A beacon of hope

The Hope Center in Albion, Illinois has a broad mission to serve the needs of their community and the surrounding towns. One of those towns is West Salem, where our Illinois Moravians worship. I had an opportunity to visit the center last month and speak with Steve Smith, the Director. Started as a pregnancy support…

What’s cooking at Essentials Café?

Moravians are cooking up something good at Essentials Café. And there are never too many cooks in the kitchen. In fact, a number of local congregations and organizations are supporting this new “pay-what-you-can” food ministry. It’s an Emerging Ministry of the Moravian Church in America, Northern Province. If you’ve made a gift to the Hunger…

The freezer is always open

Eleven years ago, East Hills Moravian Church started a freezer ministry to provide meals to members or neighbors in a time of need. Frozen meals were also made available when others in need came knocking at the church door. Over time, East Hills’ meal production expanded to approximately 3,000 meals a year. When Covid hit…

Bethabara Food Pantry provides needed support

The Bethabara Moravian Food Pantry is an important source of food assistance in the church’s neighborhood. Averaging 40 families a month at the end of 2022 (an increase of 12 to 15 families over the prior four months), the Pantry serves the immediate area as well as some people from southern Forsyth County. Thanks to…

Wonderfully Made at You Belong

As Rev. Greg and Amy Behrend reflect on You Belong’s first year of ministry, they see God at work, “weaving together a beautiful tapestry in this developing faith family.” You Belong’s Wonderfully Made program continues to be at the center of that work. The growing group has now welcomed 62 people to all kinds of…

Your generosity is blessed

When Jesus blessed one boy’s humble gift of two fishes and five loaves, it was made to feed thousands. And there were twelve baskets of leftovers! Your generosity through the Moravian Ministries Foundation in America (MMFA) is blessed too! Your gifts to the Moravian Hunger & Thirst Field of Interest Fund on the Moravian Day…

Growing community

Growing community isn’t about size. First Moravian Church in Greensboro, NC isn’t the biggest church in town. But thanks to a grant through the Moravian Ministries Foundation in America (MMFA), it just might be growing community that’s second to none — and producing a bountiful harvest. A new Servants’ Garden, with more than 30 raised…

Breakfast at MOD

While in New York recently for some fun and some foundation business, I had the opportunity to stop by Moravian Open Door (MOD). Susan Attzs-Mendoza, MOD’s Executive Director, invited me to join the residents for breakfast. Early this year, Moravian Ministries Foundation in America made a grant of $50,000 from our Hunger & Thirst Field…

Your gifts feed hungry children

  By Lydian Bernhardt Feed hungry children Sister Lorena Gray knew a need when she saw it. Feed hungry children A nurse who lives half the year in North Carolina, half the year in her native Honduras, Gray experienced many challenging situations growing up. She could tell that, with the advent of COVID, hurricanes, drug…

“I was hungry and you fed me”

According to Feeding America, in 2020 at least 60 million people received food from food banks, food pantries, and other private charitable food programs. However, thanks to the overwhelming public and private response to hunger in the United States, in its recent Household Food Security in the United States in 2020 report, the USDA shared…