Buildings Plain Anabaptists Use for Church Endeavors

[ken_sylvania]

In regards to cars in Eastern. Let’s go slow. I do not disagree that ministry use black color cars. My ping is MOST people in EPMC have black cars, some with other dark colors and very few lighter colors. And do not judge the few light colors. Yes, some might be choosing to and it would be looked down on. But for example I know they have told converts that short of having a red sports car, they need not take a financial hit with all else they are dealing with, and sell their not black car

John I think you view of Eastern is a bit off. I have never been in an Eastern church where the majority of men did not wear (their incredibly barely functional, stupid looking) hats.

I didn't even know Eastern men sported the Eastern-style hat, but that's probably because I last attended in, well, a West Coast church. Maybe there aren't enough milliners out west.

I've never seen one at all. I once enjoyed a group of Eastern youth singing, and the boys were dutifully in plain coats, but no hats. A friend of mine showed me a bunch of pictures from when he went to Eastern Bible school (taken with a contraband camera, although it had the viewfinder LCD dutifully covered up with electrical tape), no hats there either. They're like something of legend to me.

In some ways, it's a bit amusing when people who have only slight familiarity with a group try to extrapolate their observations and experiences into a description of the entire group. Your observations and Jay's observations notwithstanding, there are some congregations where less than 50% of the male members wear hats, and there are congregations where 90% or more of the male members wear hats. Prevalence of plain hats at ABS and NBS will vary depending on the term, but it's probably fair to say that the type of person who is taking pictures with a digital camera in violation of the standards they agreed to uphold when they sent in their application, is not the type of person who will likely be wearing a plain hat if he can avoid it.

[ken_sylvania]

I am just stumped by the insistence that EPMC ministry wear frock coats. I do not deny some do. Vast majority do not.

What would you say are the defining features of a frock coat vs. standard regulation (sack) coat?

[JohnH]

Prevalence of plain hats at ABS and NBS will vary depending on the term, but it's probably fair to say that the type of person who is taking pictures with a digital camera in violation of the standards they agreed to uphold when they sent in their application, is not the type of person who will likely be wearing a plain hat if he can avoid it.

I was looking at the pictures of all the other students.

Said gentleman is in Hope these days.

[ken_sylvania]

Prevalence of plain hats at ABS and NBS will vary depending on the term, but it's probably fair to say that the type of person who is taking pictures with a digital camera in violation of the standards they agreed to uphold when they sent in their application, is not the type of person who will likely be wearing a plain hat if he can avoid it.

I was looking at the pictures of all the other students.

Said gentleman is in Hope these days.

Somehow the students at ABS/NBS have an amazing ability to match terms with others who think like they do. So there's that.
Other thing is that assuming these pictures were taken during approved time for pictures it would have been on a weekday and not surprising if few or no hats in view.

Oh, and I should mention there are circumstances where the implications I gave above about the camera wouldn't apply.

[Ernie]

there are some congregations where less than 50% of the male members wear hats, and there are congregations where 90% or more of the male members wear hats.

Have these percentages changed this century? When I interacted with EPMC in the 90's, I don't remember seeing this high of percentages.

[ken_sylvania]

there are some congregations where less than 50% of the male members wear hats, and there are congregations where 90% or more of the male members wear hats.

Have these percentages changed this century? When I interacted with EPMC in the 90's, I don't remember seeing this high of percentages.

This high or this low?

[Ernie]

there are some congregations where less than 50% of the male members wear hats, and there are congregations where 90% or more of the male members wear hats.

Have these percentages changed this century? When I interacted with EPMC in the 90's, I don't remember seeing this high of percentages.

This high or this low?

I thought there were a lot less hats in the 90's as compared to what I think you are saying about the present. Maybe I didn't understand you correctly.

Maybe we could ask it this way.

Approximately what percentage of male members under 25 wear hats?
25-40?
40-60?
60?

Guesses are fine.

[JohnH]

I would like to actually see one of these hats.

[Ernie]

I would like to actually see one of these hats.

https://goodsstores.com/products/mens-r ... a718&_ss=r
All boys in W/F wear this kind of hat.
Some boys in EPMC
All boys and unmarried members in Groffdale.


https://goodsstores.com/products/men-s- ... a718&_ss=r
All members in W/F wear this hat or something similar.
Many male members in EPMC
Married men in Groffdale wear this hat or something similar.
Many men in Weaverland Conference

[ken_sylvania]

Have these percentages changed this century? When I interacted with EPMC in the 90's, I don't remember seeing this high of percentages.

This high or this low?

I thought there were a lot less hats in the 90's as compared to what I think you are saying about the present. Maybe I didn't understand you correctly.

Maybe we could ask it this way.

Approximately what percentage of male members under 25 wear hats?
25-40?
40-60?
60?

Guesses are fine.

Like I said, it varies by congregation. Churchwide, as a wild guess, maybe 5% to 20% of the under 25 crowd, 30% of 25-40, 40% of 40-60, and 60% of 60+. But that's absolutely a guess.
But there are congregations where I would guess percentage to be greater than 70% of the male members under 25, 80% of those 25-40, and 90 to 98% of those over 40.
Hard to say how it might have changed over the years - attrition of non-hat-wearers to Pilgrim and Northeast, attrition of hat-wearers to Appalachian, etc.