Values & Beliefs
Recognizing and respecting Theological and Political Diversity.
As a Church committed to the essential belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord,
We seek to provide a communal space where people of passionate faith and mind may not agree, but will walk together in love and will seek to nurture each other with honesty and authenticity.
Our Core Values:
Serving our Community.
We seek to enhance the life of faith of the entire community by being spiritual leaven among those inside or outside of any church. We seek to actively support churches, organizations, and businesses in our community in our shared work for charity and justice.
Encouraging Local and Global Mission.
Through the commitment of time, resources and prayer, we encourage active participation in mission endeavors near and far. As a relational and global denomination, historically committed to living the gospel with those like and unlike, we seek to learn and serve throughout the world eliminating any barriers of race, culture, or class.
Spiritual Growth for All Ages.
Recognizing we are all born into the Family of God, we offer worship and teaching opportunities for all ages-from cradle to grave. We celebrate children as children, and as present and future disciples in God’s Household. All, regardless of age or station are encouraged as leaders—talents are sought and affirmed.
Moravians recognize the example of Christ's life and proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. Living the Christian life depends not only on our own effort, but upon God our Father, who in Jesus Christ accepts us as heirs of God and strengthens and sustains us. In baptism we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection, so we have died to sin and should walk in newness of life. We realize that our Christian faith must continually be nourished if it is to remain living and vital. Therefore, we desire to grow in our Christian lives through family devotions, personal prayer and study, and the opportunities for spiritual development offered by the Church.
Our Beliefs
We deem it a sacred responsibility and genuine opportunity to be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to us: our time, our talents, and our financial resources. We view all of life as a sacred trust to be used wisely.
Realizing that God has called us from many and varied backgrounds, we recognize the possibility of disagreements or differences. Often these differences enrich the Church, but sometimes they divide. We consider it to be our responsibility to demonstrate within the congregational life the unity and togetherness created by God who made us one. How well we accomplish this will be a witness to our community as to the validity of our faith.
Moravians support collegial experiences with children of God in other Christian churches, and carefully avoid all disputes, respecting opinions and ceremonies peculiar to one or another Church. We recognize that through the grace of Christ different denominations have received many gifts and that the Church of Christ may be enriched by these many and varied contributions. It is our desire that we may learn from one another and rejoice together in the riches of the love of Christ and the manifold wisdom of God. We welcome every step that brings us nearer the goal of unity in Him. In this fellowship we cooperate with other churches in the support of public charities or Christian enterprises, which have a just claim upon us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Ministries
Theological Diversity
Lenten Services
Longest Night Service
Worship
Respectful Conversations
Sunday School
Service of Remembrance
Spiritual Growth for All Ages
Choir
Worship
Joint Board Meetings
Sunday School
Vacation Bible School
Camp Promotion
Service of Remembrance
Comforter Ministry
Zoar Evening Vespers Services
Lenten Services
Christmas Caroling
Longest Night Service
Families Moving Forward
Joint Thanksgiving Day Service
Youth Group
Live Nativity
Women’s Spirituality Group
Men’s Saturday Breakfast
Confirmation
Local and Global Mission
Camp Promotion
Open Table
Racial Justice Trainings and Advocacy
Costa Rica Sister Church
Haiti Sisters
Alligator Gumbo
Service of Remembrance
Comforter Ministry
Christmas Caroling
Families Moving Forward
Joint Thanksgiving Service
Youth Group
Confirmation
Serving our Community
Joint Board Meetings
Vacation Bible School
Camp Promotion
Alligator Gumbo
Service of Remembrance
Comforter Ministry
Zoar Evening Vespers Services
Christmas Caroling
Longest Night Service
Families Moving Forward
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative Team
Housing Advocacy
Carver County Housing Crisis Rental Homes
Joint Thanksgiving Day Service
Meals on Wheels
Christmas Toy Drive
Easter Basket Sharing
Live Nativity
Food Shelf
Respectful Conversations
Walk on Waconia
Racial Justice Leadership Council
Racial Justice Trainings and Advocacy
The ministries that we do together reflect our core values. Below, each ministry is assigned to the core value it reflects (some ministries reflect more than one value).
The Moravian Church recognizes the sacraments of baptism and of holy communion. The usual mode of baptism is sprinkling and the church administers the sacrament in the name of the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). In the case of infant baptism, the sacrament carries with it the responsibility of parents, child and congregation. Through baptism the individual receives a pledge of the forgiveness of sin and admission into the covenant of God through the blood of Christ. Children may be baptized as a sign and pledge to them of the promise of Christ that theirs "is the kingdom of Heaven." Youth and adults confirm their baptismal covenant or are received by adult baptism when they make a profession of faith.
In respect to the sacrament of holy communion, the Moravian Church does not try to define the mystery of Christ's presence in the communion elements, but recognizes that the believer participates in a unique act of covenant with Christ as Savior and with other believers in Christ. The Moravian service of holy communion is a service of praise and prayer (with hymns being sung as the elements are distributed to all communicants); of fellowship (with the right hand of fellowship extended at the beginning and close of the service); and of special covenant with Christ and with each other. We at the Waconia Moravian Church practice an "open table" meaning that everyone regardless of church membership is invited to participate as they feel led to do so.