Appalachian Mennonite Church

[eccentric_rambler]

@ Josh and NedFlanders , point taken, I feel properly chastised. I'm probably more susceptible to frustration at seeing the lines move after watching them nearly dissolve at the church where I spent my formative years. Still, something is wrong when a deacon's son can drive an "illegal" car, or the families of a certain tribe get away with what they want because the ministry is unwilling to face the politics of addressing obvious violations. Meanwhile, certain individuals end up targeted - once one minister sees an issue, he continues to find other issues until that member is "properly in line". (Asking to meet with a couple who had previously responded well to a valid concern, to tell the husband that the minister felt his appearance while working was unacceptable. While working on something overhead he needs to do better about keeping his shirt tucked in, and his shoes should be tied more neatly.)

I'm not against rules, I like 'em. I also like black and white (expectations, that is, not necessarily clothes. Why is it anything conservative in CM churches is either black or white?)

[Josh]

@ Josh and NedFlanders , point taken, I feel properly chastised. I'm probably more susceptible to frustration at seeing the lines move after watching them nearly dissolve at the church where I spent my formative years. Still, something is wrong when a deacon's son can drive an "illegal" car, or the families of a certain tribe get away with what they want because the ministry is unwilling to face the politics of addressing obvious violations. Meanwhile, certain individuals end up targeted - once one minister sees an issue, he continues to find other issues until that member is "properly in line". (Asking to meet with a couple who had previously responded well to a valid concern, to tell the husband that the minister felt his appearance while working was unacceptable. While working on something overhead he needs to do better about keeping his shirt tucked in, and his shoes should be tied more neatly.)

I'm not against rules, I like 'em. I also like black and white (expectations, that is, not necessarily clothes. Why is it anything conservative in CM churches is either black or white?)

That one of obvious corruption is exactly what’s killing many Mennonite churches.

And a question I have is, to the “enforcers” who retaliate like describe above and excuse their own children’s misdeeds…

What, if any, relationship do they have with the Lord? Are they even still Christians?

[eccentric_rambler]

That one of obvious corruption is exactly what’s killing many Mennonite churches.

And a question I have is, to the “enforcers” who retaliate like describe above and excuse their own children’s misdeeds…

What, if any, relationship do they have with the Lord? Are they even still Christians?

I don't doubt the Christian life of the "enforcer", but I do know the flesh likes power and even the most upright Chrisitan still has the flesh to deal with. The tribe I mentioned is not that of the enforcer or of any other ordained, it is just interesting that after enough battles the enforcement efforts were largely dropped when it comes to this tribe.

[JayP]

Another interesting aspect of this is the difference between how the clans are treated and how conservative Menno s treat men vs women.

I know a congregation well where one of the children of ministry crossed a lot of lines that had it been anyone else would have been addressed. Years go by and suddenly he has left his wife and large family to go live with a worldly woman.
What burns me is I hear comments from members about “ well it is good he still wants to see the children from time to time”, or we hope she can win him back

We all know if the WOMAN ran off with some man they would not want to let her see the children. There would be no subtle “wonder what he did to lose her” type comments

Although we were not personally impacted by it, my views of the unfair burdens placed on women (and I am hardly feminist of the year) was a major reason we left such a setting.

But I bring it all up because, and I take no Pleasure in it, it was a classic case of reap what you sow. That young man was allowed th8ngs no other would, with his father making justifications and looking the other way. Just sad. But at th time hard for folks to take “correction” from him when it was so inconsistenty applied.

[mike]

But I bring it all up because, and I take no Pleasure in it, it was a classic case of reap what you sow. That young man was allowed th8ngs no other would, with his father making justifications and looking the other way. Just sad. But at th time hard for folks to take “correction” from him when it was so inconsistenty applied.

Child training is in my opinion one of the most severe issues among Mennonites these days. In fact there is nowhere that the problem is worse, except for the non-Mennonites. (That last sentence was a joke, the first serious.)

[Josh]

Another interesting aspect of this is the difference between how the clans are treated and how conservative Menno s treat men vs women.

I know a congregation well where one of the children of ministry crossed a lot of lines that had it been anyone else would have been addressed. Years go by and suddenly he has left his wife and large family to go live with a worldly woman.
What burns me is I hear comments from members about “ well it is good he still wants to see the children from time to time”, or we hope she can win him back

We all know if the WOMAN ran off with some man they would not want to let her see the children. There would be no subtle “wonder what he did to lose her” type comments

Counterpoint: I've seen the exact opposite situation where the wife was from a "highly esteemed" family, and the husband was some nobody. She ran off on him and lives a worldly life now. He dutifully shows up to church each Sunday in his plain coat with hooks-and-eyes. The consensus was generally that it must have been his fault that he did something to her so terrible to drive her away, along with whispers that he really shouldn't have been "allowed" to marry her.