It would take a lot of grace to be part of a Hutterite colony. They tend to lack many of the common manners we take for granted. I thought maybe RC would be different that way, but I talked a while ago with someone who lived there for a number of months but left again because of their family. They wanted their children to be polite to strangers, etc. and realized that this just wouldn't happen if they stayed there.Peregrino wrote:Dean practiced anesthesia regularly while living at Elmendorf as well as at Altona. I believe he dropped it for now to focus on other ministry opportunities that have come up. He and his family are headed to Lesvos for a few months.Soloist wrote:the amusing thing to me is when I was reaching out to the closer Hutterites to myself, they actually told me I couldn't join, in fact they would not permit anyone to join them but I should look into the Elmendorf community and gave me phone numbers to call them. I lost the number though...
Does anyone know how Dean Taylor was with them and his advanced medical training? I was told that even if I could join the Hutterites, they would not permit me to practice any medical of any kind because it would make me prideful. Is Elmendorf similar?
For the record, the Hutterite stance on witnessing only through business partners is troubling (at least the few colonies near me) and I don't want to spend years before really understanding the Germanic sermons.
I am curious what you are referring to by "the Hutterite stance on witnessing only through business partners"? Elmendorf is very Hutterite in some ways and very unHutterite in other ways. As an outsider, I haven't figured out everything about the culture yet.
It is amazing how that Hutterite flavor sticks to people. Our congregation split from the Hutterites probably sixty years ago, though they kept up the colony structure for another 20 years or so. But you can still tell which family lines in church came from that background. There are a few exceptions, but not many.
As far as joining a Hutterite colony, I asked one of them whether I would be able to join them if I wanted to. He looked at me as if I was slightly off the deep end. Then he said, "I suppose you could, by why would you?" Then he added, "I think you have to be born here to fit." Unfortunately, Hutterites who leave the colony often find it just as hard to fit in elsewhere.