It was an ordinary day. Walking down E. Main Street in the small town of Lititz, PA when I came upon one of the most beautiful churches in the town. Church was the Lititz Moravian Church which was founded by a small group of Moravians in Warwick Township who wanted to start their own Moravian congregation with their own Gemeinhaus', or community house. It was on February 9, 1749 that the building was consecrated to worship on the appeal Sunday. The Gemeinhaus' served as a parsonage, school and meeting house and was built on a 3 3/4 quarter acre portion of farmland that had been donated by John George Klein, who settled in the township around 1740. The history of the church is intertwined with the history of the town of Lititz. For many years, they were one in the same; the town was a closed Moravian community that eventually opened to others. The church recently celebrated its anniversary, including a family-friendly Spring Fest on May 11. It's just one of several special events planned to mark the event yearly. The origins of the Lititz Moravian Church and the Lititz community date back to 1742, with a visit by Count Nicholas Louis von Zinzendorf, patron of the renewed Moravian Church. Through the years, the Lititz Moravian Church has had several homes. In 1787, the present-day Lititz Moravian Church was built on East Main Street, with a cluster of buildings that surrounded the graceful church. Seems it was the fifth place of worship for the Moravians of Lititz and stood just east of downtown Lititz for 170 years. In 1957, much of the sanctuary was destroyed in a fire. It was restored the following year. The sanctuary of the church is in what is called the "Prophetic style," with a high pulpit. High above the pulpit is a stained-glass window showing the Moravian Seal and motto. The Seal is the image of a lamb representing Jesus Christ or Agnus Dei - the Lamb of God - carrying a flag with a cross. The latin words of "Vicit Agnus Noster Eum Sequamur" translate to "Our Lamb has Conquered; Let Us Follow Him," and encircle the image of the lamb. The church has a communicant membership of 760 and a total membership of 906. Children become communicant members after having completed confirmation classes, which usually occurs when they are about 14 or 15 years old. They are the second-largest congregation in the Northern Province, exceeded only by Bethelehm Central. The church owns the Lititz Springs Park, where events like the Lititz Fourth of July, Lititz Outdoor Fine Art Show and Lancaster Symphony in the Park are held each year. The Moravian Church has long been known for its music. Morvians are credited with bringing Bach's music to America, and were known to adapt Mozart's works, as well. The Lititz congregation keeps that music tradition alive with several vocal choirs, a brass ensemble called the Trombone Choir and a hand-bell choir. Lititz was also the home of the famous Colonial pipe-organ builder, David Tannenberg. As Wetzel noted, the church has restored two of his instruments for the chapel and the fellowship hall in the Brothers' House. Manual musical instruments from the Colonial era are also on display at the church's museum. On Easter morning, starting before the sun even rises, the Moravian Trombone Choir greets the holy day with the music of Easter throughout town. Much has changed in the Moravian Church, yet the church still holds to its early Moravian motto: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, freedom; and in all things, love." Amen. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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| The Lititz Moravian Church in Lititz, PA |
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