Elders in the Moravian Church

Most Moravian Churches have two official boards.

  1. The members of the Board of Elders are elected by the congregation in an annual Congregational Council to watch over the "spiritual" life of the church. In most congregations the elders meet monthly to attend to particular duties such as planning & executing church programming, and keeping a careful watch over the membership. The pastor serves as the Chair of the Board of Elders, and lay members are elected to the offices of vice-Chair and Secretary.


  2. Board of Trustees are elected by the congregation to watch over the "temporal" affairs of the congregation. They also meet monthly, and discharge duties like the payment of bills and attending to the regular upkeep of the church's physical plant.

From time to time, both boards meet in joint session. This is done when calling a new pastor, or when decisions need to be made that will "affect the total welfare of the congregation."

In those long ago days when Moravians lived in settlements, the Board of Elders watched over all affairs of the congregation, both spiritual and temporal. A number of Moravian Churches are returning to this model, choosing to elect a single administrative Board, usually known as the Board of Elders. In most churches, whether administered by one board or two, much of the work of the church is accomplished in committees.


Worth@NPMC.Org