Tarfoot

Friedberg Moravian Church 2178 Friedberg Church Road Winston-Salem, NC 27127


Minister—The Lord is risen! Response—The Lord is risen indeed!
(All hymns of the service shall be sung by the choir and congregation.)



Hail, all hail, victorious Lord and Savior, Thou hast burst the bonds of death; Grant us, as to Mary, the great favor
To embrace Thy feet in faith;
Thou hast in our stead the curse endured, And for us eternal life procured;
Joyful, we with one accord Hail Thee as our risen Lord.

T. Covenant (185 A)



I believe in the One only God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Who created all things by Jesus Christ, and was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. I believe in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world; Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son; Who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ; Who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light, having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

This I verily believe.


We thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight. Father, glorify Thy name.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.


I believe in the name of the only-begotten Son of God, by Whom are all things, and we through Him. I believe that He was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and took on Himself the form of a servant; By the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit was conceived of the Virgin Mary; as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same; was born of a woman; and being found in fashion as a man, was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.


For He is the Lord, the Messenger of the covenant, in Whom we delight. The Lord and His Spirit have sent Him to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He spoke that which He knew, and testified to that which He had seen. As many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the children of God.

Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; Went also by the Spirit and preached unto the spirits in prison; The third day rose again from the dead, and with Him many bodies of the saints who slept; Ascended into heaven, and sits on the throne of the Father; whence He will come in like manner as He was seen going into heaven.





The Spirit and the Bride
“O come!” are now entreating;
Let all who hear their voice
“O come!” be loud repeating:
Amen! Lord Jesus, come; We wait in faith for Thee;
Soon, we implore Thee, come, Thy glory let us see.

T. Nun danket (146 A)



The Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, to judge both the living and the dead. This is my Lord, Who redeemed me, a lost and undone human creature, purchased and gained me from sin, from death, and from the power of the devil; Not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and dying; To the end that I should be His own, and in His kingdom live under Him and serve Him in eternal righteousness, innocence, and happiness; Even as He, being risen from the dead, lives and reigns, world without end.

This I verily believe.


O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst come at the first in great humility as our Redeemer, grant, we pray Thee, that when Thou shalt come again in glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may be accounted worthy to stand before Thee.

Hear us, gracious Lord and God.


I believe in the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father, and Whom our Lord Jesus Christ sent, after He went away, that He should abide with us forever; That He should comfort us, as a mother comforts her children; That He should help our infirmities, and make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; That He should bear witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and teach us to cry, Abba, Father; That He should shed abroad in our hearts the love of God, and make our bodies His holy temple; And that He should work in us the will of God, dividing His gifts to each one even as He will.

I believe that by my own reason and strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; But that the Holy Spirit calls me by the gospel, enlightens me with His gifts, sanctifies and preserves me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Church on earth, which He keeps by Jesus Christ in the only true faith; In which Christian Church, God forgives me and every believer all sin daily and abundantly.

This I verily believe.



O Spirit of grace, direct our hearts into the love of God, and into patient waiting for Christ. Establish Thou us in the faith, that we may abound therein with thanksgiving, and seal our hearts unto the day of redemption.

To Thee be glory, with the Father, and with the Son. Amen.


I believe that by holy baptism I am embodied a member of the Church of Christ, which He has loved, and for which He gave Himself, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

In this communion of saints my faith is placed upon my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who died for me, and shed His blood on the cross for the remission of sins, and Who has granted unto me His body and blood in the Lord’s Supper, as a pledge of grace; as the Scripture says, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and, when He had given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to His disciples, and said: Take, eat; this is My body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also, our Lord Jesus Christ took the cup, when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

This I verily believe.






Lord, Thy body ne’er forsake, Ne’er Thy congregation leave; We to Thee our refuge take, Of Thy fullness we receive; Every other help be gone, Thou art our support alone;
For on Thy supreme commands All the universe depends.

T. Goudimel (205 A)




(At this point, the service at the church has been concluded. The congregation will proceed across the road to the graveyard. The procession is led by the oldest male member of the Friedberg Congregation, accompanied by the Pastors, Vice-Chair of the Board of Elders, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Head Usher and members of the Church Choir.)

(When all have assembled on the graveyard, the band will play the Creation Hymn. The congregation stands in silent contemplation of the beauty of God’s creation and the joyous news of Christ’s resurrection. If you would like to reflect on the words of this beautiful hymn, they are printed below.)





The heavens are telling the Lord’s endless glory,
Through all the earth His praise is found.
The seas re-echo the marvelous story: Let all repeat that glorious sound!
The starry hosts He doth order and number,
He fills the morning’s golden springs,

Creation Hymn


He wakes the sun from his night-curtained slumber;
Let all adore the King of kings!




The graves of all His saints Christ blest, And softened every bed;
Where should the dying members rest, But with the dying Head?

Thence He arose, no more to die, And showed our feet the way
To follow Him, enthroned on high,
At the great rising day.

Then let the last loud trumpet sound, And bid our kindred rise;
Awake, ye nations under ground, Ye saints, ascend the skies.

T. Bedford (14 C)




I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better; I shall never taste death; yea, I shall attain unto the resurrection of the dead; for this perishable body must put on an imperishable form and this dying body a deathless form; my flesh shall rest in hope.

And the God of peace, Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, shall also quicken these our mortal bodies, if the Spirit of God has dwelt in them.

We poor sinners pray: Hear us, gracious Lord and God.


Keep us in everlasting fellowship with those of our brethren and sisters who, since last Easter Day, have entered in to the joy of theirLord:

(The minister reads the names of the members of the Friedberg congregation who have passed away since the previous Easter.)

And with the whole Church Triumphant, and let us rest together in Thy presence from our labors.

Hear us, gracious Lord and God.






Who are these in brightarray, This innumerable throng, Round the altar night and day, Hymning one triumphant song:
“Worthy is the Lamb onceslain, Blessing, honor, glory, power,
Wisdom, riches to obtain,
New dominion every hour”?

T. Goudimel (205 A)



These through fiery trials trod, These from great affliction came; Now, before the throne of God, Sealed with His almighty Name, Clad in raiment pure and white, Victor-palms in every hand,
Through their dear Redeemer’s might,
More than conquerors they stand.


Glory be to Him Who is the Resurrection and the Life; He was dead, and behold, He is alive forevermore; and he who believes in Him, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

Glory be to Him in the Church which waits for Him, and in that which is around Him, from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen.






I give Thee thanks unfeigned, O Jesus, Friend in need,
For what Thy soul sustained, When Thou for me didstbleed. Grant me to lean unshaken
Upon Thy faithfulness, Until I hence am taken
To see Thee face to face.

T. St. Theodulph (151 G)



(The following hymn is played in memory of our departed brothers and sisters in Christ who have served the Lord through the music ministries of His Church. We invite you, in silence, to reflect on the words of the hymn as the band plays.)





Sleep thy last sleep,
Free from care and sorrow; Rest, where none weep, Till the eternal morrow; Though dark waves roll O’er the silent river,
Thy fainting soul Jesus can deliver.





The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Amen.






Sing hallelujah, praise the Lord! Sing with a cheerful voice;
Exalt our God with one accord, And in His name rejoice.
Ne’er cease to sing, O ransomed host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Until in realms of endless light Your praises shall unite.

There we to all eternity Shall join the angelic lays
And sing in perfect harmony
To God our Savior’s praise;
He has redeemed us by His blood, And made us kings and priests toGod; For us, for us, the Lamb was slain!
Praise ye the Lord! Amen.

T. Bechler (159 D)



The Easter Morning Service of the Moravians is an old service, rich in deep spiritual significance. It originated in Herrnhut, Saxony, a village which had been established in 1722 on the estate of Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf by a band of religious refugees, descendants of the Ancient Unitas Fratrum. On Easter Sunday in 1732, in the early morning hours, a group of earnest young men met by special appointment on “God’s Acre” to sing appropriate hymns and to meditate upon the great fact of Christ’s death and resurrection. To these young men, as they stood among the simply marked graves, singing their songs of hope and faith, watching the sun drive darkness from the hills and valleys, there came a deeper appreciation of the truth of the resurrection than they had ever before experienced. With this simple beginning, the holding of Easter morning services outdoors in the beauty of God’s creation became an annual feature in the worship services of the Moravian Church wherever it established itself.

Here at Friedberg, this service, with little variation from the traditional and liturgical form, has been held since 1770. It is in no sense one of spectacular appeal or pageantry, but is held as a service of true worship, centering on the great underlying fact of the Christian faith, THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, through which God placed a seal of approval on Jesus’ atoning sacrifice and established the truth of the claims of our religion. The service offers all who attend an opportunity to renew their faith in the Risen Christ, in “the communion of saints,” in “the forgiveness of sins,” and in “the life everlasting.”


The first burial in the Friedberg graveyard, that of Peter Frye, Sr., took place on May 5, 1766. Brother Frye entered the more immediate presence of the Savior he loved, having been blessed with 76 years., 4 months and 23 days of earthly life.

Moravians still call their graveyard by that significant and ancient name used by their ancestors - “God’s Acre.” It is a “field” in which the bodies of loved ones are sown in faith as “physical bodies,” in due time to be raised as “spiritual bodies.”

A distinctive feature of God’s Acre is the recumbent stones, symbolizing the Moravian belief in democracy of death and making it impossible to distinguish between the graves of rich and poor. Here at Friedberg, men, women and children are each buried in separate sections of the graveyard rather than by families. This is a form of the traditional Moravian choir system (grouping members according to their station in life) instituted by Count Zinzendorf over two hundred and fifty years ago.


Music was from the beginning assigned a prominent place in the Moravian Church, both for its cultural value and as an aid in the expression and development of the religious life. Congregational singing is made a feature of its services, and the band is used to helpful advantage in the outdoor services, on festival occasions, and in the Moravian funeral services.

About two o’clock on Easter morning, all Moravian musicians who play in the band assemble in groups to go throughout the city playing chorales, partly to remind all listeners of the Resurrection, and partly to awaken people for the Sunrise Service at God’s Acre in Old Salem. The first chorale played is “Sleepers, Wake!”


While grateful for an honorable past, the Moravian Church is conscious of its present obligation and opportunity, and desires earnestly to fulfill its further mission. Accordingly, the church calls upon very person to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved,” to unite with a church of choice, and enter into definite Christian witness and service for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom. In the Risen Christ is the hope of the world!

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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4