The Moravian Church, a worldwide denomination with over 1 million members, has deep roots in North Carolina. The first Moravians came to what is now the Winston-Salem area in 1753, and Calvary Moravian Church can trace its members’ lineage to the original 1766 founders of the town of Salem. The church’s current building was constructed in 1926 with a steeple designed to house the original 4-face clock from Winston’s old Town Hall and a front yard that still serves as the largest contiguous inner-city green space and outdoor gathering place in downtown Winston-Salem.

Today, Calvary works closely with partners such as Salem Presbyterian Church, Centenary United Methodist Church, and Bookmarks (whose mission is to “to build an inclusive, welcoming community through books”). Calvary also shares indoor/outdoor space with Piedmont Opera and the Arts Council. In 2024, in community partnership with The Dwellings, a nonprofit organization in Winston-Salem, Calvary’s congregation began providing shelter and overnight accommodations for families experiencing homelessness – including serving dinner meals seven nights a week and offering secure storage for families’ personal belongings in a room adjacent to their sleeping area. Shelter and stability are provided through the winter until warmer weather returns. 

A National Fund grant of $300,000 with $300,000 in matching funds to be raised by the congregation will allow the church to repair both the sanctuary roof which has been damaged by water intrusion, and its steeple which has aging infrastructure and failing wooden support beams.

Photo by Spencer Bullins