Beachy Amish Mennonite

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The Beachy Amish Mennonite constituency is a loose confederation of churches appropriately called a "fellowship," which is in contrast to a more hierarchical conference structure common amongst similar conservative Mennonite constituencies. Beachys are neither Amish nor Mennonite, but "Amish Mennonite". The influences of both the Amish and Mennonites are distinguishable, yet the Beachys affiliate with neither group. Because of the fellowship structure, few common characteristics are shared by all Beachy congregations. Some similarities include adhering to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith and practice varying degrees of orthodox Anabaptist practice, such as nonresistance, separation from the state, and adult baptism.

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[edit] History

The Beachy Amish church arose from a 1927 division in the (Casselman) River Old Order Amish congregation in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.[1] Bishop Moses M. Beachy led the congregation during that time and, though he objected for the sake of humility, his name became associated with the faction. The Beachy Amish favored a milder discipline for members whose only offense was transferring membership to other Anabaptist churches, specifically the conservative Amish Mennonite congregation that broke from Moses Beachy's congregation (then not under Beachy's leadership) in 1895.[2]

[edit] Distinctives

Until the 1950s, the Beachy Amish Mennonites resembled the Old Order Amish, but accepted some adaptations in technology and discipline. In contrast to the Old Order Amish, the Beachys have meetinghouses, Sunday School, and a Bible School for young adults, and most also support missionary work. Excommunication is used less frequently and accompanying bans are even more rare.

Most Beachy Amish churches today more closely resemble the conservative Mennonite and Brethren groups rather than the Old Order Amish. The practices and lifestyle still similar to the Old Order Amish include:

  • Holy kiss in church services
  • Feet washing as part of the communion service
  • Women wear head covering and homemade cape dresses
  • Married men wear beards in many congregations, though usually abbreviated in length
  • Television is forbidden by all congregations and radio by most

Practices that distinguish the Beachy Amish church from the Old Order Amish include:

  • Internet is permitted by some congregations
  • Men wear ready made clothing
  • Assurance of salvation is encouraged, asking Jesus to cleanse you of your sins, unlike the Old Order Amish Church.
  • General decline of the Pennsylvania German language among many congregations or congregants

Some "orthodox" Beachy Amish churches, most notably in Kentucky and Illinois, still resemble Moses Beachy's early congregation; for example, they use German in services and do not support evangelistic missionary work. Several also refuse to have their picture taken, and have thus run into struggles with the government in the process of getting a driver's license.

While Beachys are the largest Amish Mennonite group, other affiliations include the Mennonite Christian Fellowship and the Maranatha Amish Mennonites (a subgroup of Beachys) as well as a handful of unaffiliated Amish Mennonite churches. The group now known as the "Conservative Mennonites" were the largest Amish Mennonite group for a couple decades prior to the growth of the broader Beachy church in the 1950s.

[edit] Subgroups

Because the Beachy constituency is a loose affiliation, the practice of individual churches vary substantially. Thus, there are several official and unofficial subgroups among Beachys. Churches within the subgroups may or may not hold fellowship with other Beachy congregations, send ministers to the main minister's meetings, or allow youth to attend youth fellowship meetings or Calvary Bible School terms.

The Maranatha Amish Mennonite congregations were established in the late 1990s by several congregations that wished to have closer fellowship and expressed concern about certain deviant trends they felt were present in many nucleus Beachy congregations. Maranatha churches hold their own minister's meetings. They have a more centralized leadership and regulation of practice. Congregations include: Bethel Fellowship (TN), Cedar Grove Amish Mennonite (ON), Greene County Mennonite Church (TN), Locust Creek Amish Mennonite Fellowship (MO), Lyndon Amish Mennonite (KS), Maranatha Bible Fellowship (VA), Mount Moriah Mennonite Fellowship (TN), Summitview Christian Fellowship (PA), Whitechurch Amish Mennonite (ON), and Whiteville Mennonite Church (TN).

The Berea Amish Mennonites are more conservative than the Maranatha. Examples of standards in some congregations include the disallowance of cassette tapes, cameras, and computers, and the requirement of black cars and more conservative dress (such as broad fall pants and women's covering strings tied in the front). Beards for men are generally long. While several churches have been affiliating for some time now (and holding their own minister's meetings), the title and official establishment was not adopted until January 2007. There are about 10-15 churches in the subgroup, including Mt. Zion Amish Mennonite (VA), Pleasant Hill Mennonite (KY), Belleville Amish Mennonite (AR), Fryburg Beachy Fellowship (OH), and Plain Christian Fellowship (ME).

The most conservative subgroup does not have an official title. The concentration of churches are in Kentucky and Illinois. These congregations would use German in services, and be close to New Order Amish in practice, except they drive vehicles. Some congregations include Casey Amish (KY) and Carrier Mills Amish Mennonite (IL).

[edit] Geography

In 2006, there were 10,316 Beachy members in 172 churches (including Maranatha Amish Mennonite congregations), with the highest representation in Pennsylvania and Ohio. International Beachy churches or mission work can be found in El Salvador, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Ireland, Belgium, Ukraine, Romania, Kenya, India, Australia, and Canada; Canada includes both "domestic" Beachy churches as well as missionary work with the Sioux Indians, and Costa Rica is made up of non-mission oriented churches. Mission work is sponsored by Amish Mennonite Aid (AMA), Mennonite Interests Committee (MIC), Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), or individual churches. The mission work in Kenya has solicited the largest response. According statistics in the Mennonite Church Directory 2007, about one out of every 20 members is a Kenyan native.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Yoder 1987
  2. ^ For a detailed discussion of the 1927 split and its history, see http://www.beachyam.org/abeachy.htm. The author, Alvin J. Beachy (1913-1986), was Moses' eleventh son.

[edit] Further reading

  • Beachy, Alvin J. 1955. The Rise and Development of the Beachy Amish Mennonite Churches. Mennonite Quarterly Review, Vol. 29, No. 2, 118-140.
  • Gaetz, Susan Melinda. 1994. Understanding Mennonitism: A Visual Ethnography of the Beachy Amish Mennonites of Lott, Texas. M.A. Thesis. Austin: University of Texas at Austin.
  • Landing, James Edward. 1975. The Spatial Development and Organization of an Old Order Amish-Beachy Amish Settlement, Nappanee, Indiana. Ph.D. Thesis. State College: Pennsylvania State University.
  • Lapp, Aaron. 2003. Weavertown Church History. Sugarcreek: Carlisle Printing.
  • Lesher, Emerson. 1983. Family Integration and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adult Beachy Amish. Ph.D. Thesis. Los Angeles: Wright Institute.
  • Mast, J.B. 1950. Facts Concerning the Beachy A. M. Division of 1927. Meyersdale, PA: Menno J. Yoder.
  • Matthew, Samuel 2001. The Development of Missional Vision in a Midwestern Amish Mennonite Congregation. Ph.D. Thesis. Pasadena, CA: Fuller Theological Seminary.
  • Mennonite Church Information 2007. Harrisonburg: Christian Light Publications.
  • Miller, Devon. 2005. Amish Mennonite Directory. Millersburg, OH: Abana Books. A directory of all US and Canadian Amish Mennonites, including the Beachys.
  • Miller, Leroy and Leon Zook. 1995. The Amish-Mennonites at Kempsville, Virginia, 1900-1970. Virginia Beach: Donning Publishers.
  • Miller, Linda Rose. 1997. The Miracle of Faith. Free Union: Faith Mission Home.
  • Petersheim, Henry. 2005. Bringing in the Sheaves. Sugarcreek: Carlisle Printing.
  • Schwieder, Dorthy and Schwieder, Elmer. 1977. The Beachy Amish in Iowa: A Case Study. Mennonite Quarterly Review, Vol. 51, No. 1, p. 41-51.
  • Vollers, Maryanne. 1990. Helping Kids Beyond Help: Mennonite Volunteers at the Faith Mission Home for the Severely Handicapped Children. People Weekly, Vol. 34, No. 22.
  • Yoder, Elmer S. 1980. The Amish Mennonites of Macon County, Georgia: 1953-1980. Hartville: Diakonia Ministries.
  • Yoder, Elmer S. 1987. The Beachy Amish Mennonite Fellowship Churches. Hartville, OH: Diakonia Ministries. Comprehensive account of the Beachys by Beachy minister Simon L. Yoder's son.
  • Yoder, Nathan, et al, eds. 1991. The Miracle of Love. Harrisonburg: Campbell Copy Center

Articles on the Weavertown church:

  • Irwin, Jerry and Douglas Lee. "The Plain People of Pennsylvania." National Geographic. April, 1984: 492-519. Pages 502, 511, 514, and 556 have pictures of Beachy Amish church members from Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church. Page 507 has picture of a family from Pequea Amish Mennonite Church. Accompanying text summarizes Beachy Amish/Amish Mennonite belief and practice.
  • Heller, Karen and Rob Clark, Jr. "The Fancy Quilts of the Plain People." Inquirer Magazine. January 25, 1987: 18-23. Includes interviews with and photographs of members of Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church.
  • Kito, Makoto. "Contemporary America: The Amish in Lancaster County." The Yomiuri Shimbun (Japanese daily newspaper). June 22, 1994: 4. Brief overview in Japanese of plain churches in America, including brief comments from an Old Order Amish historian and a Weavertown Amish Mennonite church couple; excellent insight by Japanese journalist.
  • Kraybill, Donald B. The Riddle of Amish Culture. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1989. Describes the 1910 split (between the Old Order Amish and what later became Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church) on pages 142-143. Also describes division of 1927.
  • Stone, Erika and Merle Good. Nicole Visits an Amish Farm. NY: Walker and Co., 1982. A photo story for children about a New York City girl who visits an Amish Mennonite family for one week under the Fresh Air program. The family members pictured are members of Weavertown.

[edit] External links