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Organization of the Province The Southern Province consists of the Moravian churches and fellowships in the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. For a list of churches and information about them, see Where Are We Located. Administration of the Province The Provincial Synod is the highest governing body representing the Province. The Synod, composed of members elected to represent each congregation or district and a number of ex-officio members, acts as the legislative arm for the Province. Synod meets every four years. Resolutions are assigned to appropriate committees for discussion and may be brought to the floor of Synod for a vote by the entire body, according to the rules established by the Synod. The Provincial Elders' Conference is responsible for carrying out the mandates of the Synod and acts on behalf of the Synod when it is not in session. Bishops A bishop in the Moravian Church is "consecrated to a special priestly-pastoral ministry…and is a living symbol of the continuity of the church's ministry…" A bishop in the Moravian Church does not have an administrative function by virtue of his/her election as bishop; a bishop serves as "a pastor to pastors."
The bishops residing in the Southern Province are:
The Provincial Elders' Conference The five members of the Provincial Elders' Conference are elected at Synod. There are no nominations, and the five are elected with written ballot by the voting body under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The president is the only paid person of the five elected members of the conference. The three-person PEC staff includes an assistant to the president, an executive assistant and a secretary. The Elders' Conference fosters a spirit of openness to God's leading, God's "doing a new thing." The PEC brings innovation, a long-range perspective, and a willingness to question and challenge the status quo. The conferential system of the Moravian Church and the collegial nature of the PEC mean that this is a function of the entire PEC, not just the president. The PEC facilitates communication among pastors, congregations, and agencies and their directors. It looks for ways to nurture growth and relationship with all people of the province. It gives assistance to fellow Moravians and can exercise leadership if needed in dealing with problems and resolving conflict. The PEC meets formally twice a month to carry out its work but stays in close communication at all times. An average meeting can last six hours. A report on its meetings can be found in the monthly newsletter, Provincial Ties. The PEC meets jointly with the PEC of the Northern Province once each year for a two-day period. During its regular meetings, prayer and intercession are made and a wide variety of needs, concerns, and requests are considered. These range from pastoral vacancies and the needs and progress of ministerial candidates to financial and budgetary requests, continuing education for pastors, and ways to foster leadership in the churches. The PEC carries out triennial reviews (every three years) with each congregation in the Province. The reviews involve input and consultation with the leadership of each church. One of the goals of the triennial review is to be knowledgeable about the needs and opportunities for growth and service of the congregation and to assist them in achieving maximum results. The PEC maintains oversight of the provincial boards and agencies to determine that each in its own sphere of responsibility fulfills its duties as laid down by Synod. The Elders' Conference has responsibilities on a provincial, interprovincial, and ecumenical level. It reports every four years to the Provincial synod and after synod informs congregations, boards and agencies of all resolutions enacted by synod. It makes numerous appointments to boards, agencies, and committees, and functions as a vital part of the worldwide Moravian Unity to interpret to the province the needs and concerns of the Unity as a whole. The president of the PEC serves as a member of the Unity Board and Unity Synod. The PEC represents the Province at meetings of national and international ecumenical bodies. Members of the Provincial Elders' Conference:
Staff for the PEC:
The telephone number for the PEC office is 336/725-5811. The FAX number is 336/723-1029. The mailing address is:
Provincial Financial Board The Provincial Financial Board is responsible for carrying out the financial activities of the Province. Five lay persons are elected to this Board by Synod, two members of the PEC, including the president, serve on this Board and two members are appointed by the Board, one of which shall be an ordained pastor serving a congregation in the Southern Province. The Board appoints and supervises a Provincial Treasurer. The Financial Board is responsible for budgeting, determining congregational support of the Province and provincial agencies, administering the Pension Plan of the Southern Province, providing unaudited and audited financial statements to the provincial agencies, and managing the various trust funds of the boards and agencies of the Province. Members of the Financial Board:
Lynda Culler (lculler@mcsp.org) is the office coordinator for the Treasurer's office. The telephone number for the Treasurer's Office is 336/722-7922. The FAX number is 336/723-1029. The mailing address is:
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