Questions for Anabaptists: Plain or Old Order

[MaxPC]

Do you have someone who schedules the use of your facilities? If so, how would they screen for such attempts to hold sinful activities?

Well, we don't rent our place out. If there is a need in the community for a funeral, family reunion etc. then we would be in communication with whomever it is and learn more about what it is they want to do.

Generally speaking we prefer to conduct funerals if we are the ones presiding over the service due to the widespread use of photography these days at funerals (I know, that sounds funny, but it's actually a real issue)

It does not sound funny at all. I have seen the problem you mention.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Do you have someone who schedules the use of your facilities? If so, how would they screen for such attempts to hold sinful activities?

Well, we don't rent our place out. If there is a need in the community for a funeral, family reunion etc. then we would be in communication with whomever it is and learn more about what it is they want to do.

Generally speaking we prefer to conduct funerals if we are the ones presiding over the service due to the widespread use of photography these days at funerals (I know, that sounds funny, but it's actually a real issue)

We simply do not allow any outside use of our building, nor do we allow funerals in our building unless one of our ministers is either presiding or co presiding in the case of family. I have presided at exactly one committal service, no photography there. I do not see much of that in our circles.

There may have been exceptions made, but I have not seen it.

[Josh]

We likewise don’t let others use it for weddings anymore, mostly due to the photography and the excessive decorations issues.

We are still open to hosting other churches’ funerals, but nobody has asked in a few years.

[Judas Maccabeus]

We likewise don’t let others use it for weddings anymore, mostly due to the photography and the excessive decorations issues.

We are still open to hosting other churches’ funerals, but nobody has asked in a few years.

In our north district one of our funerals was too big for our church house in the area, way way too big.

Both the viewing and the service was held in the local Holdeman building. I do recall that many of the people paying their condolences to the family were from the Holdeman church as well. My opening thought is that nothing would happen at a KMF funeral that the COGICM ministry would have an issue with. This sister was well known and loved in the community.

[Josh]

Yeah - traditionally, we’ve let other plain groups (or other not plain groups too) use our facilities for weddings and funerals.

I would note that some zany stuff can happen at funerals. First of all, funerals are offered without judgment deceased, who might have been a rank sinner. It’s a funeral and the focus for the service is more on the living than the dead.

Secondly, there is open mic memories time. Once a disgruntled fellow got up and aired his grievances with various people. That was… interesting.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Yeah - traditionally, we’ve let other plain groups (or other not plain groups too) use our facilities for weddings and funerals.

I would note that some zany stuff can happen at funerals. First of all, funerals are offered without judgment deceased, who might have been a rank sinner. It’s a funeral and the focus for the service is more on the living than the dead.

Secondly, there is open mic memories time. Once a disgruntled fellow got up and aired his grievances with various people. That was… interesting.

This funeral was dignified and God honoring. She left like 5 children, some of them young.

I have been to a fair number of "plain" funerals, mostly KMF or River Brethren. All have been dignified and God honoring. None have had any of the lunacy I have seen in the rest of the world. One of my childhood friend's mother was buried with a royal flush poker hand in her hands, commenting her greatest moment I suspect. People show up after having way too much to drink. My brother in law showed up at my sister's funeral with a Disney tie on.

[cooper]

Do you feel comfortable reading publications by publishers such as Rod and Staff that refer to the male parent as father?

If yes, how do you square that with...

“Call no man your Father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9).

and what do you think Jesus intended when he gave this instruction?

[Judas Maccabeus]

Do you feel comfortable reading publications by publishers such as Rod and Staff that refer to the male parent as father?

If yes, how do you square that with...

“Call no man your Father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9).

and what do you think Jesus intended when he gave this instruction?

Looking at the context, my take on this would be using that term as an honorific, since the context is people being exalted with the titles “rabbi” and “master.” I doubt it refers to one’s actual father. It would, however, forbid calling one’s clergy “father” as the Catholics do.

[Neto]

Do you feel comfortable reading publications by publishers such as Rod and Staff that refer to the male parent as father?

If yes, how do you square that with...

“Call no man your Father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 23:9).

and what do you think Jesus intended when he gave this instruction?

Looking at the context, my take on this would be using that term as an honorific, since the context is people being exalted with the titles “rabbi” and “master.” I doubt it refers to one’s actual father. It would, however, forbid calling one’s clergy “father” as the Catholics do.

This one is interesting to me, because my (paternal) grandfather never allowed his children to call him 'vater' (father), citing this verse. (Just the Palutdietsch equivalent of "Pop", or "Dad" - something like 'Paup' in the dialect of Plautdietsch my Dad's family spoke.)

[Neto]

Recently there have been incidents of the LGBT+ people trying to ... hold sexual entertainment on church property. How would your fellowship respond to these ... blatant perversions?

Our congregation lets out the facilities for weddings and funerals. So far, no immoral couple or group has asked to use it, as far as I know. I have urged our leadership to guard against possible lawsuits about this sort of thing by creating a sort of "cooperative" among similar congregations, and then only an event sponsored or conducted by one of the member congregations would be allowed to use the facilities. But no one seems to think there is any danger of this, or they think they can just refuse to rent it out to someone like this. I think that it will eventually start happening to congregations in our area, and we need to take precautions. When it does, it will be bad for the congregation concerned.