The Moravian Love Feast is based on the meals of the early Church described in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostles. In realization of their new-found unity and equality, early believers ate a meal together before celebrating Holy Communion. As the Church grew, this practice was gradually laid aside for practical reasons. In 1747 Protestants of Moravia, Germany revived the tradition and later brought it to America as they founded settlements like the one at Salem, North Carolina. The Love Feast is not a Sacrament like Holy Communion, but a worshipful sign of Christian love and unity.
Here at Long Memorial, a Love Feast is held on the evening of the second Sunday of December each year. The service begins with a harpist playing Christmas carols for about 20 minutes while the congregation gathers. At the entrance each person receives a small candle with a traditional red paper frill symbolizing the Lord’s blood shed for us. Traditional Moravian hymns and simple table blessing lead worshippers into a hushed sharing of sweetened buns and mugs of milky coffee, brought in by servers and passed hand to hand along the pews. The service culminates with a small candle being lit from one of the altar candles and that light passed candle to candle throughout the congregation to symbolize our unity of purpose in spreading Christ’s light.
This beautiful worship service has become a beloved tradition at Long Memorial and offers an opportunity for us to invite members of other denominations to come and share the rich expectancy of the Advent season with us.
