I know of such a congregation, at least that's the way it was the last time I was there (May of 2018) - Zion Mennonite, Pryor, Oklahoma. The most visible of this was that there was everything from coverings to none at all, but mostly veils or other sorts of in-between stuff. It is a small Mennonite community, with people from the original 'Old Mennonite' congregation before the MC-USA union, when this congregation opted out. Then there are former Old Order Amish from the Inola area, some former General Conference Mennonites, and possibly some "outsiders". Back then my Dad's cousin and his wife were there as well, he from Mennonite Brethren background, and his wife from the Inola GC community. (She has since passed away, and he moved into a home in Enid.)Ernie wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 11:06 pm I'd rather be in a church with considerably different practices, in which nearly everyone in the church respects each other, than in a church with very little difference in practice, but little respect for each other or and little respect for churches who draw the lines a bit differently.
This also describes some MB congregations, partly due to some who didn't personally go along with later changes, but remained in the congregations, but it is also the MB heritage, to have more of an open attitude regarding fellowshipping with Christians outside of one's own exact practice. Some might say that this only works because they have no choice, because they don't have enough people to all split into separate congregations. I know of a group that used to say that the only way to discourage a lot of change is to "Get out of Holmes County". But it didn't work for them; they have since divided, and I suspect that both factions have since seen a general shift. So I think that it works because of an attitude of personal openness and respect toward one another. But I also realize that it's unlikely that everyone in these congregations have that attitude at heart. For those who don't agree with all of the changes, some will stay simply because they still have that core group there, and also because of advanced age.