Now in it’s 36th year, First Christian Church will be offering its annual Moravian Love Feast on Sunday as a “Christmas gift to the community.” Everyone is welcome to attend this special ceremony. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a special performance by the University of Tennessee Knoxville Trombone Choir.
The Moravian Love Feast begins at 6 p.m. The Love Feast is held much like early Christians met as members of the Moravian Church and broke bread together as a token of their fellowship and love.
The very first Love Feast occurred in Bertheisdorf, Germany in 1727. It is a symbol of Christians sharing with one another and is not a substitute for the Holy Communion. The Love Feast strengthens the spirit of unity and good will among people and strives to remove, at least for an hour, all social barriers and distinctions.
Love Feast buns are made from a traditional recipe that includes citron and orange peel for flavoring. It is served with decaffeinated coffee pre-mixed with sugar and cream.
The lighted candle used toward the end of the service represents the sacrifice of Christ for humanity and the flame of love, which He came to kindle in our hearts.
Finally, the Moravian star serves as a symbol of the birth of Jesus and is representative of the star of Bethlehem. The Moravian star is hung during the first Sunday of Advent at First Christian Church.
First Christian Church is at 650 McCallie Ave. Its unique motto is a “Church of Service, Not Lip Service.” Visit Firstchristian-chat.com, like us on Facebook, or call the church office at 423-267-4506 for more information.