6th May, 2007

Unity Provinces 

The Moravian Church world wide is made up of 16 Independent Unity Provinces. The Provinces speak a wide variety of languages; however, English is the official language when Conferences are held. What then are the Provinces?

1.         The Czech Province, which was established in 1457.

2.         The European Continental Province which was established in 1722. This Province includes: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands (Holland) and Switzerland.

3.         The Eastern West Indies Province which was established in 1732. The Province is made up of the following Islands: St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Tortola, Antigua, St. Kitts, Barbados, Tobago and Trinidad.

4.         The Suriname Province was established in 1735 and includes Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles (Aruba and Curacao).

5.         The South Africa Province is made up of the Western and Eastern regions which were established in 1737 and 1828 respectively.

6.         The Northern Province of the Moravian Church in America was established in 1741. This Province is made up of churches in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Arizona and California; and in the Provinces of Alberta and Ontario in Canada.

7.         The British Province was established in 1742. This Province is made up of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

8.         The Southern Province of the Moravian Church in America was established in 1753. This Province is made up of churches in the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Georgia.

9.         The Jamaica Province was established in 1754 and includes missions in the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

10.       The Nicaraguan Province was established in 1849.

11.       The Alaska Province was established in 1885.

12.       The Southern Tanzania Province was established in 1891.

13.       The Western Tanzania Province was established in 1897.

14.       The Honduran Province was established in 1930.

15.       The South Western Tanzania Province was established in 1978 and was formed out of the Southern Tanzania Province.

16.       The Rukwa Tanzania Province was established in 1986 and was formed out of the Western Tanzania Province.

Next time we will look at the affiliated and mission provinces and Unity undertakings.

Written by Rev. Dr. Cortroy Jarvis