Moravian Churches Suspend Worship Services, Services Now Online

Moravian Church on St. Thomas

The Moravian Church Virgin Islands Conference advises its membership and the public that the church — in compliance with guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and local authorities relating to  the coronavirus pandemic – is suspending all activities, including Sunday morning worship, baptisms and confirmation classes for all Moravian Churches in the U.S. Virgin Islands effective Thursday, March 19, until further notice.

Beginning with Sunday, March 22, District Worship Services will be held via livestream on Facebook on St. Thomas at 9 a.m. from the Memorial Moravian Church Facebook page www.facebook.com/memorialmoravianchurch.  Anyone not on Facebook should use this link: http://memorialmoravianvi.org/live/.  On St. Croix, services will be live streamed from the Friedensberg Moravian Church at 10:30 a.m. at http://reefbroadcasting.com — follow the link to Friedensberg Moravian Church Live. People can also connect via the Friedensberg Moravian Church Facebook page.

A 10-member, on-site team, headed by the pastors in each district, will oversee the services.

The services will also be broadcast on the radio on the usual radio stations: WSTA Lucky 13 1340AM, WGOD 97.9 FM, WTJC 96.9 FM, 103.5 FM and WDHP 1620 AM at the usual times.

Mid-week (Wednesday) Lenten and Holy Week services will be live streamed on the Moravian Church’s Facebook Page at 5:30 p.m. (Memorial) for St. Thomas and 6:30 p.m. (Friedensberg) for St. Croix.  Rev. Dr. Cortroy Jarvis, Pastor of Memorial Moravian Church will be hosting daily devotions entitled “Fresh Bread” at 7 a.m. from his Facebook Page. Everyone is encouraged to tune in.

Congregations are encouraged to hold board and other organization meetings via conference call or other online media such as Skype, Zoom, WhatApp, etc., as appropriate. Visitations are also suspended so as to not put the sick or elderly at risk.  In the interim, members are asked to please call to check on persons by telephone and offer assistance as needed.

“We serve an awesome God who is faithful, and we will trust Him to see us through this COVID-19 Pandemic. Let us be prayerful and vigilant in following the protocols established and do our part to contain this virus,” said Rev. Eulencine Christopher, superintendent of the Moravian Church Virgin Islands Conference.

Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the Moravian Church VI Conference office at 713-1055 or via email at moravianvic@gmail.com.  Members should contact their respective church office or pastor with any questions or concerns.