Chris wrote:I'm curious since the Beachy Amish are a conference if they are pretty universal on the practices. Would love more details than questions I have if you can think of more input to these. I think the Beachy Amish are more in line for people to convert, but people do not understand them thus may stay away.
1. If I am not mistaken, it's veils in every church rather than kapps?
2. Ineternet? Yay, nay, filtered, or just at the library?
3. Is homeschool allowed or is it mandated church school only?
4. Seg or mixed seating?
5. Open, closed, or semi-open communion (known Christian brothers from other churches/conferences allowed communion)?
6. Beards, no beards, scruff, or baby faced?
7. Suspenders or not?
8. Button up shirts or not? Also can men wear plaid or semi-colored shirts casually or must it be solids?
9. Women solids, little patters, or... ?
10. Do they evangelize to others, even to Amish?
Thanks in advance! God Bless you.
My wife was in the Beachy Amish congregation closest to Berlin, OH (Holmes County) from the time her parents left the Amish (when she was 12) until we married (1983). I would not consider the Beachy Amish Mennonite congregations to be a conference, but that may be due to differing definitions of 'conference'.
Here's my take on this as an outsider with 30 plus years exposure to BAM people. (This congregation supported our missionary work financially during our entire time on the field, even though neither of us were members any more.)
1. Veils or coverings? Back before we married (prior to Dec 1983) she wore coverings anytime she was around Holmes County, but veils when elsewhere. Beachy women now? I don't know about Sundays (coverings, I think), but mostly veils during the week. That congregation has changed drastically since the man who was the Bishop at that time stepped down. We visit there occasionally, but haven't been there for a Sunday morning in many years.
2. Internet? This congregation allows unlimited internet, in both the business and at home. No TV, but radios now allowed. (I know some more conservative BAM who do not approve any internet use at all in the home or business. In fact, some do not approve of a computer in the home if not for business use. These groups are mostly in KY & IL.) Radios are a big controversy now, and this congregation's association with the other BAM churches seems to be under a lot of pressure.
3. Schooling: Mostly church sponsored school after 6th grade. Kids were forced to quit no later than after 10th grade back in the 70's, but now that they have their own school (not this congregation, but a neighboring one), the young people are supported if they want to graduate from HS (but not pressured to do so at all). College is generally discouraged.
4. Seating? Back then seating was separate, now, I'm not sure. Mixed for services other than Sunday morning.
5. Communion, closed or open? Closed except for possibly other BAM people.
6. Beards? Required until the older Bishop stepped down, probably about 15 years ago or maybe a bit less. Some men stopped wearing them before it was approved to be clean-shaven. Most men who have beards keep them very short, sometimes like stubble. (What I call the Beachy see-through beard)
7. Suspenders? Only a few of the older men might still wear suspenders, most didn't even 30 years ago.
8. Solid color button shirts with a collar for meetings, t-shirts with collar & a few buttons OK for work.
9. Women's dresses: Cape dresses (solid color).
10. Evangelization Practices? Very active in prison & jail ministries, street witnessing in NYC. But very few outsiders find their way into the congregation.
Congregation: Gospel Haven Mennonite Fellowship, Benton, Ohio (Holmes Co.) a split from Beachy-Amish Mennonite.
Personal heritage & general theological viewpoint: conservative Mennonite Brethren.
