Full-Time Pastor, Christ Moravian Church, Calgary

Congregational Profile
Christ Moravian Church, Calgary

403-271-2700
[email protected]
http://www.christmoravian.com
600 Acadia Dr. SE Calgary, AB T2J 0B8

Congregational History

Christ Moravian Community Church is one of two Moravian congregations in Calgary, one of six Moravian Churches in Alberta. The first Moravian church in Calgary was founded in 1902 in response to the needs of German speaking Russian immigrants who wanted to experience Christian worship in their own language. This led to the establishment of the Calgary Moravian Church in downtown Calgary.

For further information on the history of the Calgary Moravian Church over the next one hundred years and its subsequent transformation to Good Shepherd Moravian Church in north Calgary please click: http://www.moravian.org/canada/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2018/10/Moravian_Historical_Magazine-No_7.pdf

Christ Moravian Community Church was formally organized on April 27, 1969 to better serve the growing areas of south Calgary where new development on the outskirts of town meant an influx of mostly young families to the area. At the time the only other churches established in the area were a Lutheran Church and a United Church.

The first pastor was the Reverend Llewellyn W. Thomas. With only a few families of Moravian background, Christ Moravian became a community church integrating people of a variety of ages, lifestyles and church backgrounds. It had a unique ability to interest primarily young families.

Following Rev Thomas, Christ Moravian has been served by three excellent pastors including Rev John Griffiths, Rev Dr Glen Stoudt and Rev Stephen Gohdes. Each brought their unique worship styles and leadership skills to the pastoral ministry. They adapted to the challenges of finding a balance between traditional Moravian practices and the needs of a congregation not raised in the Moravian church. While being pushed to a more secular/contemporary Christianity and pulled by more conservative forces, the congregation evolved and emerged as a strong blend of Moravian tradition and contemporary expression.

Christ Church has long been established as a congregation with an open and progressive attitude towards its ministry and the expression of Christ’s love and care to the community. With a strong focus on Christian community and personal expressions of faith, the church holds to the Moravian emphasis on education, music and mission. Worship is flexible and contemporary in style and language. The music ministry is a blend of traditional and that which reflects more contemporary images of God. There is an emphasis on quality and relevance to reach those with little or no previous church involvement and those seeking more meaning and spiritual growth on their faith journey. Christ Moravian is very active in mission and service projects within the community offering multiple opportunities for outreach ministry. A digital church ministry was launched in 2021 as outreach through social media platforms in addition to Livestream and YouTube Sunday Worship Services.

Christ Moravian Community Church has come a long way from fledgling membership holding worship services and Sunday school in a nearby school in 1966 while the church was being built, to a resilient and thriving in-person congregation and strong digital church ministry in 2024.

Look for our Facebook page as well as our Livestream services on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/@ChristMoravianChurch

Mission Statement
CMC is a church with energy (NRG) where we:
Nurture Each Other
Respond to God’s Call
Go Forth and Share

Current Ministry Aspirations

1. Commitment to youth engagement.
2. Expanding community outreach activities and our online worship presence.
3. Ongoing congregational nurture and support.

Parsonage Information
Christ Moravian does not currently own a parsonage. We are prepared to make available suitable accommodation based on the needs of an acceptable candidate.
Cemetery Information

We do not own a cemetery. We have a Memorial Garden on the church grounds for the scattering of cremated remains. It is traditionally the site of our Easter sunrise service.

Community Profile

Christ Moravian is located at the intersection of three Calgary subdivisions: Acadia, Maple Ridge and Willow Park. All around us is a vibrant and diverse community of over 16,000 people with a mixture of residential, commercial and recreational areas. The communities were established in the mid 1960s and enjoy a sustainable influx of new residents.

The community associations strive to foster an active, vibrant and connected inclusive community by engaging neighbours, advocating for community and providing social and recreational opportunities to promote a positive quality of life.

Reasons to move to Calgary

• Located in Western Canada in the province of Alberta, Calgary is a major transportation and business hub. Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Canadian Rocky Mountains, the city offers visitors alternating views of rugged mountain peaks to the west with golden, rolling prairies in between and to the east.
• Calgary sits at an elevation of 1,045 metres above sea level.
• In 2022, Calgary was ranked the number one city to live in Canada and the 3rd most liveable city in the world.
• Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, 3rd largest in Canada with a population of 1,665,000 (2024).
• Calgary has rich cultural diversity being the 3rd most diverse major city in Canada, home to over 240 different ethnic origins.
• Calgary is a safe city where you can feel comfortable in most neighbourhoods at any time of the day. Areas previously known for crime have been redeveloped into engaging communities where you should feel at ease to explore. The city enjoys low crime rates.
• Centrally located on major highway routes in all directions with an international airport.
• Walkable city with interconnecting pathways and buildings, miles of bicycle pathways

Environment

Calgary has more hours of sunshine than any other major city in Canada, making it a great destination any time of year. Be prepared for changes in temperature as weather in Calgary can vary day to day and season to season, and even hour to hour.

Mild westerly winds called “chinooks” bring warm temperatures to Calgary, raising winter temperatures by as much as 15°C in just a few hours. This dramatic change in weather may sometimes cause headaches or fatigue in persons susceptible to weather changes.
Expect warm summer weather, cold temperatures in the winter, and a mix in the fall and spring with low humidity throughout the distinct seasons. You should expect to wear shorts and t-shirts comfortably in summer months and a warm coat during the winter.
One of the cleanest cities in the world with minimal air pollution.

Calgary is home to over seven hectares of park per 1,000 people in the city, 11% of the city being parkland. It includes Fish Creek Park, an urban provincial park within the city limits. Much of the park remains in a natural, forested state. With more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) of paved and unpaved trails, the park is a popular area for hiking and biking, as well as for picnicking, swimming, fishing, and observing wildlife. It is the 2nd largest urban park in Canada and one of the largest in North America.

Lifestyle

• Ample sports and recreation opportunities – indoors and outdoors
• High quality of life, lower cost of living
• More affordable real estate than other parts of country
• Strong job market
• Family friendly city
• Active entrepreneurial spirit
• Growing/evolving restaurant scene
• Thriving film industry
• No provincial sales tax
• Access to good health care
• Home to world renowned festivals and events
• Affordable and accessible public transport
• Young population – median age of 37.2 years (2023 stats)
• Excellent education standards and opportunities

Community Events

• Spring Fair
• Strawberry Tea
• Caroling and Feasting
• Christmas Brass Extravaganza

Additional Sources of Revenue
Facility rentals, parking stall rentals, annual community garage sale/fun fair

Paid Staff
Office Administrative Assistant, Bookkeeper, Janitor

Non-Paid Volunteers
In addition to Elders, Shepherds and Executive Board members, we have a treasurer, organist, maintenance and operations person, live stream techs, Sunday School leaders, children’s message leaders during worship; Women’s Fellowship, Men’s Group, Mission and Outreach team; Memorial Garden and groundskeeper volunteers, congregational nurture team; Sunday service greeters, scripture readers, library support volunteers, Sunday coffee fellowship team, prayer team.