07
Dec
Youth Choir's Moravian Christmas Love Feast
A reflective time of beautiful Christmas music and light refreshments will be presented in the candlelit sanctuary by the 60 voice Youth Choir on the evening of December 7, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. Come and experience the healing message of Christmas.
Lovefeasts originated in the gathering of Christians after Pentecost. The early believers met, broke bread, sang spiritual songs, and read from the Disciples’ letters, thus signifying their union and equality. These meals generally followed the celebration of the Lord's Supper. They were called agape, from the Greek word for love in the highest type of spiritual love. By the fourth century, the Church gave up this practice.
The love feast of Apostolic times was resuscitated in its simplicity by the Moravian Church in August of 1727, after a memorable celebration of the holy communion. Count Zinzendorf was instrumental in resurrecting the custom in the Moravian Church life.
The love feast is primarily a song service, opened with prayer. Often there is no address; the hymns in the ode, or order of service, furnish the subject matter for devotional thought. The presiding minister often says a few words, explaining the purpose of the service, just before the congregation partakes in food & drink.
-- adapted from Moravian Church in North America web site