| Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church |
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Information AboutWeavertown Amish Mennonite Church |
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| religion in lancaster, pennsylvania | |
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HISTORY Weavertown shares a history with the churches known as Old Order Amish , and its origin is rooted in issues very important to the Old Order Amish church community of the 1890's. The fundamental issue behind the church division which led to the formation of the Weavertown church was disagreement with the Amish practice of ''Streng Meidung'', or ''miting'', the Shunning or social avoidance of individuals who had left Amish church fellowship to join other churches. This ''Streng Meidung'' was an important issue long before more obvious secondary issues like acceptance or non-acceptance of automobiles, electricity, tractors, central heating, or telephones became significant distinguishing characteristics. On shunning, some Amish felt that it was wrong to pronounce strong social Excommunication for what amounted to changes of church membership. Others maintained that church membership was a lifelong commitment, and that the ''Streng Meidung'' was a reasonable response toward one forsaking that commitment. In 1910 a group of Old Order Amish church members (about 85 people in 35 families, representing about one-fifth of Old Order Amish membership in Lancaster County at that time) who strongly disagreed with the practice of ''Streng Meidung'' commenced meeting as a group somewhat distinct from the rest of the Old Order Amish; this group eventually became the Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church. The first church services of the group had been held on ), it was located right by the tiny village of Weavertown: from that time both the building and the people came to be known as the Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church. DISTINCTIVES Weavertown church members still dress somewhat plainly and distinctively. They are occasionally asked by strangers if they are Old Order Amish . Women wear the prayer covering, married men grow beards, and members do not make use of broadcast television or radio in their homes or cars. Acceptance of electricity, telephone, central heating, field tractors, and automobiles, however, marks them as quite distinct from the Old Order Amish. In matters of belief, however, other than the difference about the practice of ''Streng Meidung'' or shunning, they are quite alike. Amish churches are generally not evangelistic, nor do they generally embrace doctrines like the assurance of salvation, and on these points they are also different from the Weavertown congregation. Church services at Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church had been conducted exclusively in High German and Pennsylvania Dutch until 1966; since then services have been conducted in English. Congregational singing has always been unaccompanied by musical instruments. Youth generally attend high school, and occasionally college. Youth from the Weavertown church have served terms of voluntary service in Germany, South America, Central America, northern Canada, and various areas of the United States, and generally tour for a week each summer as a choral group. BEACHY AMISH The term Beachy Amish was first used after a similar Amish church division occurred in Somerset County, PA in 1927 . In that case, the church opposed to the ''Streng Meidung'' came to be called Beachy after their bishop, Moses M. Beachy . In 1950 the Weavertown church was welcomed into full fellowship with the Somerset County and other Beachy congregations. Churches in that group are frequently called Beachy Amish, though in Lancaster County, PA the term Amish Mennonite is still more common. As of 1996 there were 92 Beachy Amish congregations in the USA, eight in Canada, one in Costa Rica, two in El Salvador, four in Belize, two in Paraguay, and one in Ireland. Missionary work continues in all the countries named, and also in Kenya and Uganda. Exactly 7,238 baptized members were counted as of 1990. Particulars of dress, acceptance of technology, and use of German vary greatly from congregation to congregation. All congregations honor the Schleitheim Confession of 1527 and the Dordrecht Confession of 1632 as summaries of Christian doctrine and practice. TODAY Due to growth of the Weavertown congregation, three daughter congregations have been established over the years: two in Lancaster County - Pequea (pronounced "peck way") Amish Mennonite Church in 1962 , and Mine Road Amish Mennonite Church in 1969 ; another daughter congregation was established in Washington County in 2000. Other Amish Mennonite churches in Lancaster County include Gap View Amish Mennonite Church, Summitview Christian Fellowship, and Westhaven Amish Mennonite Church. Membership of the Weavertown congregation in 1990 was about 110 households, with 220 baptized members. Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church is located at 2903 Church Road, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505, between the villages of Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse in Lancaster County, PA. Weavertown Mennonite School is across the street from the church. Sunday church services include Sunday School at 9:00 AM and a worship service starts at 10:15 AM. The church has a strong tradition of hospitality and welcoming of visitors. REFERENCES
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