three-part webinar series via Zoom (see the registration form below)
by Paul Peucker, Moravian Archives
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (EST)
on October 22, October 29, and November 5, 2024

registration fee: $49.50 for the three-part series (incl. reading materials)
reading materials (PDF) will be emailed to you in time for the start of  the first webinar.

Can’t make it for the live stream? A link to a recording will be sent to all registered participants after the webinar (valid for one month).

Settlement congregations were a distinctive feature of Moravian life in the 18th and 19th centuries. With the inscription of the “Moravian Church Settlements” as a transnational serial UNESCO World Heritage site, it is time to learn more about Moravian settlements!

What exactly are Moravian settlements? How was life organized in these settlements? How were they different from other types of Moravian congregations? How did they change over time and when did they lose their closed character?

October 22, 2024, Part I: Introduction
In the first session, we will introduce the concept of Moravian settlements. What was a Moravian settlement, how did they develop, and where do we find them? What were the typical elements of a Moravian settlement? We will also look at different types of Moravian town plans.

October 29, Part II: Organization
In the second session, we will discuss how the settlements were organized and how the settlements were part of a world-wide network. We will look at the rules for life in a Moravian settlement and compare them to other forms of Moravian congregations. What does it mean when Moravian communities were “closed” and when did that end?

November 5, Part III: Worship and Life in a Moravian Settlement
The final session will take a closer look at life in a typical Moravian settlement. Interestingly, the worship schedules in the different settlements showed a great degree of uniformity.

Dr. Paul Peucker is archivist of the Moravian Church in America, Northern Province, and author of Herrnhut: The Formation of a Moravian Community, 1722-1732 (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2022).

Registration Form