A full communion agreement between the Moravian Church's Southern Province and the Episcopal Church (TEC) was established on Saturday during the Southern Province's 2010 Synod meeting.

The resolution was passed by a 121-74 vote, affirming that the two churches will "together…work to further the witness and mission of Christ's Church."

"This is an important action for our churches, both Moravian and Episcopal," said the Rt. Rev. Dr. Wayne Burkette, Moravian bishop and outgoing Provincial Elders' Conference president. "Full communion acknowledges our essential unity as disciples of Jesus Christ and enhances our witness to the world."

TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said after learning of the decision, "I am delighted that the Southern Province has discerned the rightness of a full communion agreement with The Episcopal Church. Together we will be better able to serve Christ our chief Elder and all God's people."

The Moravian's move comes following a July decision by its Northern Province to enter into full communion with TEC.

According to the Moravian Church, a full communion agreement maintains what makes each denomination special or unique to its members, and that the partnership is about "unity of Christ's church, not the uniformity of practice."

The two churches have been in discussion about full communion since 1997, with a formal proposal entitled "Finding Our Delight in the Lord" submitted last summer. The two groups have shared in Eucharistic celebration since 2003.

Notably, TEC and the Moravian Church both have full communion relationships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, marking the first time that three denominations have come to full communion agreements on their own.

The Moravian Church is comprised of some 150 congregations across the United States and Canada. The province is part of an international body, the Unitas Fratrum, which traces its roots back to 15th century Bohemia, or the modern day Czech Republic.