The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Johann Christian Bechler (1784-1857) was born on the Baltic island of Oesel (modern Saaremaa), where his father was a Moravian minister. He was educated at Moravian schools in Niesky and Barby, Germany. Music was his favorite subject, and he says that he "devoted every moment of time left by other duties, to the acquisition of the various branches of this charming art with the greatest delight, learning to sing, to play various stringed instruments, but more particularly the piano and the organ." At the completion of his studies he taught organ at Barby and in 1806 accepted a call to America, where he became one of the first professors at Moravian Theological Seminary. His interest in music continued, and he composed many choral and liturgical pieces. He served as minister to the Moravian congregations of Philadelphia, Staten Island, Lititz, Pennsylvania, and Salem, North Carolina. In 1836, shortly after his consecration as bishop, he went to serve the congregation in Sarepta, Russia. In 1849 he retired to Herrnhut, the center of the Moravian Church in Germany, and died there on April 18, 1857.

 

The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ was edited from manuscript copies from the congregation music collections of Bethlehem, Lititz, and Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and Salem, North Carolina. Originally for SATB choir and in the key of Eb major, this work has been transposed down a third and arranged to make it more accessible to the smaller choir.

 

The funding for this publication is provided by members of the Rolling Hills Moravian Church, Longwood, Florida, in honor of The Rev. Willie Israel on the occasion of her retirement. We have been richly blessed by her loving, song filled 15 years of faithful ministry as our pastor. We pray that the blessings of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be with her always, ever new.