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A few weeks ago, I was once again at Berthelsdorf, showing Zinzendorf’s Manor House to a group of visitors. The sight was astounding: a new roof on top of the building, the yard all cleaned up from debris, an attractive visitor center, construction workers and volunteers busily at work. Inside the Manor House we found that all damaged beams of the timber frame had been replaced and several walls had been built up with new bricks. At noon, we joined several local people who meet once a week on the site for a mid-day prayer for Berthelsdorf. Clearly, good things are happening: Zinzendorf’s Manor House no longer is threatened by decay: it is a construction site for the future. 

     As you know, the driving force behind this work is the “Association of the Friends of Zinzendorf’s Manor House”, a non-profit organization founded in 1998 that now counts more than 100 members. These are people from the village of Berthelsdorf, members of the Moravian Church and many other interested persons from all over the world. But, of course, the circle of friends is larger than the number of members, and we gratefully acknowledge the interest and support by many people in North America. 

     Through our common effort, we have reached our first and foremost goal: saving Zinzendorf’s Manor House from destruction. Now we are working on the next step: preserving the building for the future and filling it with new life.  This includes both continuing reconstruction and repair work and a process of developing an appropriate and suitable concept for the use of the property.  We are envisioning a combination of cultural, charitable and religious projects that are geared toward the particular needs and opportunities of the region. These might include assisted living and training opportunities for people in need, a youth  retreat center, a Zinzendorf study center, and a museum devoted to local history. Specifically, we are in contact with one organization that is interested in providing a Christian ministry to young people recovering from drug abuse.

Every year hundreds of visitors come to Herrnhut and Berthelsdorf to see these important places of our Moravian heritage. It is our hope and prayer that before too long Berthelsdorf will once again be a place of ministry, hospitality and outreach in the spirit of the Moravian tradition, a place that Moravians around the world can call their spiritual home.

 We hope that you will continue to be part of this vision and perhaps invite others to participate in it as well. We are grateful for any financial support. If you wish to make a donation, you may do so by sending it to Br. Albert Frank (c/o Moravian Archives, 41 W. Locust St., Bethlehem, PA 18018), who has agreed to handle the transfer of money to Germany. Checks should be made out to “Evangelische Bruderunitat” with a note that they are intended for Berthelsdorf. 

     Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this letter or about Zinzendorf’s Berthelsdorf Manor House. With sincere thanks on behalf of the Friend’s Association.
Peter Vogt

MORAVIANS CELEBRATE 250 GLORIOUS YEARS IN JAMAICA

(THE JAMAICA OBSERVER – Vivian Tyson – Dec. 26,2004)

It was, of course, a much different Jamaica that the first Moravians saw when they came to establish the first Protestant church in the island 250 years ago this year, with the slave community being their primary concern.

But as they were in 1754, the Moravians remain a largely rural-based church, as if to remind themselves of their old mandate  - to minister to the poor and dispossessed.

As they reflect on this historic milestone, the Moravians of Jamaica celebrate a string of other firsts – one of which is the establishment of primary education in 1823, 61 years before the church was officially incorporated by the Jamaican Parliament.