Lenten Series – Zoom

The Spring 2021 Lenten Series

Remembering Lives Well Lived:                                                                    

The Moravian Lebenslauf (Past, Present, and Future)

In this season of remembrance of another life well lived some two thousand years ago, the Lenten Series will focus on the historical Moravian practice of memoir writing through the creation of a Lebenslauf (“life course”). Thousands of these Lebensläufe are in existence, and they offer a remarkable window on the lives and spiritual journeys of our Moravian forebears.  The series will look at the history of this genre with many examples drawn from the holdings of the Moravian Archives in Bethlehem.  It will conclude by examining a recent movement to interest the current generation of Moravians in this practice, setting the stage for a future initiative from the Congregational Care Committee to engage us in creating our own Lebensläufe.

Feb. 24:           Introduction to the Lebenslauf and the Lives of Early Moravian Women

Prof. Katherine Faull, Bucknell University

Author of Moravian Women’s Memoirs: Their Related Lives, 1750-1820 (1997)

March 3          Highlighting Moravian Lives Well Lived (Past)

John Valentine Haidt (1700-1780) – Gene Allen, Central Moravian

Mary Penry (1735-1804) – Prof. Scott Gordon, Lehigh University

Polly Heckewelder (1781-1868) – Mary Brown, Central Moravian

March 10        Highlighting Moravian Lives Well Lived (Present)

                        Mervin Weidner (1915-2005) – Rt. Rev. Hopeton Clennon, Central Moravian

Mary Matz (1931-2013) – Rev. Derek French, Nazareth Moravian

Doug Caldwell (1943-2014) – Rev. Carol Reifinger, Central Moravian

March 17        The Moravian Lebenslauf as a Tool for Spiritual Reflection and Christian Witness

Rev. Jill Vogt, Moravian Church European Continental Provence

March 24        Introducing a Congregation to the Lebenslauf

Rev. Maggie Wellert, Central Moravian, will interview Rev. Dan Miller, Edgeboro Moravian, about his experiences introducing lebenslauf writing at Edgeboro, and then she will talk about Central’s future plans for this endeavor.