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Home Moravian Outreach

Home Moravian Church has many opportunities for members to show their love for Jesus by supporting community organizations.

For all members: specific information, volunteer opportunities and news, log in to the member portal.

Home Missions Ministry Team

This group seeks to fulfill the final phrase of the Home Moravian Church Mission Statement, “serve our neighbor”. It enables members to participate in a wide variety of volunteer opportunities that reach out to our wider community. Take a look at some of the organizations that we routinely support and ways you can be involved:

Sunnyside provides financial aid for housing and utilities costs, operates a food pantry and clothing center, and also offers a scholarship program.

Many church members volunteer at Sunnyside. Opportunities include receptionist, data entry, interviewer, and Spanish interpreter. Our congregation frequently supports Sunnyside by holding food and clothing drives.

To learn more about Sunnyside, visit SunnysideMinistry

The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools program is a literacy and cultural enrichment program designed to serve children and youth in grades K-12 in communities where quality academic enrichment programming is limited, too expensive, or nonexistent. CDF Freedom Schools provide six-week summer and after-school enrichment through a research-based and multicultural curriculum.

Volunteer opportunities include providing lunches and snacks, supplies, reading with a student, leading or assisting with afternoon activities, and going on field trips.

To learn more about CDF Freedom Schools, visit WSFreedomSchools.

Diggs-Latham Elementary School

Home Moravian Church has been in partnership with Diggs-Latham, a public school located just twelve blocks from the church, since 2011. Volunteers provide tutoring and proctoring, help with special events, collect school supplies, hold fundraisers, and offer support to teachers throughout the school year. All on-site volunteers must be approved by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School systemTo learn more about Diggs-Latham, visit Diggs-Latham.

Diggs-Latham Holiday Store

Through the generosity of church members and their friends, we are able to provide a free holiday store for students and teachers at Diggs-Latham each Christmas. It is stocked with gently used or new items. Each student is given the opportunity to select a gift for an important adult in their life, which is then wrapped by one of our volunteers.

This annual walk fundraiser to alleviate hunger is sponsored by Church World Services (CWS) each October. Proceeds benefit our local organizations of Sunnyside Ministry and Crisis Control, as well as hunger needs throughout the world. Our own Board of World Mission often works in conjunction with CWS to get food to those most in need.

Home Moravian Church has always been a supporter of the CROP Hunger Walk with members walking and/or donating funds.

To learn more about the CROP Walk, visit CropWalkForsyth.

CROP Walk 2024

Thank you to everyone who walked and donated to this year’s CROP Walk! Your donations enable families to become self-sufficient. If you have not had a chance to contribute, it’s not too late.

Click here to donate on-line:

https://events.crophungerwalk.org/cropwalks/team/home-moravian-church.

To donate by check:  Make check payable to CWS/CROP and give it to Teresa Haynes or contact her for the mailing address at teresahaynes913@gmail.com.

City with Dwellings, which began as a Moravian ecumenical effort in 2013, serves people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. It began by providing shelter to our neighbors experiencing homelessness through the Winter Overflow Shelters. It expanded to offer programming where neighbors are aided with accessing available services (housing, mental health, addiction, etc.). We currently support their programs by providing meals for their White Flag Shelter. For more Information visit CitywithDwellings.

How are City with Dwellings and The Dwelling Different/Alike?

The Dwelling and City with Dwellings share the same heart and the same population, even the same physical address, but they exist as two separate entities. City with Dwellings is the social service component. The Dwelling ministers to the soul.

This church is sponsored by the Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Moravian Church in America. Our congregation supports the ministry of The Dwelling through preparing and serving meals, collecting donations for the Shower Ministry and other programs, and providing financial support. To learn more, visit TheDwellingWS.

How are City with Dwellings and The Dwelling Different/Alike?

The Dwelling and City with Dwellings share the same heart and the same population, even the same physical address, but they exist as two separate entities. City with Dwellings is the social service component. The Dwelling ministers to the soul.

Samaritan Ministries provides food, shelter, and hope for homeless men through Christian love. They have a long-term residential recovery program serving men battling addiction and homelessness. Our church members, 18 years and older, volunteer at the Samaritan Inn two weekends a year by preparing and serving meals. This ministry is shared with other churches in Winston Salem.

For more information visit SamaritanForsyth.

The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem is an interfaith ministry that promotes and supports successful aging by providing direct services, volunteer opportunities, and enrichment programs for older adults.

On the first Saturday in November, Home Moravian Church sponsors an evening program known as Saturday Night Fellowship. Downtown senior residents who live in low-income housing are our guests for the evening, where we provide a meal with devotions and entertainment in Fellowship Hall. To learn more about the Shepherd’s Center, visit ShepherdsCenter.

The Winston-Salem Street School (WSSS) is a private alternative high school serving local at-risk youth. It is designed to meet the needs of students who struggled in traditional schools due to academic or behavioral obstacles, many of whom were expelled or dropped out. The WSSS was specifically created to offer them the chance to earn a diploma recognized by the State of North Carolina.

Different groups within our church sign up to prepare and serve lunches for the students and teachers. Our church has also hosted their graduation ceremony in our sanctuary, followed by a reception for the past two years. To learn more about the Winston-Salem Street School, visit WSStreetSchool.

No one wants to be in the hospital at Christmas, so we offer a lovefeast bag to those patients on the cancer and palliative care units at Forsyth Medical Center. Our church children decorate the bags for us. The bags are then filled with the lovefeast items of a Moravian bun, juice, and a handmade Moravian star, then we deliver them to the hospital staff for distribution.

This annual day in September is designated for Moravian churches to stress the importance of service in the community in their worship service and to coordinate a service activity around this special date. Previous projects by our church have included placing markers in the St Philips graveyard, collecting welcome bags for SECU Family House, collecting personal items for The Dwelling and the Domestic Violence Shelter, and gardening at the Gateway Nature Preserve.

Sometimes the best way to help with a local concern is to offer financial support directly to an organization that is already doing excellent work in that particular area. We have a special budget within the church dedicated to that purpose. A sub-committee of the Home Missions Ministry Team meets annually to review candidate organizations and make recommendations to the Trustees on the distribution of those designated funds. Several examples of organizations in this category: Crisis Control, Senior Services, The Enrichment Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, Trinity Center, and the Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministry.

Financial Support

The Candle Tea

The Home Moravian Church Women’s Fellowship sponsors an annual Candle Tea in Old Salem at the Single Brothers’ House (600 Main Street) during the first two weeks of advent. Church members share their Moravian history and faith with singing, candle making, Moravian coffee and traditional sugar cake. The Candle Tea tour concludes with hearing the beautiful Christmas story while viewing the Nativity Putz. Proceeds raised from the Tea are shared with local and global missions and agencies. An abbreviated version of the Tea is available to school and scout groups. Our prayer is that our visitors will carry the light of Christ with them throughout the Christmas season.

Click here for a list of recipients of funds from the 2023 Candle Tea.

Check back in the fall to learn about ticket information.

Ministry in Albania 2024

From three sisters meeting and praying in each other’s homes in 1993, the Moravian church in Albania has grown and prospered, so that today there are six congregations spread throughout Albania. All six churches are being served by the daughter of one of the founders and recently ordained pastor, Sister Dena Grillo Fortuzi.

One of the most inspired projects began in 2015: the Bathore Project – to address the spiritual as well as physical needs of families living in extreme poverty.  Basic food provisions were added when the Albanian Moravians began to partner with Home Moravian Church in 2016. Since that time, the Bathore ministry has been supported by generous contributions by members from Home Church, Calvary Moravian, and Kernersville Moravian Church as well as grant money received from the MMFA and the Hine Fund. Forty-six poor families are supplied with food packages consisting of flour, sugar, salt, oil, pasta, beans, rice, and detergent. The average cost of providing food per family is $40.00 per month. Many recipients of the food packages attend the weekly church services conducted by Sister Fortuzi and attend classes offered by Haxhi Murati, a retired teacher and church leader in Bathore, and Merita Meko, one of the church founders.

The central congregation meets in Tirana, the capitol of Albania. Other congregations meet in Burrel, Pogradec, Elbasan, and a newly formed congregation in Lezha. Women, children, and a few men attend services each week in these locations. In addition to weekly services, they also connect with each other through WhatsApp.

Many smiling faces in Lezha.

Led by sister Elona Mandro, the church provides opportunities for youth from all six congregations to form close relationships and learn Moravian history.

Youth in Elbasan

Youth in Lezha

Another connection among congregations is the summer camp held each year in Pogradec. In July, 70 members participated in the weeklong camp inspired by Luke 19:1-10, “I want to see Jesus.” Worship, singing, and crafts are part of the camp experience for all ages.

Camp at Pogradec 2023

Dena graduated from the Moravian Seminary in May 2022 and ordained in September 2022.

Thanks to the generosity of Home Church, two young adults from Burrel, Igli and Joy, attended the 2023 Young Adult Convo in the Czech Republic and Germany this summer. Making connections with other Moravians around the world and learning Moravian history are important for the future growth of the Moravian Unity and for our young Moravian adults.

 

 

Bishop Sam enjoys time with Igli and Joy at the Young Adult Convo in Czech Republic

It is indeed a blessing to partner with the Moravian Church in Albania and watch the ministry grow and thrive. To God be the glory!

Thank you to those who have supported this ministry for many years. If you would like to support the Bathore Project, write a check to HMC with Bathore in the memo line.

World Missions

Home Moravian Church has several opportunities for members to show our love for Jesus by using the many gifts that each of us has received. Our worldwide mission work is increasing and needs more volunteers. If you are interested in participating in or learning more about world mission opportunities, please contact the church office by email or phone.

Moravian Missions activities include educational opportunities to help our members learn more about ongoing mission work, praying and planning for the people and workers in the mission areas, and providing financial support through fundraising activities. Our youth and adults participate in mission trips to these areas. Those interested in global mission work are always welcome to participate. Presently, the focus is on Moravian work in Cuba, Peru, Sierra Leone and Western Tanzania.

For All Members, the Home Moravian Church Member Portal contains information about various church functions, events, committees, and more. Signing up is easy! Simply complete the registration form, and when you are verified as a member, you will be granted access using your own log in credentials. If you need assistance, contact the Home Moravian Church office at skatona@homemoravian.org.