Faith healing, communion and foot washing

[Josh]

I understand that feet washing was a custom back in that era and place. Did each person wash their own feet? Did people ever wash other peoples feet? If so, did men wash womens feet and vice versa? Or did custom dictate that only people of the same sex was feet, or perhaps only people of the opposite sex wash feet?

The Bible speaks highly of widows who have "washed the apostles' feet".

[steve-in-kville]

Yes and there were no women attending, getting communion or foot washing either.
I question why the exactness of the form matters if we already have changed it.

It was also an actual meal. I expect most churches don't do communion around the table as part of a dinner meal.

Steve, you want to handle this one or should we let it for Heirbyadoption?

What question would you like answered? I got lost in this thread somewhere...

[steve-in-kville]

It was also an actual meal. I expect most churches don't do communion around the table as part of a dinner meal.

Steve, you want to handle this one or should we let it for Heirbyadoption?

What question would you like answered? I got lost in this thread somewhere...

I re-read this and I think I understand what is being asked....

The Brethren circles, being really conservative or progressive, don't call it communion. We call it Lovefeast. Typically held on a Saturday afternoon/evening. Some groups (like the Dunkard Brethren) have it Sunday afternoon/evening. Its starts with an examination service, perhaps followed by some confessions, if warranted. In the more progressive settings, this is held the Sunday morning a week prior, in the conservative settings, its in the afternoon before the actual Lovefeast service.

If I have my facts right, we do the feet washing, breaking of the bread and the cup. Depending on the setting, the bread may already be broken in front of us along with a plastic tiny cup of grape juice. Or it may be passed around by the deacons.

The Lovefeast meal is a simple rice and broth soup along with lamb, bread and butter. Typically we would butter the bread and add the meat, fold it over and eat it like a sandwich. Again, depending on the setting, we may have one huge bowl of soup that a few of us would spoon out of, or we would have individual bowls that we fill ourselves.

I've been at Lovefeasts where the meal is eaten in silence, and I have been in settings where it was done in casual conversation. In the Dunkard circles, this typically takes place in the main auditorium. Others do it in the fellowship hall. Whereas smaller groups often rent a nearby facility. Ladies are on one side, men on the other. Sometimes smaller children have a special section to observe while others bring in ladies from a neighboring congregation to watch the small children.

Anything else you want to know?

[Josh]

I've been at Lovefeasts where the meal is eaten in silence, and I have been in settings where it was done in casual conversation. In the Dunkard circles, this typically takes place in the main auditorium. Others do it in the fellowship hall. Whereas smaller groups often rent a nearby facility. Ladies are on one side, men on the other. Sometimes smaller children have a special section to observe while others bring in ladies from a neighboring congregation to watch the small children.

Anything else you want to know?

One of the benefits of Anabaptism is that the children who aren't baptised yet can be pressed into service to watch the younger children.

[steve-in-kville]

Some stuff I forgot about:

In the more conservative settings, the elder in charge of that congregation must be present. Typically he would open the service. He may or may not participate.

Sometime an outside minister preaches the examination service, sometimes not. In our current setting, we bring in a minister from another congregation to give a little devotion before we have the meal.

[ohio jones]

Some stuff I forgot about:

Just padding the post count to get to 7000, I suspect.

[steve-in-kville]

Some stuff I forgot about:

Just padding the post count to get to 7000, I suspect.

Oh wow, just saw that now

[Ernie]

Why do you think the women leave the auditorium when the men wash feet?

Old Order Anabaptist and progressive Anabaptist women do not. (the latter washing feet cross-gender)
It's just the women in between who wash feet in a side room.

[Ernie]

The Bible speaks highly of widows who have "washed the apostles' feet".

All the translations I know of say "saints", not apostles.

[silentreader]

Why do you think the women leave the auditorium when the men wash feet?

Old Order Anabaptist and progressive Anabaptist women do not. (the latter washing feet cross-gender)
It's just the women in between who wash feet in a side room.

Must be different in the States.
Here in Canada the OO Mennonite women go out in the "shtivle" to wash feet.