Save the Date! 

On the Downtown Campus, the Moravian Lovefeast is one of our oldest and most beloved traditions, and has been a joyful part of school life since 1742! We are excited to celebrate with you this school year, so please mark your calendars now for these important dates. All Lovefeasts take place in Central Moravian Church. Guests meet up with their students before the service and enter the church together. Look for more details in advance of each service!

The Moravian Family Lovefeast: Friday, September 30, 2022, at 1:30 PM

This service is for Downtown Campus students in grades 1-8, Downtown Families, and our extended Moravian Family, including Alumni on campus for Alumni Weekend. We hope each student will have an adult guest from his or her family: mom and/or dad, guardian(s), grandparent, aunt, uncle, caregiver or special friend. Families sit together by grade, with older siblings joining their youngest sibling's class. 

The Thanksgiving Lovefeast: Tuesday, November 22 at 1:30 PM

This service is for Downtown Campus students in grades 1-8, their grandparents and special friends. We hope each student will have an adult guest (or two) from his or her family, and all grandparents are welcome, even if your family has 3 or 4.  The service will be live-streamed for grandparents who live far away, and students are welcome to bring another adult member of their family if a grandparent is not available to attend. Families sit together by grade, with older siblings joining their youngest sibling's class. Please note: There will also be a special chapel on the Merle-Smith Campus for the Grandparents and special friends of our Upper School students. This service will take place on Monday morning, November 21.

The Parents' Lovefeast: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 9:30 AM

This service is for Downtown Campus students in grades 1-8, plus their parents, guardians, and caregivers. We hope each student will have an adult guest (or two) from his or her family. Families sit together by grade, with older siblings joining their youngest sibling's class. Our hope is for family attendance at Lovefeasts to be as flexible and inclusive as possible. Due to limited space in the church, if your family has more than two parents, please consider the Family Lovefeast in September as an additional option for attendance.

The Birthday Lovefeast: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 9:30 AM

This service is for Downtown Campus students in grades 1-8 and Merle-Smith Campus students in grades 9-12. The church is very full, but the service will be live streamed and recorded for those who would like to join in from home. 

What is a Lovefeast?

A lovefeast is a worship service during which a simple meal is shared. This unique Moravian tradition is open for anyone to participate in and dates back to 1727 and the early Moravian community in Herrnhut, Germany. This small group of refugees was living on the estate of our school founder, Countess Benigna, and her father, Count Zinzendorf. The community there had experienced some discord, but after a communal celebration at the village church of Bertholdsdorf, the people were so moved and inspired that they didn’t want to separate. The Count provided food from his kitchen, sparing them the usual tasks of the day, and allowing them to remain together. As the saying goes, they partook of this food together in love. The early Moravians carried the tradition with them to Bethlehem, where it has endured as a joyful part of school life since 1742. Today, we celebrate the Lovefeast with a special Chapel service, serving sugar cookies and apple juice, prepared in the school kitchen for all to share. Allergy-friendly cookies are available for those who need them. Each service features the ministry of music offered by our wonderful student ensembles.