Monday, March 4, 2013

JEAN TELLS OF SUNDAY MEETING


Thought I would tell about our meetings (church services) on Sunday in answer to some of the questions I received.
 
We must have all the chores done, breakfast eaten, and be dressed for Sunday meetings.  Our meetings start at 9:00 AM on Sunday mornings.  Old Order Mennonite has its own meeting building (church building) that we go to every Sunday.  It was built and used by another religion many years ago.  When Old Order Mennonite first came in this area, they bought the church for meetings.  We had planned to build another one, behind this one last summer, but because of building the new school we are waiting on the meetings building.  The picture at the top is of our church.
 
The second picture shows what  the interior of our meeting building  looks similar to.  There are no stained glass windows, crosses or pictures, etc. on our walls.  They are plain.  Also, there are no carpets, tiles, etc. on the floor-it is wood.  Most of us sit on backless seats except we do have a few chairs with backs for the senior adults who might need them.  Our songleaders table and minister's bench  are not risen like some churches-they are on the same level as our chairs.  As this meeting building only has one entrance, the senior men, men and boys enter first.  Senior ladies, ladies and the girls enter next. If we had built this church-there would be no steeple at the top like the one we now have  and there would be separate entrances for the men and ladies.
 
Men sit on one side of our meetings, women on the other, boys section is across from the men, girls section is across from the ladies.  There is a room where the men put their coats and hats and one for the ladies.  Also, is the council room for the Bishop, Deacon and Ministers to put their coats and hats-also where they meet before service.  It is also used if one of us wishes to speak with one of them before or after meeting. 
 
Our meeting begins at 9:00 AM with an opening hymn led by our songleader. We have no music.  While we are singing our Bishop, ministers, and deacon come in from the council room and are seated. After the first hymn our minister reads a verse or verses from the Bible.  Then our deacon advises us of the second hymn.  After our second hymn one of our ministers welcomes us and gives us the first sermon-after which we kneel for silent prayer.  After our first minister is seated, our Bishop or second minister reads Bible verses and gives our second sermon.  When their second sermon is done the Bishop or minister returns to his seat.  After second sermon, Bishop, first minister and deacons offer testamonies.Testamonies are an addition, correction or usually agreement with the second sermon.  After testamonies we kneel for silent prayer.  After prayer, our songleader advises us of the hymn that we sing.  Then the minister that gave our second sermon gives Benediction.  Afrer Benediction our Bishop says The Lord's Prayer.  Then we sing our last hymn.  When we are done singing our deacon gives announcements.
 
After service we like to stand and talk.  Usually it's the men together, boys together, girls together and the ladies together.  In the spring, summer or fall, it might have been announced the week before of a dinner or picnic at someone's house.  Someone just decides they would like to have everyone over so we all bring a dish to pass.  We haven't done that at our house very often because we didn't had enough room at our old house, but look forward to having everyone over when we get our new house built. When we stay talking, we do so for about a half hour or so. 
 
Meeting usually lasts about two and a half hours to three hours.  Afterwards we talk for about a half hour.  If we go to a dinner or picnic we are usually there until about a half hour before milking time so we can get home, change our clothes and do chores before dinner. 
 
We have Communion twice a year.  One is on Good Friday and the other is  a week or two before Christmas.  Our Baptism is held in late October after harvest time.  Weddings are held in our homes and can be held any month-but usually after harvest in the fall or winter.  Sometimes a wedding is held after meeting, at meeting building,  on Sunday - usually it's a senior widow and widower getting married. 
 
You may have heard your Grandparents say they are going to : "Sunday go to meeting".  I believe that was taken from our church as we call our Sunday "meeting day" rather than church Sunday.  I may be wrong.   
 
I hope you enjoy reading about our Sunday meeting (church service)/
 
Be with God,
Jean
 
 
FRIDAY OLIVE WILL BE BACK WITH SOME OF HER CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
 
 

26 comments:

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning,

Jean received some questions about your meetings (church) so she decided to do a post on it.
It sure is cold here this morning, in the 20's.

Marilyn

Fionalina said...

Thank you Jean for such a detailed interesting post-I found the floor plan helpful

Looking forward to Olives post on Friday


Hello Marilyn

Fionalina

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Fionalina,

I will give your comments to Jean. I am sure she will enjoy them.

Mairlyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Don't forget to leave comments for Jean. If she doesn't get them she feels no one is reading them even though I tell her the scats.

Marilyn

Chasity said...

Thank you Jean for telling us about your meeting, it was very interesting!

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you, Chasity, I will tell Jean. Thank you for leaving a comment.

Marilyn

Vickie said...

Thank you Jean, I found this very interesting. I am so glad you shared this with us.
Marilyn, may I ask how you get Jean's answers posted? Does she tell you these things over the phone? Does she write them out for you?
Mabel continues to NOT improve. She is depressed. She wakes in pain. It takes almost 3 hours for her to seem somewhat normal. She is not normal. We are still praying. The vet said to give it a few months perhaps this time. Otherwise....

New York State Of Mind said...

I will give Jean your comments, Vickie. Jean gives these to me over the phone. I give them to her over the phone and she keeps a list of the questions. She decides what she will answer each time and gives them to be on the phone. I type what she says.

Sorry to hear about Mabel. It breaks my heart. I am still praying, too. Maybe she will work it out. I wish there was a place you could take her like we have Cornell University.

Marilyn

Maureen said...

Hi Marilyn,
Please tell Jean that I really enjoyed her posting. It reminded me very much of Conservative Mennonite (not Old Order) Church services I have attended. The only difference was that the men, women and children could all come in at the same time. I really enjoyed the fellowship after the service and a host family would be assigned to welcome new guests at their home for lunch.
Thank you, Marilyn, for all you do!!!!

Wilma said...

I have a question. When Jean said they have no music, does she mean no musical instruments? I always enjoy all the posts. Thank Jean for me.

Countryside Reflections said...

Jean, what a beautiful church. Why do you want to build another one? I know that you said you would prefer two entrances and no steeple, but if you build another one would it be larger too? The children must be very well behaved to sit for so long. Do young parents bring babies and toddlers?

Your posts are all so interesting, and I look forward to each of them. ~Doreen

daybreaking said...

Please tell Jean I enjoyed reading this post. I was wondering if little children stay with their mothers, or if they sit in the boys' or girls' sections with the other children.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Maureen,
I will pass your remarks along to Jean. I know she will appreciate them. Thank you for the ocmpliments.
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Welcome Wilma,This one I know the answer too. No they don't have any musical instruments in their church. I will thank Jean for you.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Doreen,
I have written down your questions for Jean. They really do need a bigger church. I've been there during service and it's packed. Some even end up standing-they really need a bigger church. It is a very small church. The rest of your questions, Jean will have to answer.

Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Welcome daybreaking,
I will give Jean your questions. I know she will answer them in a future post.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
jodie said...

Jean, I enjoyed reading about your church. Thank you for your posts each week.
jodie

New York State Of Mind said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Jodie,
I will tell Jean what you said. Thank you for the compliments.
Marilyn

Mary Brandenburg said...

Marilyn, please tell Jean that I said "danke" for the posts she conveys to you! It is wonderful reading about her life in NY. My questions for her are: how many families are in her district? And, is it growing or are they running out of room at this point?
mach's gut und Gott segnen
Mary Brandenburg
Michigan.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Mary,
I will tell Jeam what you said. I know "danke" means thank you, but Jean will have to tell me what the rest means. I will also ask Jean your questions and I am sure she will answer them in a future post.
Marilyn

Michigan Mary said...

Marilyn,
Machs gut = take care
und Gott segnen = and God Bless
So.....
machs gut und Gott segnen!
Mary Brandenburg

Lily said...

Please tell Jean that I read EVERY single one of her posts, even though this only my second comment ever on them.

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you Michigan Mary. I know a few sayings in German from being with Jean, but I should learn more.
Take care and God Bless,
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Thank you Lily,
I am so glad you read every post. I will tell Jean waht you said. She will appreciate it and so do I.

Marilyn