Lancaster County is the same way. They look and act like Charity, but they claim they are not.
Please expound. I may chime in later with some thoughts.
Lancaster County is the same way. They look and act like Charity, but they claim they are not.
I’d like to hear others as well.steve-in-kville wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:22 pm Josh's quote made me question this.
Lancaster County is the same way. They look and act like Charity, but they claim they are not.
Please expound. I may chime in later with some thoughts.
This was the impression I had. We have Harmony Christian Fellowship in our area and they split the church a few years ago due to size. Oasis, maybe? Anyway, I am unsure if they affiliate with anyone any more.Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:35 pm I don't think there ever was a Charity Church other than Charity Christian Fellowship in Leola. Anybody who wanted to affiliate with them could and did and some referred to themselves as "part of the Charity churches". Over the time that Charity imploded about 15-20 years ago or so, some congregations quit identifying as such.
Today, some still call themselves "part of the charity churches", some say they related to Charity churches but other groups as well, and some have basically severed ties and call themselves Agape Fellowship.
Agape Fellowship is similar to other Anabaptist fellowships in that there are specific things you need to be supportive of and on board with, in order to join the fellowship.
My understanding but stand to be corrected...
Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:35 pm I don't think there ever was a Charity Church other than Charity Christian Fellowship in Leola. Anybody who wanted to affiliate with them could and did and some referred to themselves as "part of the Charity churches". Over the time that Charity imploded about 15-20 years ago or so, some congregations quit identifying as such.
Today, some still call themselves "part of the charity churches", some say they related to Charity churches but other groups as well, and some have basically severed ties and call themselves Agape Fellowship.
Agape Fellowship is similar to other Anabaptist fellowships in that there are specific things you need to be supportive of and on board with, in order to join the fellowship.
My understanding but stand to be corrected...
Harmony, Oasis, and Living Hope are all Agape I think.steve-in-kville wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:39 pmThis was the impression I had. We have Harmony Christian Fellowship in our area and they split the church a few years ago due to size. Oasis, maybe? Anyway, I am unsure if they affiliate with anyone any more.Ernie wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 3:35 pm I don't think there ever was a Charity Church other than Charity Christian Fellowship in Leola. Anybody who wanted to affiliate with them could and did and some referred to themselves as "part of the Charity churches". Over the time that Charity imploded about 15-20 years ago or so, some congregations quit identifying as such.
Today, some still call themselves "part of the charity churches", some say they related to Charity churches but other groups as well, and some have basically severed ties and call themselves Agape Fellowship.
Agape Fellowship is similar to other Anabaptist fellowships in that there are specific things you need to be supportive of and on board with, in order to join the fellowship.
My understanding but stand to be corrected...
I should have said, Over the time that "the Charity movement" imploded... I'm not sure what actually happened at Charity Leola.
It split into Charity CF and Ephrata CF. I only know people nowadays who would attend the latter.
What is RNC?Josh wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:11 pmIt split into Charity CF and Ephrata CF. I only know people nowadays who would attend the latter.
Overall, the Charity movement now is similar to the liberal end of RNC - it seems to accommodate people with last names of Yoder who wish to abandon coverings, have women wear pants, vote, carry firearms, etc. but don’t want to have women preachers.
Interestingly the more liberal Beachy congregations around here have women wearing tiny doily type coverings almost identical to what was in vogue in CMC a decade or two ago. Which begs the question of why not just affiliate with RNC already instead of forming the new ADC organisation.