Who We Are

Christ-centered, emphasizing community, the person and teachings of Jesus, and simplicity in doctrine and lifestyle. Our relationship with Jesus Christ provides the basis for our relationship with each other and inspires us to serve. We look to the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide our daily lives. Referring to Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the official motto of the Moravian Church is “Our Lamb has conquered. Let us follow Him.” In faith and practice, we seek to be guided by the principle “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, love.” 

The presence of the Moravian Church in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, can be traced to Moravian ministry among Delaware, Mohican, and Munsee as these native American peoples were driven westward by Colonial expansion. In 1782, in one of the darkest chapters of the region’s history, Pennsylvania militia massacred 96 peaceful Delaware Moravian Christians at the Moravian mission station at Gnadenhutten. To this day, Delaware peoples and Moravian Christians are united in mourning this tragedy, and honoring these men, women, and children who were faithful even to the point of death (Rev. 2:10).

Launched in 2019, The Shared Ministry of the Fry’s Valley, Gnadenhutten, and Uhrichsville Moravian Congregations is an experiment in congregational leadership. In the spirit of the most dynamic periods in Moravian Church history, our partnership emphasizes the role of gifted lay leadership at the heart of congregational ministry, with a traditional ordained pastor serving in an important, but supportive, role. In this experiment, visioning and coordination of cross-congregation ministry is provided by The Shared Ministry Team - lay leaders from each congregation and the ordained pastor. Trained lay preachers and local lay worship assistants join with the ordained pastor in leading our local worship gatherings and our common online service. Lay leaders elected from the congregation guide and oversee each congregation’s local ministries. While our congregations partner together in pooling resources, sharing leadership and many ministries, and drawing from each other’s gifts and strengths, each congregation maintains its own unique identity. At the heart of all we do lies the desire to love and serve Christ in the spirit of our motto “In Essentials Unity, in Non-Essentials Liberty, in All Things Love.” Come join us as we follow Christ together!