My wife, Sally Ann and I were privileged to attend the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO which took place in New Delhi, India in July 2024. Over two decades of effort had finally brought the international nomination entitled 'Moravian Church Settlements' before the committee for a final decision and so quite suddenly after due deliberation and the bang of the Chairpersons gavel we were officially a World Heritage site. Gracehill, Bethlehem and Herrnhut had joined Christiansfeld to become the single inscription 'Moravian Church Settlements'. The nations of the World represented by this august body had accepted, to use the jargon, the Outstanding Universal Value of the Moravian Church movement. This means cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity.
Following inscription there were short speeches from the US and German representatives and I concluded by saying:

'On behalf of the UK, I wilI not repeat what has already been said but I do want to sincerely thank 'Incredible India' for hosting us all so well and also the world heritage committee for approving this nomination.

I also wish to pay tribute to our wonderful international partners. Everyone has worked hard but there has also been great friendship and fun.

Gracehill, Northern Ireland, with its Moravian ethos has long been known as a place of reconciliation and tolerance. 200 years ago, in the midst of conflict it was seen as a place of sanctuary. A diary entry from that time records the following words:

'When our place appeared to all around as the only spot of safety many retired to it as to a city of refuge and we lodged and fed them without making any distinction of their being either our friends or our foes. The hearts of many who had hated us and even designed our destruction were turned.'

Historic words but still as relevant and important in our world today!

Mr Chairperson, Thank you.

There followed a whirlwind of emails, media contacts and celebration but when everything settled down the main thought was: so what does this all mean and where do we go from here?

Undoubtedly while we have come to the end of one journey we are embarking on another which will have many facets but if we think about the Moravian Church in the British Province it seems that there are perhaps three elements to consider: Profile, Place and People.

The Moravian Church has always 'punched above its weight' and exerted an influence beyond its size. There are many reasons for this but I believe chief among these are the customs, vision, cohesion and harmony of purpose that so often characterised Moravians. Increasingly the importance of such 'intangible heritage' is being recognised and appreciated. Think of the Christingle!

Our profile is important as it allows us to not only exert influence but also highlights our existence and attracts interest and new members as we seek to live out our faith in our communities and the wider world. I hope that being a 'world heritage' church will echo around every Moravian congregation and community and that simply by 'being there', often unwittingly, we are planting seeds that one day may bloom into faith.

In Moravian documents we often read the phrase 'Our Place' when referring to the Church or Settlement. As a Province we are blessed with a wonderful estate spread across the country. There are many interesting and historic buildings. However, old buildings are not always inspiring and can seem a liability, but I suggest we try to see these sites as 'Places of Potential' - potential for the Church and potential for their communities. It is not about a dead past but a living future.

It would however be na•ve to consider that the opportunity presented by heritage does not also bring challenge. This is perhaps well encapsulated in the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury: 'Peter speaks of the Church as Living Stones (1st Peter 2:5 'you also like living stones are being built into a spiritual house'). The challenge is to ensure that our church buildings function as servant not master. Our historic stones exist to serve our living stones.'

We often refer to 'restoring' old buildings. If seeking funding we might also describe 'regeneration' of the site. The dictionary definition of 'restore' is to bring back or re-establish but the definition of 'regenerate' is to bring new and more vigorous life, to revive or to grow. The result of restoration is regeneration. We do not just restore a building and then let it sit there, we go on and use it - we bring new life and growth - we are restoring for a purpose. We should aim to achieve the full potential of 'Our Places' so 'our historic stones serve our living stones' and provide living hope for our communities.

Lastly, but most importantly are the people. Of course, the core of our Church is our congregations and the weekly worship and activities in which they are involved. Increasingly we are living in a digital age where priorities, perception of time, place and spiritual awareness are radically different even from a few years ago. This has been accelerated by the pandemic. In a 24-hour digital society, communication, the concept of belonging, and indeed how we demonstrate care is changing. We need to embrace this for all age groups but particularly for our young people who are the future. We need to practice not only physical hospitality but also 'digital hospitality'. With a renewed focus on the Moravian Church we must do all we can to make people welcome and we must engage with them about things that matter and are relevant to them. We should aim to use all the gifts we have been given in the task of witness and mission to inspire, support and encourage people in their place and time.

The gift of transnational World Heritage Listing will enhance our profile, highlight 'our places' and hopefully be a means to attract and inspire people as we share our faith now and for generations to come.

As Rev Dr Jørgen Bøytler, minister of Christiansfeld, and the original visionary of the Moravian World Heritage aspirations, said in his address to the 2018 Synod of the British Province:

'So, is our future in our history? Well, our history is important, it shapes our identity as Christians and it interprets our identity as Moravians. We have a glorious history of mission, of fellowship, of Christ focused understanding of faith, a history of equality and brotherhood. However, we need to use the historical heritage wisely, so that we are not stuck in history, but ask our Lord to give us creativity, inspiration, imagination, spirit and courage to meet the ever-changing world, which is ours, in our generation - In other words, history and tradition is not a goal, but a means to reach the world with the good news today.'

Br David Johnston

Gracehill