Rumspringa is often exaggerated in the media, to be a wilder time than it is in reality for most Amish youth. But the fact is, some adolescents test limits during this transitional period, in ways others do not. Acquiring and illicitly owning a television set may seem like a light offense from an English perspective, but for Amish families, this can be a great concern. Jim Cates…
Reader Jerry often attends Amish auctions around the Keystone State. Today he shares an account and photos of an event which took place last month, a medical benefit for an injured Amishman. The community here is a Nebraska Amish group, a small affiliation traditionally considered among the most conservative (though there are more liberal factions within the larger group). There aren’t many Nebraska Amish settlements, but this…
Serving the Amish author Jim Cates today shares the story of an Amish woman named Anne, and a special, unexpected exchange they shared during a visit at a rehabilitation facility. They Shall Speak in Unknown Tongues Both Amish and African-American sermons offer the congregant a message focused on God. Both also ask for a witness. Beyond these similarities, they don’t just drift apart. They separate at…
Last summer, Anne, mother of an Amish convert, wrote about a visit to her son Ed’s community in Minnesota. Today she shares the story of Ed’s recent visit back to his boyhood home in Virginia. What did Ed’s Amish-born wife Ruth think of her visit to “English” America? How did they make the 1400-mile journey? And what one important thing did they not think to warn Ruth about?…
Amish church member Rebecca Miller gives us an inside look today at an important program in her Holmes County, Ohio community. One of the obvious strengths of the Amish is their strong web of community support. Parents of children with special needs are among those who need a little extra help at times. And that’s what led to the program which Rebecca shares with us today. CARING HANDS Several years…
An Amish-owned barn burned yesterday, in the sizeable St Mary’s County community in southern Maryland. Fifty-eight local firefighters were aided by 50 to 70 Amish in putting out the blaze. What’s remarkable is the explosion that is caught in this video, when a fuel tank in the structure ignited. You can see the massive explosion about eight seconds in, along with footage of the men scattering away…
Jim Cates is a clinical psychologist who does counseling work with clients, both Amish and English, in northern Indiana. In today’s post he shares the story of an Amish bishop who played a special role for one of his clients–and later faced trials of his own. A Little Rain Must Fall Into each life a little rain must fall, Some days must be dark and dreary….
What activities take place in a typical week in an Amish community? Amish church member Rebecca Miller returns today with a recent week’s worth of diary entries from her life in the Holmes County community. Rebecca works as an Amish school teacher, and at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center in Berlin, Ohio. She has previously written on preparing for baptism, a firsthand account of an Amish funeral, and…
In a community that values outward uniformity, it can take some courage to stand out. In today’s post, Serving The Amish author Jim Cates details the challenge of recruiting Amish leaders to help guide a fledgling alcohol program for Amish adolescents. As Jim describes below, finding those leaders wasn’t easy–but was pivotal to the program’s success or failure. — It Was Such a Clever Idea! As a…
Ohio Amish church member Rebecca Miller takes us inside the Amish recipe book with seven meals, one for each day of the week. Of course I got hungry just reading these, and I predict the same will happen to you. Below you’ll find ideas for breakfast, dessert, “quick and easy” meals, and a Saturday night family favorite. Which of these sounds best to you? Do you plan…