruits and its basis from Holy Scripture.  Again, this is just a commentary and attempt to understand what God is doing in our midst.  I am open to other interpretations if there are any.

Because the Spiritual Feast concept is new, there may be people opposing it.  They may oppose it because of false information or because they do not understand what it really is about.  I have heard that there are some that say this is the work of Anti-Christ.  I would like to share my thoughts as a result of having attended two of the Spiritual feasts.  The fruits are enormous as souls are being won for the kingdom wholesale and many more are recommitting their lives to the Lord Jesus.  This appears to be a new work of the Holy Spirit in these end times.

The danger is that there may be modern Pharisees or traditionalists that may try to stop what appears to be a new work of God.  We have to remember that the Pharisees’ doctrine as shown in the New Testament was dangerous.  It was dangerous because they founded their authority upon oral law or human traditions and as a result were legalistic, self-righteous and formalistic. They believed in salvation by law-keeping. Consequently, they denied salvation by grace through faith alone. They, in practice, denied the doctrine of original sin and depravity.

The Pharisees also “redefined the law externalizing it so that (in their mind) an outward, formal obedience to the law could be achieved. They “fenced” the law with all sorts of silly man-made rules and regulations so that sanctification consisted in ritual observances instead of learning and obeying the law itself. In the New Testament there are many references to the absurd detailed legalism of the Pharisees: the tithing of herbs (Mt. 23:23; Lk. 11:42); the wearing of tassels and phylacteries (Mt. 23:5); the obsession with ritual purity (e.g., Mk. 7:1ff.); frequent fasting (Mt. 9:14); and, silly and arbitrary rules surrounding oaths (Mt. 23:5). As Jesus said they strain out a gnat and swallow a camel (Mt. 23:24).”

“The Pharisees took pride in their Jewish heritage and greatly over-emphasized their privileged status as Jews (Rom. 2:17ff.) at the expense of the necessity of saving faith and conversion. Their religion was very external; good works were placed on display to be seen and praised by men (Mt. 6:1-6, 16; 23:5). Their religious leaders loved pomp, status and power (Mt. 23:6).”

            We have to remember what Christ says of these type of religious leaders.  They spoke of the law; love of ceremonies or tradition and religiosity, the way things should be done.  If one studies the New Testament, they will find that the Pharisees are strongly condemned by Christ. A bible commentator says, “by their traditions they nullified God’s law (Mt. 15:3ff; Mk. 7:8-9). The Pharisees and their followers will not enter the kingdom of God (Mt. 23:13). They are blind leaders of the blind (Mt. 15:14), hypocrites (Mk. 7:6), whose hearts are far from God (Mt. 15:8). They are full of inner corruption (Mt. 23:27ff) and are guilty of persecuting the true people of God (Mt. 23:34-35). Thus, they are designated as “the synagogue of Satan” by Jesus (Rev. 2:9). Our Lord had a good reason to say the apostles, ‘Look out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

            While the Moravian Church may not have many Pharisees, if any, it has many traditions and an established way of worship I believe it is good, but we need to be aware of false doctrine and false teachers that promote the church or church traditions rather than true worship of Jesus Christ.  There is always reaction when there is pressure to make some changes in how the church functions as it has for the last 50 years.  It is true that there is a young generation out there that is finding the local church meaningless.  It sounds like that Moravian bishops of the Unity recognize the need for the contemporary Church to make changes that meet the needs of the younger generation.  Are we as believers within the Moravian Church willing to make the changes that God may be speaking to us through the Young People from the community of Manokotak?

Recent national studies have shown that more than two thirds of young adults drop out of the church. In our villages and cities many of our young people will have nothing to do with the local church.  In addition to the church losing its younger flocks, many are discontent and view the church more negatively than in years past.  Why are youth leaving the church you ask? I’ll tell you why.  Maybe they are tired of fake Christians.  There may be the Pharisee’s and Sadducees in our day. They create their own spiritual laws and do not believe in nor involve God’s power in directing their life.  They do not understand the working of and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  They do not understand what the Spirit of God is saying to the Church today!

One of the big issues I am dealing with that may help us to understand the transformation happening around us today is the idea of the “believer priest”.  The Moravian pastor or lay pastor is not the only one who does ministry in the community.

Who should do the ministry in the church?  The ministry in the church is not just to be done by just one person - but by all of the believers in the church.

It is my understanding that the specialized ordain clergy has we know it did not evolve until over 200 years later after Pentecost.  Around 200 A.D. two of the church's leaders, Hippolytus and Tertullian, revived the notion of a "special priesthood," with that title to be worn only by the clergy. By the end of the fourth century that office had been formalized, and the "laity" accepted second-class status in ministry.

What’s interesting about the Father of the Reformation, The Rev. Martin Luther, as a priest-in-training Brother Luther rediscovered the claims of Scripture, with its gift of justification by grace through faith and its commission to serve in the "priesthood of all believers." He minced no words: "All Christians are priests, and all priests are Christians. Worthy of anathema is any assertion that a priest is anything else than a Christian."

John Calvin another reformer of the Christian Church understood church polity which said that laity and clergy alike should serve in ordained offices of leadership—as peers in proclamation of the Word, peers in intercessory prayer, and peers in mission service.   I believe it was Brother Calvin that said, “creeping clericalism" among the clergy plus a spiritual inferiority complex among the laity have continued to minimize believers' perception and fulfillment of their priestly call. But that call remains God's call and commission for all God's people to fulfill

We must remember that the early Christian Church had plenty of problems and issues to deal with.  The one-pastor-centered church wasn't a problem for the early church.  The congregation gather were not spectators.  All of the early believers where involved in the work of the Church in one way or another.  We have to remember in the Book of Acts, teams of pastors called "elders" led their churches, and the burden of God's work was spread to all the believers not just one or two the pastor-elders.  As we shall see from Scripture all believers - men, women and children - are priests. All believers have distinctive spiritual gifts, and are responsible to exercise those gifts.

The local church has clergy.  This is good.  I am glad I am a clergy man and God has blessed my ministry over the years.  But the reality is there is no "one man ministry" in Scripture. We are all to minister in accordance with the gifts the Lord has given us.  The New Testament teaches that every believer is a priest ordained by God. The church is composed of believer-priests. This teaching is called "the priesthood of all believers".  (1 Pet 2:5) you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 2:9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. (Rev 1:6) ... has made us kings and priests to His God and Father. Unlike the Old Testament priests, all believer-priests have the right of direct access to God. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Because we are all priests, we don't need to have a special humanly ordained priest or clergyman between us and God, neither do we need to have the virgin Mary between us and God: (1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.  If all believers are priests, who is the High Priest?  We know the answer is Jesus.  He is our High Priest:  (Heb 4:14, 15) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses.

The "priesthood of all believers" assures involvement in the local church.  According to the Apostle Paul, part of the priestly role includes the exercise of all of the spiritual gifts that are used to build up the church.  (Rom 12:4-8) For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry (serving), let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

There are lists of the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4.  There appears to be open worship and Open Ministry in the early church.  Because every believer is a priest, every believer is to be involved in the priestly roles of worship and ministry. There should be open worship and Open Ministry in the church today; that’s why the Spiritual Feast idea is a good one because it is Holy Spirit led, glorifies Jesus Christ, and gives everyone an opportunity to minister to others. 

When we talk about Open Ministry we don't just mean the teaching ministry - we mean exercising all the different gifts of the Holy Spirit given to each believer-priest.  Every believer-priest, man, woman, and child, is given one or more spiritual gifts to use.

We should remember that although leading the gathered church in worship is a very important priestly duty - it is actually only one of the duties carried out by the clergy as believer priests.  Since others who are gifted are indeed believer priests, why can’t they lead in worship?  The freedom that believers have to lead the gathered church in open worship doesn't mean that they can do any-thing they want in the meeting.  As our young people from Manokotak reminds us of the Spirit Feast and it is my paraphrase and mine alone:  "this is open meeting is not a meeting that is open to man. It is a meeting that is open to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will assure order and decency and it will glorify Jesus Christ and Him alone”.  .

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In conclusion let me share this is that the future of the Spiritual Feast is dependent upon God’s people, and each individual believer priest who is willing to participate in it with a clean life.  Paul the Apostle speaks of holiness.  There is need for spiritual preparation before the open meeting.   What would hurt the future of the Spiritual Feast or Open Meeting is if God’s people stop spending time alone with God and His Word during the week.  If time is not spent with God our prayers will be cold and formal. Our hearts will be empty. The believer priests will have nothing spiritually meaningful to share at the meeting and the Spiritual Feast will die.

One thing is also very clear to me is that the Spiritual Feast does not orient itself to any one believer priest.  Near death stories are not its focus.  While each believer has a gift or testimony to share, the success of the Spiritual Feast is dependent upon all believers sharing in humility and submission to the Holy Spirit which gives praise and honor and glory to Jesus Christ who will come soon in power and glory to redeem mankind.  

Renewal, Spiritual Gifts, and Danger of Pride By William Nicholson Dec 6, 2008

If there is a move of God and if it is genuine resisting a genuine work of God could be a grievous error.  This will grieve the Holy Spirit in our own lives.  It is my opinion that we must remain open until we can better understand what is happening.  This may impact us positively but there is always a negative side to be careful of or watchful for.  Bishops, Pastors and Elders originally have the same office; they are the gate-keepers of the Church.  They watch our for our souls.  They must also be consulted when there is a question.  Now is time for the spiritual leaders to begin to pray and dialogue about what constitutes renewal in our Province. 

If I may, I would like to influence the reading audience a little.  When the Spirit of God is poured out upon us, it seems we must be more humble and submissive to the Will of our Lord Jesus.  If there is an outpouring it seems we must study the scriptures more, pray more, and seek the Holy Spirit more.  This way we may be given wisdom to move ahead in His will. 

I think one of the ways of renewal is that the spiritual leaders are always looking out for new ways to better serve our Lord and Savior.  And in the act of obedient service as we strive to learn more, we will be enabled to serve Him better.  That’s why I am a big supported and contributer to the ongoing work of the Alaska Bible Seminary located in Bethel, Alaska.

The Alaska Bible Seminary should be the heartbeat of the Alaska Moravian community.  Here theology is formed for the new spiritual leaders of tomorrow.  Last spring of 2007, I believe several students graduated and now are serving the Lord Jesus full-time.  God is working mightily through our young leadership.  One big way God is working mightily is through the small believer type cell groups that some of the recent graduates of the Alaska Bible Seminary are implementing in the villages. 

As has been shown at Alaska Bible and through the teaching provided by the Seminary Dean, God indeed wants to equip Spirit-led individuals.  They disciple others on the Holy Scriptures.  They grow the local church and by using their spiritual gifts will do their part to reach the entire world for Christ!  I am certain there is an unspoken desire for Pentecost without which we cannot reach the entire world . It is not an accident that God is now working stronger in small groups.  It may start with one man or women inspired of God to begin a work of winning others to the Lord and in turn discipling them.  Recently, I spoke with one young lay pastor.  In shared that in his small group, he is teaching on the spiritual gifts.  He says that they are answering questions and his group membership is excited!  I am glad study is being done on the spiritual gifts.  I have always believed that the local Church is handicapped if the believers are not using their spiritual gifts.  Praise God!  There are individuals that want to make a difference for Christ by being open to the spiritual gifts.

Small groups of believers similar to the Choirs that Zinzendorf implemented after Moravian Pentecost in 1727 in America was a key to renewal.  History shows this renewal impacted the four corners of the earth for Christ.  While the Choir group system is  not practical for the 21^st century, the idea that small groups of committed believers can still make a difference is a good one!  It is my understanding that Manokotak may have accidently revived the idea, since it happened on its own.  Almost three years ago many home bible studies and bible studies in the Church developed and are flourishing today.  These small groups that are praying and studying together may be a helpful key to further produce spiritual renewal in our Church.  Then proper spiritual maturity love, unity and harmony among believers based on God’s Word will evolve further strengthening the Church.

The small Bible study groups in Manokotak have produced three annual Spiritual Feasts, the third one in November 2009, where they gather corporatively to worship.  I know that the Spiritual Feasts have created controversy because the leaders are allowing a more open and free worship opportunity through testimony and song.  As I have observed first-hand, this open worship by “believer priests” has resulted in an especially significant outpouring as I reported in an earlier commentary.  If this outpouring continues and results in winning souls, strengthening those that are vulnerable, and growing Christians in balanced and spiritual maturity and then manifesting a big desire to reach the world for Christ, then I think a legitimate work of God is happening! 

Someone says the Spiritual Feast began because of one man.  It’s his fault.  Please, we cannot put the blame on any one man!  My estimation is that it appears that something is happening and it is not happening because of one man.  It is happening because a great hurt in the community before the Spiritual Feast and the fact that many believers are hungry for God and want to experience His blessings and to be part of His work in this age.  Certainly it may have taken one man to spark an interest in God’s power and glory, but it really is about every member of the Body of Christ wanting a personal renewal of relationship with Christ and His Holy Spirit. 

I don’t think we have ever had a renewal of the Alaska Moravian Church that has impacted the entire Church.  It has not happened.  It may not happen if the Church is not ready for it or the Alaska leadership resist it whole-heartedly.  However from my own understanding of Moravian history, most of what our church at large reflects on and truly understands is the Moravian renewal of Pentecost at Herrnhut in 1727.  Nationally in the Moravian Church there is a desire for renewal, growing and planting churches.  I notice in our new 2009 Moravian daily text that new Moravian fellowships are sprouting up in America.

According to my understanding, the Spiritual Feast renewal has not impacted all of our Moravian villages.  What may be happening now is a contemporary form of Moravian Pentecost occurring in individuals and in a couple of Churches that have believers who have pentecost as a reality in their hearts and minds.  Certainly I think it is important to question what is happening and where this new renewal type experience will go!  One of the important building blocks for renewal is that it is not genuine unless it gives everyone a renewed sense of worship, inspires growth for the individual believer for mature understanding of God’s Word, a strengthening of the local church, and a genuine desire to reach out to the world with the message of God’s love as shown through Christ.  More Moravians it should produce a strengthening of the church and unity!

It seems in order to make sense of the present renewal efforts started by the Manokotak young people leadership it is important to watch and see if there is going to be duration or permanency of this type of experience.  If it is a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit it will last.  A fruit of this will be a deeply felt need for prayer, study of the scriptures regarding renewal, dialogue, and desire to maintain love and unity in the midst of this.  The biggest red flag is that there is always a danger of fear, ignorance and pride which can create disunity and disharmony in our midst. 

The Moravian Church is known for it unity!  If unity is taken away, it is not good!  My understanding is that a couple of individuals have come out of the Spiritual Feasts, gone home to the village and have caused disunity, maybe unintentionally.  I have heard they returned to their villages saying that some of their leaders don’t have the Spirit of God and that the village worship services are dead.  The enemy can use this.  It creates hurt.  I believe this kind of talk is not good and is based upon pride which Paul in the Book of Corinthians talks about.  We should not judge other believers (Matthew 7:7).  It is God’s business; our business is to pray for our pastors and elders and other church leaders.  The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and never pushes us.  We should not push others, but instead allow God to transform them and bring renewal for them in a way that brings blessing upon them and their community of faith. 

When renewal happens it is a work of the Holy Spirit!  Since November 2007 in Anchorage, Alaska, I have seen a number of individuals that have been renewed and transformed through Salvation.  They have been saved, experienced baptism (become Church members), and are now enjoying a new pentecost in their lives.  When this happens there is a renewed dedication to Jesus and desire to glorify him in every area of life.  There is also a big desire to share this life with others.

As I speak with different people and observe what is happening around me, it is my understanding that there are young people and older people alike that are open to a work of the Holy Spirit.  This is new for me.  There is also a general mood and recognition that a bigger work of God is afoot just before Christ comes again.

If indeed there is a movement of the Holy Spirit and renewal going on in our midst, we must use our minds; not only our hearts.  We will need to have a correct interpretation of scripture and doctrine.  Essential to our mission is the centrality of Christ and His Work.  But we recognize in the accomplishment of this mission is the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  The Holy Spirit is at work enabling our service and endows us with gifts fit for the task we have been called to perform. 

My wife, Barbara Nicholson, told me that "she is glad that many young people are being fired up.  They are leaving alcohol and drugs.  They are being transformed.  No other church or church speaker could have done it.  The Holy Spirit did it.  If the Spiritual Feast did not happen, some of the kids would have committed sucide".  Barbara says "God is doing something good; more and more of our kids are happy!"

Indeed I must listen to my wife, my God given partner.  God's Spirit works through her to touch me.  As we pray and talk about what God is doing in our midst, and indeed as we seek renewal, especially to meet the needs of the young people of our church, we must become acquainted with the spiritual gifts of the Spirit shown in Romans, Ephesians and I Corinthians.  

What it takes 20 years for a mental health worker to do in a sinners heart, only takes the Holy Spirit a second or two.  What takes marriage counselors years to teach, the Holy Spirit can teach couples in an instant; they will forgive and commit in fidelity to one another.  I've seen the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation at the November 2008 feast in Manokotak.  Many believers functioned as a unity and edified one another with great peace and joy.  It is true that the Holy Spirit distributes special and supernatural abilities to believers so that they may serve others in the Body of Christ. These gifts are not only essential in enabling a powerful and effective ministry to others, but help to remind us that all true service of God is “ ‘not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).     

Renewal in my mind is every Christian growing and using their giftedness.  It is not only the pastor or the lay pastor or elder in the church.  It’s every believer fulfilling their role as “believer priests” (I Peter 4).  1 Corinthians 12 shows us that  believers do not have the same gifts, and that everyone’s giftedness is essential to the health of the whole. Verses 29-30 of I Corinthians 12 asks rhetorically, “All are not apostles are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?” The expected answer is “No!” 

The clear biblical teaching is that believers possess gifts that differ, gifts that are all necessary for the edification of the Body of Christ and certainly Paul has taken pains to say, we are “not to be ignorant” of them.   Paul says that we are to desire the “greater gifts”, those gifts that most edify and build up the body (1 Corinthians 12:31), and to minister our individual gifts in love toward one another (1 Corinthians 13).  This is a key.  If indeed the Spiritual Feast’s is a true manifestation of usage of the gifts, then the Body of Christ must indeed show unity and love and not judge others unfairly, even as they live and work in their own Moravian villages. 

Our own Spiritual gifts differ among us and when used they are very powerful.  We are not to become proud and look down on others who do not have our own giftedness or who do not like the way we worship.  We must show love and continue to show that we need each other as members of the Body of Christ. 

In 1 Corinthians 12:14-25, Paul shared a couple of dangers which individual members of the Body of Christ might fall into regarding using of spiritual gifts. The first is pride.   This may be the single biggest problem hurting the Spiritual Feast concept in Alaska.  This is a sin; it must stop immediately!  If individuals have pride they must confess this sin to our crucified & risen Savior.  Something that will help those who have a problem with spiritual pride is to remember that any ability we have in ministry, and anything good we may accomplish in the name of Christ, comes solely through the power of God alone.  Christ alone is to receive all the credit and glory for our spiritual successes.  A true Moravian pastor wears the white surplus every day, not just at baptism or communion.  We want Christ to be seen in us.

For those that fear the gifts of the Spirit.  Study them.  Ask God to give you a gift to use.  Every believer is promised a gift which should be used.  A second danger is that of putting yourself down.  You do have a gift that can be used.  Be patient and pray that God will give you an understanding and power to use your ability to serve Jesus Christ in His Body which is the Church.  Remember that not using your gift handicaps the Body of Christ.  If you put yourself down or have self pity you will not serve Christ and the rest of us suffer.    

Recently I read of the Southern Bishop Herbert Spaugh, who influenced me heavily when I was at Moravian Theological Seminary in 1976 at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  This bishop was a celebrated man who mentored Billy Graham before his raise to fame.  According to Bishop Spaugh’s biography entitled - “The Boy, the man, and The Bishop”, published in 1970 (with a foreword by Billy Graham) says “Bishop Spaugh pioneered not only in spiritual healing, but in other spiritual matters.  His experience led him to believe that the Holy Spirit leads people in many ways – some even being granted a glimpse of “the other side”. 

When Brother Spaugh spoke at Comenius Hall at the Seminary Chapel when I was a student, he said – “The problem with you young pastors in training; you are becoming more like doctors or lawyers.  You need more enthusiasm.”  And he went on to say, “if you have enthusiasm, it is “God in You!”  

What I have learned since Moravian Seminary over 30 years ago, it is ok to have emotion in ministry and in worship.  We experience this especially in our non-denominational services on Sunday night in Anchorage.  We invite you to come and visit us and share your spiritual gifts with us.

Usually the Moravian Church traditional services in most of our Alaskan villages are very predicable.  Maybe that’s why more people stay away or for those that attend Church, it is a task.  As the Spirit of God moves in our midst there will be activity and things will never be the same.  I believe God wants us to learn to express and enjoy our emotions much more than we do, especially in regards to our fellowship and worship with God.  Remember this, what can be more wonderful or more emotionally stirring than feeling in the presence of God? 

I know that Pentecostalism for Moravians is a negative.  But the reality is that God’s Spirit is moving in a strong way in the traditional and more main-line denominations throughout the world, in America and even Alaska.  We should be excited about this second Reformation happening in our midst.  A true Moravian will have a desire for salvation, for baptism and pentecost in their own lives.  As the Spirit of God touches in renewal there will be a manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit.  One of the fruits I have been experiencing is great joy.  I hope I can express it better because I am such a serious person.  Emotions expressed as a result of Christ and His Word and what He is doing is wonderful! 

However for and in the life of the church emotionalism for the sake of emotionalism is wrong when it is emotionalism expressed for its own sake, without any roots or reason.  I have heard again and again that we need to not seek the experience, but seek Christ and when he touches a person, that one will be full of joy which, again, is one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galations 5. 

Emotion in my mind is a response to God the Holy Spirit working; it is an expression of joy!  We should seek Christ and Him crucified, our hope of glory!  Like Moravian Bishop Spaugh shared over 30 years ago, “if you have enthusiasm, it is “God in You!”  This is what will attract others to Christ and help grow the Church in Anchorage and the villages of Alaska.

APB Inc., Bethel Moravian Church Elders, Moravian Bible Seminary and Bishops Meeting

On SPIRITUAL FEAST

Summarization by Bishop William H. Nicholson

January 6, 2009

(In Attendance:  Bethel Moravian Church Joint Boards - Sheri Updegrove, John Charlie, Ruth “Wally” Richardson  & two Yupik Pastors - Clifford Jimmie, Walter Larson, APB Inc. President - Peter Green, Seminary Dean - Tom Conrad and Bishops Jacob Nelson and William Nicholson.  The meeting was held at Bethel Moravian Church, Bethel, Alaska.  Since this summarization was put together as a result of notes I kept from the meeting and some hindsight, the information is presented as factually as possible).

The Spiritual Feast informational meeting on December 3, 2008 began at 7 PM at the Bethel Moravian Church.  The meeting was opened by Tom Conrad who gave a lengthy presentation on sharing an example of a world-wide movement across the world which he calls a Holy Spirit driven Third Wave movement. This movement is greatly adding to the church and opening up cell Bible Study groups which are strengthening the churches.  He says that people presently are leaving the traditional churches, but the Third Wave movement is a response from God to bring people back to the Bible and the Church.  He also shared about how clergy evolved and that the professional clergy did not evolve until 600 years after Pentecost.  What was shared was helpful in understanding that in the evolving of the early church a believer-priest emphasis is there with their giftedness advancing the church.

Then Br. Tom looked at me and asked what is happening with the Spiritual Feast?  This was a surprise for me, but I believe I should not have been surprised because Tom had alluded that this meeting was going to be held.  I believe they wanted my observations of what God is doing and explanation of what I had been sharing on the Anchorage Moravian Church web site regarding the feast as I understood it.  I shared that I am still scratching my head, trying to understand what God is doing, but I do recognize that what is happening may impact on how we may better do things in the church in the future.  I also shared that there is a lot of subjectivity and opinions being expressed pro and con, and that many Moravians and others are wondering what is going on. 

As a response to Br. Tom and the obvious interest of those in attendance at this special meeting I further explained that I understood that the Spiritual Feast phenomenon began under Bishop Nelson’s ministry at Kwigillingnok through his daughter Rachael where great joy and openness was evident among the young people for the Holy Spirit’s leading in youth services there.  It is apparent that God’s Spirit may have fell there first, then to Manokotak where God allowed a near-death testimony to take effect through Abraham George.  Manokotak resident Abraham George became an elder of the Manokotak Moravian Church.  As a result of his elder duties and his testimony, but sounds like more the result of the Spiritual Feasts led by lay people, many people in Manokotak have converted to the faith.  It is evident that Manokotak’s suicide rate is down, crime is down, and many young people have been added to the Church.  Out of Manokotak’s young people leadership many home bible studies have evolved, a new organization call Manokotak Gospel Ministries was formed to bring the gospel to the world, and late autumn 2008 the Togiak District pastor’s and elders met and approved the concept of the Spiritual Feast for their district with the aim of introducing a similar resolution to Synod 2009. 

Since 2006 to the present three Spiritual Feast’s have been held in Manokotak’s Moravian Church; the third and most recent one which I gave testimony to happened on October 17-19, 2008.   A plane load of people from Anchorage attended this event; my way was paid for by the Manokotak Young People as I was invited by them to attend as a bishop of the Church.  These Spiritual Feast’s have been open meetings of song, testimony and great openness to allowing the spiritual gifts to operate from an every believer ministry.  The manifestation of the Holy Spirit glorifying Jesus Christ is evident with new believers, marriages being saved, people being set free from sin and addictions, among many others and indeed a way of worship that is free and demonstrative in raising hands, clapping, and expressing joy.  Where this will go I don’t know, other than that the Anchorage Moravian Church’s existence is dependent upon the work of the Holy Spirit. 

As the Anchorage Moravian Church pastor, I shared that our evening non-denominational services are oftentimes expressive of great spontaneity and joy.  People come from many denominations throughout the State of Alaska to enjoy our spirit-led services in Anchorage, Alaska.  Then I shared that the Manokotak Young People wanted to use the Denaina Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska for a special Spiritual feast.  I attended two nights of this service where songs and testimonies were shared to over 1100 -1200 people in attendance who were very blessed. I also clarified that the event in Anchorage was a non Moravian sponsored event; it was billed by a poster as a non-denominational Gospel Conference.  According to what I have heard there were some misunderstanding that this was an Alaska Moravian Church sponsored event, but it certainly was put together by Manokotak Moravian young people, not by the Manokotak Moravian Church.

I then shared and read out of my handbook which I just so happened to have on me that the Moravian Bishops of the unity conducted an important meeting on June 7-16, 2007 in St. Thomas, Eastern West Indies Province.  They stated that “both traditional and modern models of worship are needed and that the church should provide new expressions of worship, especially to meet the needs of young people.  If we do not allow this then people will seek other models which will not be Moravian.  In Moravian worship space must be made for people to use the gifts they have been given”.  Furthermore they said “we cannot exclude the charismatic gifts or we exclude people from the church.  The task is not to exhibit or glory in the gifts, but to use them to build up the body of Christ”.

At this point, one of the Yupik pastors shared this concern that Abraham George has shared in his testimony that when he speaks of repenting, he says that “if you hate one person and die, you will go to hell”.  He also expressed his concern that there is wrong doctrine being shared.  Another example cited is when the spirit-filled Moravians say, “I gave you the Holy Spirit and blow the Holy Spirit upon you”.  He shared that as a Bethel Moravian Church pastor he is getting calls to his home saying, “What’s going on?”  He also shared that the big reason for this meeting, an individual from Bethel Moravian Church attended the Spiritual Feast in Manokotak in October 2008, returned and spoke with a pillar Christian in the Bethel Moravian Church and said, “You don’t have the Holy Spirit”.  He stated that in still another conversation another Moravian reentered their home village and said that the “Holy Spirit is dead in your Church”.

Others in attendance shared similar concerns that wrong doctrine from the Holy Scripture may be shared and this is wrong.  Another said that God may be moving; I don’t know if I am ready for it.  If it is a genuine experience of God’s Spirit what am I going to do; what are we going to do?  A lady shared that through the Spiritual Feasts there may be people who are vulnerable who may be used in a negative way.  What kind of aftercare is being provided?   Are the Spiritual Feast groups doing their own thing without sensitivity to our Moravian traditions?

A number of people left by this time including Br. Green and Shari Neth, and dialogue continued.  I shared that this is something that is happening on its own.  It is my opinion that God may be doing a special work of waking up His people before the time of the end.

As the end of the dialogue Bishop Nelson, who was quiet during the entire meeting, made his position clear.  He stated that “what is happening started from one man only.  It did not start from the Bible.  It started and is based upon his personal testimony and he has added to his testimony.  He then shared that “he is concerned about what is going on in the Alaska Moravian Church in Anchorage, in Manokotak, and Kwigillingnok.”  He says, “I get calls from people in the villages; some people are in turmoil; there are mixed feelings due to breaking the Unity.”  He then alluded to what’s happening in Manokotak and their Spiritual Feast.  He says, “they are doing their own thing; they are not going through the elders and there is separation between them.  As long as it goes it will create disunity.  It’s good to make known that you have faults.  At this time we need to see where we are going wrong.  There is still time to correct them.”  Then he shared, “I receive calls from various villages of people doing their own thing.”  He says, “what happened to Iply, what he went through is a gift for him to correct himself, not for the Moravian Church to create disunity.  Now with Bishop Nicholson supporting young people and backing this, it doesn’t look good.  It is hurting the Church and it is start of separation.”  Then he concluded by saying, “other places are looking at us.  As bishops we need to be careful.  As bishops we must seek the Bible”.

I did not have an opportunity to respond to what Bishop Jacob Nelson said.

The meeting ended at 9:25 PM.

Respectfully and prayerfully submitted.

Bishop William Nicholson

Note:  As a response to the Spiritual Feast informational meeting and knowing that APB, Inc. wanted my input, I submitted to APB  President, The Rev. Peter Green, a narrative of what I feel is happening within the Province as a direct result of the Spiritual Feast movement.  This narrative is attached as Appendix A. What the Alaska Moravian Church may be experiencing is a bigger openness to what God is doing.    See Appendix B.  We must remember that at Synod 2008 a resolution was passed in allowing encouragements for Young People of the Alaska Province. 

APPENDIX A

TO:                  APB Inc. Board Members

FROM:            William H. Nicholson, Ep. Frat.

DATE:             December 4, 2008

SUBJECT:      SPIRITUAL FEAST DISCUSSION

Recently I read of the Southern Bishop Herbert Spaugh, who was among my greatest mentors, when I was at Moravian Theological Seminary in 1976 at Bethlehem, PA.  This bishop was a celebrated man who mentored Billy Graham before his raise to fame.  According to Bishop Spaugh’s biography entitled - “The Boy, the man, and The Bishop”, published in 1970 (with a foreword by Billy Graham) says “Bishop Spaugh pioneered not only in spiritual healing, but in other spiritual matters.  His experience led him to believe that the Holy Spirit leads people in many ways – some even being granted a glimpse of “the other side”. 

When Brother Spaugh spoke at Comenius Hall at the Seminary Chapel when I was a student, he said – “The problem with you young pastors in training; you are becoming more like doctors or lawyers.  You need more enthusiasm.”  And he went on to say, “if you have enthusiasm, it is “God in You!”  What I have learned since then that it is ok to have emotion in ministry and in worship.  God wants us to learn to express and enjoy our emotions much more than we do, especially in regards to our fellowship with God.  What can be more wonderful or more emotionally stirring than feeling in the presence of God?  In the life of the church I’ve learned that emotionalism for the sake of emotionalism is wrong when it is emotionalism expressed for its own sake, without any roots or reason.  I have heard again and again that we need to not seek the experience, but seek Christ and when he touches a person, that one will be full of joy which is one of the fruits of the Spirit.  Emotion in my mind is a response to God the Holy Spirit working; it is an expression of joy.  We should seek Christ and Him crucified, our hope of glory!

As I have studied the role of the bishop in the Unity, I have learned that a key aspect of this episcopacy is to receive from Christ, and to give to the Church, spiritual guidance.  The decisive point is that “the bishop is called to a priestly-pastoral ministry in the framework of the Unity, yet in a given Province”. 

So too I have learned that from the 2007 Minutes of the Unity Meeting of the bishops that “the office of the bishop in its function as a symbol of the continuity of the Church’s ministry or as a focus of unity for the church as a whole is vitality connected with the work of the Holy Spirit.”  The bishop minutes goes on to say that “renewal comes from the Holy Spirit, therefore the bishop is sensitive to new expressions of ministry based on Christian love in a charismatic leadership and willingness to serve the brethren and sisters with patience, courage, and vision.” 

The bishops of the unity (surprisingly for me) shared that “traditionalism and stress on formal positions, will not help us; needed is constant renewal”.  So too, as the bishops dealt with the work of the Holy Spirit, they have come up with the following statement on the Charismatic movement in the Unity:  “The Moravian Church came out of a type of charismatic experience, ie. Moravian Pentecost.  Bishops of the Unity recognize that Charismatic Christians are part of the contemporary Church.”  A big concern among the Bishops at the same conference is that they feel that “charismatic worship can divide congregations”.  They said, “we recognize that both traditional and modern models of worship are needed and that the church needs to and must provide new expressions of worship especially to meet the needs of young people.  If we don’t allow this then our young people will go to other churches which will not be Moravian.  Allowance for gifts must be used in Moravian worship services”

As a Bishop of the Unity and of the Alaska Province I am concerned about the unity of the Moravian Church congregations, its life, and doctrine.  By virtue of this office everything I do must assure continuity of Christ’s ministry in our midst.  Since I have heard of the Spiritual Feast, I heard that it has created controversy among our brothers and sisters. 

As a bishop of the Alaska Province, I am concerned about what is happening to us.  I feel a need to become familiar with the issues.  I am still scratching my head, but am beginning to understand better now as to what may be happening.  I also understand the need to start dialogue about what is happening so it can be better understood with the aim of either eliminating the movement or allowing it to happen as a benefit or enhancement to what God wants in the Alaska Province.

A brief historical summary as to my response and involvement:  I came to knowledge of the Spiritual Feast experience in November 2007 when the first such event happened at 1^st Congregational Church at Lake Otis and Northern Lights, Anchorage, Alaska.  This was not an Anchorage Moravian Church elder’s sponsored event.  It was a revival planned by the young people from Manokotak in cooperation with a couple of our Church members in Anchorage. 

I had heard of Abraham George’s testimony (a man who had a glimpse of “the other side”) just a few days before the first Spiritual Feast in Anchorage, which was held in November 2007.  Some red flags were appearing in my heart and mind.  Since the idea of the Spiritual Feast was creating controversy I wanted to find out as much as I can about this work led by young people leaders of the village of Manokotak.  I attended the services at 1^st Congregational Church to see, understand, and learn what God the Holy Spirit is up to, since I have always known that God moves in history. 

Since the first Spiritual Feast in Anchorage, I have been stimulated and have taken more steps to become informed.  After I became bishop-elect at Synod, in April 2008, I traveled to Kwigillingnok.  Then as a bishop-elect I felt a greater need to do follow-up.  I felt part of my new responsibly is to become more informed about the Spiritual Feast phenomena impacting our villages for good or even bad.  In Kwig I had an opportunity to speak with Bishop Jacob Nelson’s daughter about what happened in this village where a couple of Church Elders put a stop to this type of worship experience. 

Other encounters where made available to me.  Since I heard criticisms of Abraham George (an Elder of the Manokotak Church), I asked if I could meet with him when he was in Anchorage.  Thankfully I was able to meet with this man twice, face-to-face.  I questioned his salvation and his testimony.  Everything that I found from these two encounters led me to believe that he is born again, Christ glorifying and everything he is doing is to bring people to Christ through repentance before Christ comes again.  John 14:6 is his byword from Christ Jesus.

What was the biggest eye opener was when I was invited to speak at the October 2008 Spiritual Feast in Manokotak.  There I had the opportunity to see a Spiritual Feast unfold before my eyes.  Afterwards I had the opportunity to see, hear, understand and learn the concerns and heart desires of the Young People Leaders of Manokotak – among them are Panta Paul, Louise Gloko, Teresa Ajojiak, and Melvin Andrew. 

On November 28 & 29, 2008 in Anchorage the same young people from Manokotak put on a Spiritual Feast at the Denaina Convention Center, in which over 1100-1200 people attended.  It was publicized in Anchorage as a Non-denominational Gospel Singing Conference.  I attended both nights to further see, understand and learn what is happening. 

By December 3, 2008, what I learned when I attended an Alaska Bible Seminary Trustees meeting in Bethel, Alaska is that people of the Bethel Moravian Church are questioning the Spiritual Feast.  Some feel that disunity is happening.  So on evening of December 3, 2008 I was more than happy to met with Brother Clifford Jimmy, Brother Walter Larson, the Joint Boards of the Bethel Moravian Church, Bishop Nelson, APB President Green and Seminary Dean Conrad to begin open talks about what the Spiritual Feast is and why disunity it is happening. 

I know that it takes great faith and courage to be where I am at presently.  I did not want the mantle of bishop.  But I must be clear that I am not supporting only the young people of our Province.  I must support all members of the whole Church whether it is the traditional members or more contemporary members.  However now that the Spiritual Feast issues have been thrust my way and due to the wishes of synod 2008 to vote me in as a new bishop, which in my mind is truly an act of God, I will try to fulfill my calling more by involving myself in love, understanding and great sensitivity.  It is my heart concern that the unity and continuity of the Alaska Province will be preserved until Christ comes again.  Unity will be preserved as long as all Church leaders are willing to pray, communicate and compromise.

As a result of the above discussion and presentation, I would like present the following recommendations to APB as one bishop of the Alaska Province: 

1.  Begin to pray that God will lead all of the Leadership of the Alaska Moravian Church, Provincial Board members, pastors, lay pastors and church membership to go into a time of soul searching.  Specifically this is to pray for an accurate understanding as to what God the Holy Spirit is doing and wants to do through the Alaska Moravian Church.

2.  Recognize that it is spiritually healthy to ask questions about anything that is helping or hurting the spiritual welfare of our people.  Even though some may differ in doctrine it is important to understand that the Alaska Moravian Church subscribes to the Ground of the Unity, a doctrinal statement of the Unity.  Moravian Churches have some autonomy.  Some grow quicker than others in the understandings of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  

3.  The Spiritual Feast is causing fear and misunderstandings among people oftentimes far removed from where the Spiritual Feasts are happening.  Instead of fear and miscommunication it will be important for all the elders, pastors and the presbyters of the Alaska Province to research scripture on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the gifts.  Before conclusions are made it is only fair to hear everyone out for a proper understanding and where to go evolves.  A fine idea presented by Bishop Jacob Nelson is that Alaska Province presbyters must meet together with the bishops to discuss the Spiritual Feast.  This is with an ear to understanding what is happening and how to deal with it.   This special meeting must happen just before synod 2009, because I believe a Spiritual Feast resolution from the Togiak district is forthcoming and will be presented to the floor of the delegates.

4.  APB and the Alaska bishops must also begin dialogue and develop a plan on how to deal with the miscommunication and controversy happening in our Province.  This is important because it also will enhance our present relationship with other religious leaders from other denominations in Alaska.

5.  Since the Spiritual Feast movement is a young people led movement, great sensitivity, patience and love must be shared from the Alaska Provincial leadership.  We don’t want to lose them.  Many young people are immature or “baby” Christians.  They must be taught the Word of God and taught not to be prideful or judgmental of other Christians or Churches that do not have the same demonstration of the Spiritual gifts.  Pride and judgment creates division.

6.  We need to look at our own church history renewal efforts.  Renewal is happening around the world; this has been a big thrust of the Alaska Bible Seminary by Seminary Tom Conrad to teach our young pastors that a 2^nd Reformation (with an emphasis of the spiritual gifts) is happening.  This is not happening in the Pentecostal Churches.  It is happening in the mainline established Protestant Churches.  How do we take part in it?

7.  Lastly, I think the best thing we can do now it to attempt to understand how the bishops of the Unity are dealing with the Holy Spirit or “charismatic” movement and try to understand their recommendations and apply them to our own unique situation.

I will close this statement with the words of one of the most famous Moravian bishops in our Church history – John Amos Comenius, 1650:  “Furthermore, I wish that all ye who count yourselves members of the one house of the church might also form a single house of God which would be well ordered and united, and in it one single household living under one single law of God, helping each member in concord and love.  For as the body has many members, yet each serves the other to grow and increase in unity; so might the time come when the Christian Church and at the same time the angels might sing:  ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’”

  APPENDIX B

Encouragement for Young People:   

The Alaska Moravian Synod in 2008 passed a Healing Resolution #03-08 where it states:

      Whereas the AMC pastors and elders have experienced misunderstandings with young people in the life of the local Church, and

      Whereas the Elders must respect the Youth and Youth respect their Elders in Christ, love each other, and

      Whereas there is young peoples movement revival in the AMC, and

      Whereas there is a need to listen to the needs of the Youth, and

      Whereas each believer in Christ is a believer priest (called to full-time service for Christ),

      Now Therefore Be It Resolved that

      The 2008 Synod support mutual respect for the Body of Christ and encourage dialogue in the local Church, and

      Be it further resolved that pastoral messages be shared that all believers are called to service for the Lord Jesus, and

      Be it further resolved that Pastors and Elders allow cell groups, i.e. Bible Studies and other believer’s small groups to happen as long as it supports and points in involvement with the local Church’s Sunday services, and

      Be it further resolved that workshops be provided by the Moravian Seminary and/or the local church pastor to train in the area of using spiritual gifts and combating suicide. 

The Spirit Feast.  Is this From Our Savior’s Heart?

By Bishop William Nicholson

December 10, 2008

It is my feeling that God has called me to be a leader and to do whatever I can to make things better for the sake of the Gospel, to bring love and unity among the Church membership and to bring people closer to Christ and His blessed Word.  If the Moravian Church stops doing this something is wrong.  Even though we may differ on certain issues we still have a strong tradition of maintaining our Unity. 

Our motto says, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, but all things love”.  That’s what makes our church unique; we have liberty to express ourselves in the way we feel God wants us to.  We can worship in the way that we feel God wants us to, but still contribute to the Unity that Christ has called us to in the Gospels.  For example in 1975-1977, in the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in America, I’ve attended Moravian Churches that are very traditional and liturgical and highly structured with quiet and dignified worship services.  However when I spoke as a student from Moravian Theological Seminary as a quest speaker at New Dorp Moravian Church located on Vanderbelt Avenue, I found that they expressed themselves in a more Charismatic way with raising of hands and lots of demonstration of emotion and praise.  Actually at 11:00 AM Service they continue their Traditional Service, which is typical of most mainline Protestant Churches.  The services include the singing of hymns, the reading of Scripture, a choir anthem, and a sermon.  However 9:00 AM Service is their Contemporary Service.  It includes more of the praise and worship style of music.

As one of the Alaska Province bishop’s I believe it is very important to keep aware of issues producing change which may be affecting the whole Christian Church.  This means I must also look after the spiritual welfare of others and help people to fulfill their calling. 

The Spiritual Feast is a big issue for us today.  This is a more contemporary worship service and open style of worship which has been ongoing for going on three years.  I am not certain that the fruits of this is a Charismatic movement, but it has a big emphasis of the move of the Holy Spirit and Spirit-led emphasis on the part of individual believers. 

In the midst of the controversy over the Spiritual Feast let me share something very important about the problems other Provinces have had and the bishops of the Unity response to them.  About two years ago, according to the Bishops of the Unity they said, “the Moravian Church came out of a type of charismatic experience, i.e. Moravian Pentecost.  The bishops of the Unity at that time came up with statement for the Unity because of the stresses being felt in some of the Provinces:  “Bishops of the Unity recognize that charismatic Christians are part of the contemporary Church.”  A key thought that arose out of the bishops meeting is that charismatic worship can divide congregations, however they said this:  “We recognize that both traditional and modern models of worship are needed and that the church needs to be and must provide new expressions of worship especially to meet the needs of young people.  If we don’t allow this then our young people will go to other churches which will not be Moravian.  Allowance for gifts must be used in Moravian worship services”.  If the bishops of the Unity are saying this and God’s Spirit is working through them, we need to listen and respond in the right way to make things better.

Are we willing to make things better so that the Good News of the Gospel is carried to our People and to the World?  Are we willing to recognize that the Moravian Church is a living Church that must make things better to bring its message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrection, offering the hope of eternal life to a lost world?  Do we realize that the Church must be obedient and be willing to pray, study the scriptures and dialogue in order make things better to become more meaningful and especially to attract our young people to Christ and His wonderful life.

This presentation is to offer some perspective on what is happening around us and what is causing a lot of misunderstandings.  A new way of Christ glorifying and Scripture elevating worship is happening in the Moravian villages of our Province.  It is happening because of a move of God upon a large number of people, not just one person or group.  It began in the Moravian community of Kwigillingnok, first, where the Spiritual Feast idea originated from the young people.  Later a spark happened in Manokotak through the “near death” salvation event of Abraham George, which gave rise to Manokotak Gospel Ministries, another move of God that has blessed so many people there.  Now in Anchorage, where it seems almost impossible to build a church, the Moravians at their non-denominational singspirations are experiencing “a fire”, an outpouring of God’s Love and the Holy Spirit manifesting through ordinary everyday believers who are willing to use their gifts in an open service with open ministry.

The misunderstandings and the difficulties we are facing is not new to Moravians around the world.  Other Provinces as they have evolved have had to deal with a work of the Holy Spirit.

In fact one of Moravian Seminary friends who graduated with me is Angetilie Musomba who some of you met when he came to Synod several years ago.  He was the President of the largest Moravian Province.  When he presented his thoughts to Home Moravian Church in Winston Salem, N.C, Brother Angetilie gave a Message on Fellowship Restoration or what I call renewal.  He stresses that we may need to change the way we worship to be more effective at delivering the "Message of Good News". 

He says, “I remember back home to one of very conservative congregation when new ways of worship was introduced especially during the funeral service, how people reacted very negatively to those changes. In a normal way of burial services people are very quiet and you could hardly hear anyone speaking in a loud voice. This Christian custom was contrary to our custom where dancing was part of the service. Those people from my area introduced such kind of services. The very called Moravians called the bishop's office to intervene the practice. At the end it was accepted.”

The Unity President goes on to say, “There are times when we need to make changes we may seem as we are getting out of the so called the Moravian traditions of worship. He shared several examples.  On more I will share is that he says, “One day I had my fellow Moravian Minister who was visiting me from another country.  When we entered the service and started worshipping the very God, he could not believe to be in the Moravian Church service. The main reason was that people were shouting and dancing. He could hear the click sounds in between the choir singing, also the same could happen when the preacher was right at the middle of the sermon a shouting came from the unknown member. In the whole service of three hours we had only one hymn from the printed hymnal book. The service went on for all those hours all people participated in some way in the service.”   There was the question as to whether it was a Moravian Service or a Pentecostal Worship service.”

What is it going to take for our living church to bring the young people in?  Are we willing and ready to change some of our ways of worship so that it will bring more and more of our people closer to the Lord and be able to hear the Message of the Good News in our own new Alaskan way of expression?

What is happening to us is good.  We are praying, we are studying about the “believer priest” open worship concept where individual believers are using their spiritual gifts through testimony and.  It is working for us.  We are not the only one experiencing stress about trying to make things better.  According to Brother Angetile, “In our own Church history regarding the life in Herrnhut, the Germans were shocked to see how those people were behaving in the already established church of their time. Zinzendorf was accused of being another church influence and it was claimed from those who were against him that he had another new faith. But for them the Herrnhuter it was felt that was the best way to worship God. Due to their very different way of life at Herrnhut when Wesley visited Herrnhut in one of his comments said, "I look forward to the time when this kind of church would cover the whole world as the waters of the sea does have always done."

We need to move forward in liberty and freedom in the Spirit.  We need to keep open to what will attract our youth to church.  We need to worship in a way that brings blessing to them and brings our people closer to our Savior, other believers and yet keeps our entire Church in unity and harmony.

Our Seminary Dean who will leave us in January, left us with the thought that there is a 2^nd Reformation happening with the Holy Spirit moving upon the traditional mainline Churches.   This is a renewal of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit be using through all believers.

God is raising up new leaders in our Province!  There are many more Moravians now using their spiritual gifts than ever before.  God as sovereign  will assure that God’s love, unity and His way of worship and reaching people will be met before Christ comes again.  If there is hurt, there needs to be forgiveness.  There needs to be trust and confidence in one another.   I know that one of the manifestations of God’s Spirit is a desire to work closely with other denominations and to help them in renewal. 

We can rejoice that God is doing a new thing in our midst to bring glory to Jesus Christ.  He is the Chief Elder of our Church.  It is a painful struggle for some, but as we strive to work together for Christ’s glory I believe our Church will experience its renewal and invigorate its life more as we support the concept of the Spiritual Feast in our Province.

It is my prayer that we will have all things in common.  A vision of Count Zinzendorf’s was that of the restoration of Apostolic community. He labored to establish a community of saints that loved and supported one another through prayer, encouragement and accountability.  To a high level Zinzendorf’s vision became a reality in the small village of Herrnhut.   A deep sense of community was maintained through small groups based on common needs and interests, original and unifying hymns and continual prayer meetings. I n 1738 John Wesley visited “this happy place” and was so impressed that he commented in his journal “I would gladly have spent my life here . . .  I wonder how many of our people will glad spend their time in our churches in Alaska.

God bless you.

OTHER MORAVIAN PROVINCES ARE WRESTLING WITH RENEWAL AMONG THEIR CHURCHES.  FOLLOWING IS AN INTERESTING EXCERPT:

Another critic of the resolution, the Rev. Jarek Pleva, the president of the province in the Czech Republic, said that "the primary issue is not homosexuality, but 'What do you believe about the Bible?' Do you believe the Bible?' "

Pleva gave a presentation about the charismatic movement at the synod meeting. During his visit here, he said that he was disappointed that there wasn't more interest in the presentation. For the past few years, there have been tensions between Moravians who believe in their denomination's traditional style of quiet worship and those embracing the style of the charismatic movement, which includes rousing music and emphasizes the gifts of the spirit, such as speaking in tongues.

That movement has swept through the Czech Republic, as well as through Frack's church. Advocates say that the movement brings spiritual renewal with it. The Rev. Tim Byerly of Mount Airy, who was the chairman of the synod committee that looked at the charismatic movement, said that there is room for the movement in the Moravian faith. "I wish we'd had time to affirm that."

Byerly said he came away from synod with a good feeling about his denomination. "My impression is there is a strength of the unity within the province and there's a strong sense the unity in the whole (denomination). Even though divisions go quite deep ... it would be a mistake to see the unity as coming apart."