Moravians have been serving the community of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania since 1741 when our forefathers and mothers first settled the town. Edgeboro Moravian Church is a part of the world-wide Unitas Fratrum (“Unity of the Brethren,” otherwise known as the Moravian Church) which has been around for over 550 years. Edgeboro’s story exists within the larger Moravian story.
Edgeboro Moravian Church
Edgeboro Moravian Church began as the idea of four Moravian Theological Seminary students: Herbert Kant, Vaclav Vancura, J. George Bruner and Douglas Rights. After surveying the Edgeboro neighborhood and finding that there was an opportunity to host a Sunday School for children and adults, they hosted their first Sunday School class at 635 Washington Ave. on October 25th, 1914 with 28 people present. The class began expanding and soon, church services were requested. the first one was held on December 13, 1914 with the first sermon given by George Bruner.
As expansion continued, the growing group planned accordingly. In October of 1915, Edgeboro installed its first pastor, Dr. W. Vivian Moses of Moravian Theological Seminary. Around that same time, plans were submitted to erect a church building. By Christmas of 1915, Edgeboro began worshiping in a vacant school building on Washington Ave. and Easton Ave.
The new church building (Edgeboro’s current location) was ready in the fall of 1918, but due to the fact that fire destroyed the furnishings that the church ordered before they even left the factory, the flu pandemic, and the illness of Pastor Moses, the building wasn’t dedicated until 1919.
For the first three decades, Edgeboro Moravian Church existed not as an independent congregation, but as a Sunday School of Central Moravian Church. As the Sunday School grew, it began to organize itself more independently. After much preparation, it was on April 17, 1944 that Edgeboro was recognized as an independent congregation of the Moravian Church.
Today, we have over 330 confirmed members and an additional 80+ children and attendees. During the first century of our spiritual journey, we have grown from humble beginnings to a vibrant community of people united by our love for the Lord, for each other and all humankind, and the desire to nurture that love wherever and whenever we can.