For almost 15 centuries, the church possessed a visible unity in the form of the Catholic Church. In 1457 the Unitas Fratrum, or Moravian Church, became the first protestant church. Since that time 38,000 (FN1) other protestant churches have been formed. Today protestant churches are forming at the rate of 300 a year. These numbers do not include the many fiercely independent congregations that are scattered all over city and world.
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Many thanks for everyone’s help with the annual Square Dance for Sunnyside Ministry on Sunday, November 23! We hosted over 200 youth at the square dance, and we collected a huge amount of food to help with hunger relief during the holidays. We’re grateful to New Philadelphia’s youth and adults, who set up for the event, gathered donations, served refreshments, and cleaned up afterwards. Thank you!
Here are some pictures:
Square Dance 2008
Foreword: In order to appreciate the Festival of the Chief Elder, one must understand the principal of the Lot. The early Moravians submitted many decisions to the Lot. When a matter had been discussed, and a decision reached, one of the elders would reach into a bowl containing a collection of texts, some affirming, and some denying the decision, and draw out a single text. This single text affirmed or denied the action. The use of the Lot eventually fell from favor, but for a time it one mark among many of the total faith and radical obedience of our church.
Our youth raked leaves for several church families on Sunday, November 9! Click the link below for more pictures:
19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, and self-control; against which there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. Galatians 5:19-26
The 6th Essential is “the fruit of the Spirit” in the life of all believers. The term “fruit of the Spirit” is used only once in the Revised Standard Version of Scripture.
