The Moravian Church in Labrador

The Moravian Church in Labrador is the oldest Protestant Church in existence. The church was founded in Czechoslouak village of Kunwald.

Based on the teachings and social beliefs of Jan Hus who was martyred in 1415. The church was started in 1415.

The church began ordering it's own clergy in 1487. Later it became the main religion of Bohemia. It produced the Kralitz Bible, a translation of the vernacular, and the first hymn book.

On November 8, 1620 in the battle of White Mountain near Prague they were scattered and killed many of it's leaders . For about 100 years followers of this religion stayed "underground" .

When Court Nicolas Ludwigvon Zinzendorf offered many Christian refugees protection on his lands in Germany, a population of Movavian Brethren took refuge their. Then trouble began because of so many different theologies and beliefs became mixed. This trouble continued until August 13^t, 1727 when during the Holy communion celebration people's hearts were touched by a renewed spirit. This date is the anniversary Day of the Moravian Church.

This experience also gave it's members to carry the message in the Gospel to the rest of the world. In 1732, two members went to St. Thomas in the West Indies. These were pioneers to the modern missionary movement of the Protestant church. By 1735 the church had moved to North America.

John Christian Erhart was a church leader who tried to Christianize Labrador in 1752. The mission was not a success. Erhart and some other members of his group were killed by natives. The rest returned to Europe. In 1771 a Dane from Greenland called Jens Haven also tried to the same thing. Haven already had the advantage of already having worked with the Inuit people of Greenland was more successful. His success was slow in coming to him. He was in Labrador five years before he baptized the first convert to this religion. This religion is 231 years old now in Labrador.

Happy Valley goose Bay was made the headquarters for the Moravia Church in Labrador in 1906.

The church's system in Labrador has a Chapel Servants or "Kivgak" and Community Elders on "Angajo kaukattiget" They are responsible for the church and worship. And life congregation of community

Moravian Church 3 orders of ordained people:

Deacon

Presbyter

Bishop

The church as no specific theology in terms of Christianity. It is wide in its belief system and is best described as being Christian-Centered. This lends this religion to a very accepting attitude towards other Christian religions and makes the unity of Christian faith important. This religion is both protestant ( it does not submit to all the teachings of the Catholic Church) and episcopal (it has continuity through bishops).

In 1457 this religion's first hymn book was published. This church follows the same church year as other Christian religions; it follows the Christian calendar year around the "key" events in Christ's life.

Some different services that this religion has that other Christian religions do not have are the Lovefeast (Agape) which is a thanksgiving ceremony for family and the Cap of Covenant ( hymns sung and a cup of wine is passed) which is used to strengthen bonds within the congregation on special occasions.

The Moravian church is rich in the culture and music of its people. It is rich in the tradition of brass bands and choral singing.

The education mission is to have a school in each place that there is a church. The first school in Labrador was built in Nain in 1791. This tradition of education has passed down through the ages and is still strong even today. It has started many colleges and schools throughout the world and its education ministry remains strong.

One of the oldest wooden churches east of Quebec is a Moravian church which was built in Hopedale, Labrador in 1752 and is now a national historic site.

Jennifer Squibb