Staten Island Moravian Churches Receive Project Hospitality Rabbi Marcus Kramer Award

On March 4, 2009, the four Moravian Congregations of Staten Island received the Rabbi Marcus Kramer Humanitarian Award at the Project Hospitality’s “Shelter From the Storm” Spring 2009 Luncheon. The four Moravian congregations and their respective neighborhoods are New Dorp Moravian (New Dorp), Vanderbilt Avenue Moravian (Park Hill), Castleton Hill Moravian (Castleton Corners), and Great Kills Moravian (Great Kills). Members of the Moravian Church, a Protestant denomination, seek to follow Jesus Christ as they join together in a rich community life, in joyful worship, in meeting the needs of their neighbors, and in search of a deeply spiritual relationship with God.

The Rev. Will Nichols of Project Hospitality notes with appreciation that the Staten Island Moravian community give an annual grant each year to Project Hospitality and that following 9/11, the Eastern District of the Moravian Church contributed greatly toward the work of Project Hospitality. The relationship between Project Hospitality and the Staten Island Moravian Churches, however, goes beyond financial contributions. By sharing resources, volunteers, and connections with other community groups and volunteers, the Staten Island Moravian Churches have been able to undertake several mission projects together. The Community Garden contributes fresh produce to Project Hospitality’s food pantry and soup kitchen (1,092 pounds in 2008). An annual Children’s Clothing Distribution serves the families of Hospitality House and the larger community (545 individuals in 2008). Cooks from the Moravian churches provide a monthly meal for Project Hospitality’s HIV/AIDS clients. An annual CROP Walk benefits both Project Hospitality and Church World Service. In addition to joint projects which benefit Project Hospitality, the Moravians of Staten Island also work together to fill Thanksgiving baskets, knit prayer shawls, provide yoga classes, and send mission teams to the Gulf Coast to help in the post-Katrina rebuilding effort.

Beyond the ministries they undertake together, each of the Moravian churches on Staten Island serves Christ in its community offering worship, Sunday School, fellowship, and summer Vacation Bible Schools. Beyond these core ministries, each church has its own distinctive opportunities for service.

In 2008, Vanderbilt Avenue offered a summer Patriotic Gospel Sunday. This event included a singing contest, health awareness information, crafts, food, and music. Vanderbilt Avenue Moravians also collects food for the pantries at Project Hospitality and New Directions and they donate Christmas gifts to Project Hospitality.

New Dorp Moravian hosts a VNA flu shot clinic and a hospice memorial service. They provide space for Project Homefront, a group which sends care packages to U.S. soldiers in combat zones.

Great Kills Moravian collects food for the Oasis Christian Center food pantry, Christmas gifts for the Safe Horizons Shelter, and personal goods to Project Homefront. The Great Kills Sunday School hosts a mitten tree in the winter and is currently making origami peace cranes to send to Israel and Palestine.

Castleton Hill Moravian offers a Preschool for 2, 3, and 4 year-olds, a youth group, and a Children’s Music Class. The congregation sends Christmas presents each year to the residents of the Moravian Open Door, a long-term transitional housing for formerly homeless seniors in Manhattan and provides a monthly worship service for the residents of the Verrazano Narrows Nursing Home on Staten Island. The church also hosts and enjoys lively relationships with groups that use its building: Cub and Boy Scout Troop 26, AA, AARP, and the Clove Lakes Civic Association. Finally, the church provides a permanent, outdoor 8 circuit labyrinth in its courtyard. The labyrinth is open to the public for meditation and reflection.

In all things, the Moravians of Staten Island seek God’s presence, healing, and guidance in their lives. They seek to be faithful followers of Christ and to extend a warm welcome to people from many diverse backgrounds. Like the Moravians who have come before them, dating all the way back to 1457, they also seek to live by their motto: In essential, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.

Article by the Rev. Lynette Delbridge, co-pastor of Castleton Hill Moravian Church. Awards Photos by Deanna L. Hollenbach, Interprovincial Board of Communication for the Moravian Church in North America. Garden Photos by Lynette Delbridge and Paul Chen.