Split looms before church
Macedonia divided after its conference dismissed pastor
By Paul Garber
Winston-Salem Journal reporter
Many members of Macedonia Moravian Church appear ready to break away from the Southern Province.
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It would be the second church to split from the province in less than two years.
Rumors that some members would leave and form their own congregation have been circulating since last week, when the Moravian Provincial Elders' Conference decided to remove the church's pastor, the Rev. Greg Little. He had served the church since 1995.
For the past year, the church has withheld dues to the Southern Province as a protest. Its leaders say that the governing body has not acted consistently with its position on salvation.
Two years ago, the Rev. Truman Dunn set off a controversy in the denomination when, in a series of lectures and writings, he questioned whether Jesus was the only way to salvation. His comments put him at odds with church elders. They discussed the issue with him over the course of a year and decided that Dunn could keep his job at Messiah Moravian Church in Winston-Salem.
That decision has been a point of contention, particularly among conservative Moravians.
Marshall Ratledge, the vice chairman of Macedonia's board of elders, said he expects many members of Macedonia to form a new congregation, based on the results of a meeting with Macedonia church leaders Tuesday.
Ratledge said he believes that any such split would be amicable. "This is a wonderful opportunity for two bodies of Christ to serve in Davie County," he said.
Ratledge, a supporter of Little, declined to comment on whether he would remain on Macedonia's board.
The Rev. Bob Sawyer, the president of the elders' conference, said he hasn't heard any official plans from the church.
"Our position is that Jesus Christ is the head of the Moravian Church, and that Macedonia Church has been a strong witness to Jesus Christ and the community," Sawyer said. "We intend to see that those things continue."
Province officials are in the process of choosing an interim pastor for Macedonia.
Little declined to comment.
Macedonia has more than 800 members and is among the largest churches in the Southern Province and in Davie County.
Terry Wood, a member of Macedonia's board of trustees, said he expects a large number of the congregation's members, perhaps as many as two-thirds, to leave to join a new church.
"It's been one of the most painful things a group of people can go through," he said. "A split in the congregation is like a split in your own personal family."
Wood, a member of the church for about 50 years, said he is going to stay even though he agrees with many of the positions of those who may leave.
"To me, the proper way to fight is to fight from the inside," he said.
Wood said he is concerned that Little was removed but Dunn was allowed to stay, and he believes that the elders' conference lacks conservative voices.
Wood said he expects that if another congregation is formed, friendships would remain and members of the churches would sometimes worship together.
In 2002, the Rev. Luke Bell resigned as the pastor of Mizpah Moravian Church and formed Christ Covenant Church, a nondenominational congregation in Tobaccoville of about 40 people, including several former Mizpah members.
Bell's reasons for leaving the Moravian church were similar to Little's - including the argument that province officials haven't backed up their words on salvation with actions.
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