Board of World Mission

Board of World Mission The BWM is the mission agency of the Moravian Church in North America.

• Executive Director: Justin Rabbach
• Director of Mission Engagement: Chris Giesler
• Treasurer: Rex Knowlton
• Director of Communications and Development: Sylvie Hauser
• Administrative Assistant: Sue Adams
• Director of Mission Outreach: Angelica Regalado Cieza

When Moravians first settled in what is now Winston-Salem, North Carolina, they took advantage of the landscape, buildin...
09/12/2026

When Moravians first settled in what is now Winston-Salem, North Carolina, they took advantage of the landscape, building a grist mill in nearby Bethabara that was powered by a creek. Earlier, Moravians had built similar mills in Pennsylvania, also using the water from a nearby creek as the source of energy. Doing this type of construction in remote parts of the American colonies was not simple, so Moravians drew on their global network for support, and a Danish Moravian came from Europe to help them construct their mills.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goal #7 is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for al...
09/11/2026

U.N. Sustainable Development Goal #7 is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. 💡 Our Scriptures open with God's first creation being light, the sun. The sun is a powerful source of energy that makes all life possible. We are then told that a "wind" from God swept over the face of the waters. This "wind" is "ruach" in Hebrew, sometimes translated as the breath of God. The mighty breath of God created the earth as we know it. Wind and sun, two powerful sources of global energy, are named in the first chapter of the very first book of the Bible.

Over the next few days, we will highlight:
💡 mills in Moravian settlements
💡 solar energy in Zambia
💡 stewardship at West Side Moravian Church (WI)
💡 solar panels at Union Cross Moravian Church

We are just a few days away from the 2026 Door County Century Ride, where about 20 Moravians will be challenging themsel...
09/10/2026

We are just a few days away from the 2026 Door County Century Ride, where about 20 Moravians will be challenging themselves to ride 30, 50, 70, or 100 miles in support of the Board of World Mission! We couldn't possibly pit our amazing volunteers against each other... but we can do it to our staff! Choose your favorite (or the one you think might need the most encouragement 😬) and sponsor their ride today! Donate at https://givebutter.com/x1EIX7.

What exactly are we raising funds for? The BWM, of course! But more specifically, we are raising funds to support Moravian mission and ministry for generations to come... to show we're in it for the long haul! Funds raised will be added to our "Until He Comes" fund, which will be invested for 100 years (a century... get it? 😊) . This project reflects our deep confidence that Christ-centered mission will continue to thrive well into the future. It also honors the faithful gifts of those who came before us—contributions that still sustain our work today. Thank you for helping us to grow this important investment into future ministry.

In rural Cuba, some household water sources are located next to livestock holding pens, which contaminate the water used...
09/10/2026

In rural Cuba, some household water sources are located next to livestock holding pens, which contaminate the water used for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Over ten years, ARMF has installed ten water purification systems in Cuban communities. These systems aren’t placed in individual homes; they're positioned in central locations so people in the surrounding community can access the clean water. When the water systems are installed, they work with neighbors to understand how the system will be maintained and operated. This approach aligns with ARMF's broader approach of building relationships with local communities across all aspects of their work.

In rural Cuba, clean water isn't just a health necessity. It's life and dignity. It's the difference between spending hours boiling contaminated water and having time to work, learn, and rest. It's infrastructure that changes everything.

The Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation (ARMF) was founded by a Southern Province Moravian, Joe Jarvis, and others to support the Moravian Church in Cuba.

The Board of World Mission is seeking applicants to fill the position of Director of Mission Outreach. This is a full-ti...
09/09/2026

The Board of World Mission is seeking applicants to fill the position of Director of Mission Outreach. This is a full-time, remote position with frequent travel required. Applications will be accepted by BWM Executive Director Justin Rabbach via email – [email protected]. Please include your resume, a cover letter, and a list of three references with contact information.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning October 15th, 2026.

Position Summary: The Director of Mission Outreach (DMO) serves as the Board of World Mission’s (BWM’s) point person for its global mission partnerships and is the lead staff person guiding the Moravian Church in North America’s response to human migration. This is a full-time position reporting to the executive director of the BWM and working in close coordination with BWM staff and the Provincial Elders’ Conferences (PECs) of both Northern and Southern Provinces. Mission Outreach is a core part of the work of the BWM — the intentional focus of our effort to be faithful to the Great Commission and to the scriptural mandate to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35). Human migration has become one of the defining humanitarian and missional realities of our time, and these global patterns are increasingly present in Moravian congregations across North America. At the same time, the worldwide Moravian Unity continues to grow, with new and emerging partnerships requiring dedicated staff capacity to nurture them well. The DMO carries both callings: leading the Church’s faithful response to human migration and accompanying the BWM’s global partners.

Learn more and find the complete job description at https://www.moravian.org/mission/2026/09/08/hiring-dmo/.

Many of us take for granted the water that enables us to wash our clothes at home, a blessing not accessible to all. For...
09/09/2026

Many of us take for granted the water that enables us to wash our clothes at home, a blessing not accessible to all. For neighbors who are in rental spaces or are unhoused, access to the ability to clean one's clothes is not always available. For some, the cost of doing laundry can be $50 or more, depending on family size and the cost of machines and detergent.

This need became apparent to the Wisconsin Rapids Moravian congregation as it sought to live into a new way of being church. When two smaller Moravian congregations just outside of the city limits closed and sold their buildings, the Provincial Elders’ Conference designated some of the funds for new community ministry. In a discernment process, the congregation engaged with local social agencies to identify needs. They discovered that there was a pattern of high school students, in particular, missing class because they were ashamed of coming to school in dirty clothes. This sparked the idea of offering a laundry ministry.

Many scenarios were considered, including adding washers and dryers and a shower in the church building, an idea that received pushback from neighbors in the community. The congregation instead decided to meet people at the laundromat and pay for their laundry to get washed and dried. This outreach, now called Cleansing Waters, is thriving. Agencies like the county human services department and the local public school counselors refer people to Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church, and the congregation sends two volunteers to meet those referred at a designated laundromat, bringing anything they need to wash their clothes. The Rev. Beth Rohn-Habhegger shared, “We are blessed to be able to support the members of our community. With each referral, we are reminded of the gift we have to be able to have clean clothes.”

Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church is in downtown Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

After hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Nicaragua in 2020, many wells were flooded with contaminated water, leaving communitie...
09/08/2026

After hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Nicaragua in 2020, many wells were flooded with contaminated water, leaving communities without a source of clean drinking water. The Nicaraguan Moravian youth organization, AJECIM, requested a small grant from the Board of World Mission to purchase a water pump. The youth team traveled from community to community draining and cleaning wells, so that as the wells were naturally replenished, the water would be safe to drink. This work continues, with the youth leading the endeavor!

When the first Moravian settlers were shown the location in Herrnhut, in present-day Germany, where they were to build t...
09/07/2026

When the first Moravian settlers were shown the location in Herrnhut, in present-day Germany, where they were to build their homes, their first question was, "Where will we find water in this wasteland?" It took five years of digging and laying pipes until sufficient water for the ever-growing community was available. On May 17, 1727, only days after a covenant for Christian living was introduced to organize the community, "the most beautiful and abundant water" began to flow from the well on the square, understood as a sign of God’s blessing.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goal #6 is to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. 💧 In Matthew 10:42 and 25:35 ...
09/06/2026

U.N. Sustainable Development Goal #6 is to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. 💧 In Matthew 10:42 and 25:35 Jesus tells us plainly that if someone is thirsty we are to give them a drink of water. In the Gospel of John, Jesus describes himself as living water and invites all who are thirsty to come to him (John 4:10; 7:37-39). The prophet Jeremiah describes God as a spring of living water (Jeremiah 2:13, 17:13). In both the Old and New Testaments, we find life happening at a well. Rachel and Jacob meet at a well and begin a life together (Genesis 29:9-14). Jesus reveals his true nature as the Messiah to a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:7-26). Water is clearly a central biblical motif, understood both as a basic need for mortal life and as a metaphor for eternal life in Christ.

Over the next few days, we will highlight:
💧 clean water in Herrnhut
💧 well cleaning in Nicaragua
💧 Cleansing Waters at Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church
💧 water as a community resource in Cuba

Climate change, violent and unpredictable weather, and unsustainable agricultural practices are issues that confront our...
09/05/2026

Climate change, violent and unpredictable weather, and unsustainable agricultural practices are issues that confront our churches daily and impact their ability to grow nutritious food and access clean water. Communities located near major bodies of water are often disproportionately impacted due to more intense storms, rising sea levels, and erosion. More than half of our global Moravian Church membership lives within 120 miles of the ocean.

The Caratasca Lagoon in Honduras is part of one of the largest lagoon systems in Central America. Historically a center of Indigenous culture and population, it is also the home to many Moravian congregations and ministries. The Caratasca peninsula has few reliable sources of potable drinking water; wells that do exist regularly dry up during the dry season, and deep wells cannot be dug because the sandy soil tends to cave in. The wells that do exist require extensive maintenance and are ineffective at storing potable water. Additionally, many people collect their drinking water in the same places where they bathe and wash clothing, making it unsafe to drink. This issue has been exacerbated in recent years by climate change, which is causing increasingly frequent and unpredictable heavy rains and flooding, as well as drought. Our Moravian communities face real needs regarding access to clean water.

Stewardship of the earth is our divinely given responsibility, and as a Moravian Church, we confess we have fallen short. In our Liturgy of Stewardship (Moravian Book of Worship, p. 155), we pray the following prayer of confession:

“Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned in many ways, times and places. We have mishandled this good earth entrusted to our care, and we have misused our personal gifts, hurting both ourselves and others. Forgive our false pride which hides our negligence, and forgive our careless acts which destroy your handiwork. In your mercy correct our faults and restore us to responsible, compassionate living.”

Address

1021 Center Street
Bethlehem, PA
18018

Telephone

(610) 868-1732

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