Buildings Plain Anabaptists Use for Church Endeavors

[Judas Maccabeus]

Our wives do not have aprons, other than the Old Order Amish does anyone do that?

Old Order Mennonites, Old Order River Brethren, Old German Baptist Brethren, Washington/Franklin Conference

I have seen these on OOA and some old order Mennonites. Would the apron match the dress, or be a different color?

Same color.

Just the ministry, or everyone?

[JayP]

It is truly humorous to see how others “see” things or describe them. I do confess waiting for questions about that “special sink” and find it hard to believe everyone actually already knows….or were they unwanting to ask? The sink does not drain to the sewer system but rather just into the ground. It is considered a more proper way to dispose of th8ngs such as water used to clean sacramental vessels, etc.

I get you do not want to keep the stained glass windows and such. I wondered about the phrase “angelic beings”….does not the word angels work..

I would challenge that I think Keystone does indeed have special garments for ministry. Unlike say Eastern where the plain suit or cape dresses are “regulation” having themONLY for ministry creates a double standard in both directions. But to each his own.

[barnhart]

I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum of art and one of my favorite items to see is the temple of Dendur, relocated block by block from the flood plain of the hydroelectric dam on the Nile river. It was built there by Cesar Augustus to symbolize his rule over the conquered Egyptians. It is covered in carved images related to worship and it is also covered in etched graffiti, the earliest dated a generation after its construction.

One thing they will not tell you at the museum is it was used for worship for centuries but not as intended. After it was abandoned to graffiti, Christians started meeting there, eventually plastering over the pagan images which actually preserved them. If you know where to look you can see two sockets carved high up into the stone to secure the wooden beams of a portico or porch roof added by Christians when their congregation outgrew the facility.

It gives me a feeling of kinship through the centuries to see how the church was living and worshipping centuries ago and how they utilized the abandoned or unused spaces to grow community.

If you are unfamiliar with the Temple, it's worth your time to Google it.

[eccentric_rambler]

Unlike say Eastern where the plain suit or cape dresses are “regulation” having them ONLY for ministry creates a double standard in both directions.

EPMC has their own additional standards for the ordained and their spouses. Black vehicles required. For the ordained: Black hat for church services. Different style of suit coat. For the wives of the ordained: Covering strings required. Tie shoes required. (Did you know you can punch holes in a slip-on shoe, thread some short laces through the holes, ties a bow with each lace, and voila! you have a tie shoe?)

[JohnH]

Unlike say Eastern where the plain suit or cape dresses are “regulation” having them ONLY for ministry creates a double standard in both directions.

EPMC has their own additional standards for the ordained and their spouses. Black vehicles required. For the ordained: Black hat for church services. Different style of suit coat. For the wives of the ordained: Covering strings required. Tie shoes required. (Did you know you can punch holes in a slip-on shoe, thread some short laces through the holes, ties a bow with each lace, and voila! you have a tie shoe?)

These liturgical garments are particularly interesting to observe, since (for example), covering strings are all but extinct with rank and file Easterns (other than the occasional person who matriculated from W-F, and for whatever reason, thinks they need to preserve them to please their grandparents).

To answer the other question, in OO circles where aprons are worn, generally speaking, all the women wear aprons. OOs are much better about not having distinct liturgical garments. At the last OO service I attended it was impossible to identify who the actual ordained men were.

[Ernie]

Our wives do not have aprons, other than the Old Order Amish does anyone do that?

Old Order Mennonites, Old Order River Brethren, Old German Baptist Brethren, Washington/Franklin Conference

I have seen these on OOA and some old order Mennonites. Would the apron match the dress, or be a different color?

Same color.

Just the ministry, or everyone?

Everyone.

[eccentric_rambler]

covering strings are all but extinct with rank and file Easterns

At most congregations, not all.

[Frodo]

Unlike say Eastern where the plain suit or cape dresses are “regulation” having them ONLY for ministry creates a double standard in both directions.

EPMC has their own additional standards for the ordained and their spouses. Black vehicles required. For the ordained: Black hat for church services. Different style of suit coat. For the wives of the ordained: Covering strings required. Tie shoes required. (Did you know you can punch holes in a slip-on shoe, thread some short laces through the holes, ties a bow with each lace, and voila! you have a tie shoe?)

These liturgical garments are particularly interesting to observe, since (for example), covering strings are all but extinct with rank and file Easterns (other than the occasional person who matriculated from W-F, and for whatever reason, thinks they need to preserve them to please their grandparents).

To answer the other question, in OO circles where aprons are worn, generally speaking, all the women wear aprons. OOs are much better about not having distinct liturgical garments. At the last OO service I attended it was impossible to identify who the actual ordained men were.

I don't know what type of OO service you attended but in an OO Mennonite group like Groffdale conference there are also a variety of expectations for ordained men and their wives that are not expected of the unordained. Things like men wearing broadfall pants during the week and also a special type of overcoat that only the ordained men wear to church. The wives are also expected to wear a slightly different type of black bonnet with a longer ruffle at the back. I know there are also some other things including for example how the holy kiss is practiced at church, with only the ministry greeting each other and the laity with it, the unordained do not use it to greet each other amongst themselves unless it is a brother from out of state. So I don't think it's accurate to say that the OO are much different than other plain groups when it comes to double standards

[JayP]

Respectfully, I do not agree a out the last several statements about Eastern.

Strings are far from extinct. Obviously “strings” is a lengthy long conversation.
Does Epmc in general identify with jo strings? Yes. In a sense they always have. Equally, they have a lot of folks from settings or family ties outside Eastern where it matters, so in some places some wear strings.

Black cars? The majority of members have black cars. I would like proof ministers dress differently. Not wearing the plain suit for church has always been frowned upon. Do they expect ministry to tightly uphold the standards. Yes.

[Ernie]

I would like proof ministers dress differently.

Ministers are expected to wear Frock suit jackets.