From ENS (Western North Carolina)On Sept. 16, the Rev. Carl Southerland was installed as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Franklin, North Carolina, becoming the first Moravian pastor of an Episcopal parish since the two denominations inaugurated a full-communion relationship in 2011.
“It is an exciting day for the Moravian Church and the Episcopal Church,” said Southerland. “My appointment into the Episcopal Church has been a wonderful process. To come into the Episcopal Church, I’ve felt so welcome. It’s been a real blessing for me, and I’m very excited to be here.”
Southerland served in various positions with the Moravian Church in North Carolina for 41 years before joining St. John’s, including positions as pastor at First Moravian, Greensboro, Fries Memorial, Winston-Salem, and Unity Moravian, Lewisville; and associate pastor at Home Moravian in Winston-Salem.
The two denominations formalized the communion on Feb. 10, 2011. The official text of the agreement included a statement explaining, “We seek this relationship of full communion so that our mission as Christ’s church will be more effectively fulfilled and each of our communions might be more complete because of the spiritual treasures of the other.”
More here-
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/09/20/church-welcomes-moravian-pastor-in-historic-example-of-communion/
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