“I believe God made us equal. But with that said, I believe there is a headship order also.” In this brief audio interview (~3 min) Amish couple Ivan and Ruth Chupp of Burr Oak, Michigan discuss the roles of women and men in the Amish church. Ivan starts by describing Amish beliefs on headship and the woman’s role in church, with Ruth adding some comments at the…
You might recall the story of Kenneth Copp, a Pentecostal-raised man who joined the Amish and was last living in the Unity Amish community in Maine. We previous looked at the Copp bakery and furniture shop in a post from a reader who visited the family (Visiting the Unity, Maine Amish Settlement). Things have changed in Kenneth Copp’s life since that post appeared in 2013. Bangor Daily…
An interesting letter appeared at Lancaster Online today: In response to the June 10 letter “GOP and Amish: A match made in heaven”: Instead of imagining an Amish man as our nation’s president, let’s take a closer look at values and the purpose of the Amish culture in hopes of inspiring all people to seek and turn to God, the creator of all the universe! The Amish and…
Members of Amish and four other Lancaster County churches came together for a group singing recently, an event which happens every “couple of years.” If you’ve ever wondered what Amish church song sounds like, the audio clip below gives you a feel for it. You’ll hear “As Jesus Christ, the Son of God”, found on page 217 of Anabaptist songbook The Ausbund (note: to listen,…
As in other Christian churches, Easter is an important holiday for the Amish. What do the Amish do during the Easter season? First it’s worth mentioning that not all Amish observe holidays in the same way. Local and family customs can vary. And when it comes to more obscure holidays, in some communities they may be observed, while in others, they are not. See Ascension Day or…
Marlene Miller joined the Amish half a century ago. She is a mother of 10 and member of a Holmes County Amish church. Marlene is one of the rare souls (perhaps 100?) who has joined the Amish, and actually remained in the church. Marlene detailed her experience in Grace Leads Me Home (later republished as Called to Be Amish: My Journey from Head Majorette to the Old Order) and in an…
David and Emily (no last name given) are an Amish couple living in the Holmes County, Ohio settlement. In 2006, they sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, and made a claim that surprised the famous talk show host. Asked if they are content, David replies, “one hundred percent.” “That is one of the nicest feelings,” Emily adds, without hesitation. “I don’t know anybody, who’s…
Bill and Tricia Moser joined the Amish 20 years ago. In an essay for The Washington Post, Bill Moser shares five lessons he and his wife learned from their experience. The Mosers are described as being “motivated by a desire to live out their faith in a more moment-by-moment way.” They came from an upper-middle class suburban background, with careers in architecture and occupational therapy. Below are the…
That’s the question a pair of articles have addressed, following the launch of a Political Action Committee (PAC) seeking to motivate Amish to vote in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Amish PAC’s plans are to reach potential Amish voters via advertisements in three newspapers targeted to the Lancaster County and Holmes County communities, and via billboards in Holmes County. The PAC’s outreach director, Ben King, grew…
What happens at an Amish wedding? Amish researcher Karen Johnson-Weiner discusses Amish wedding customs in a recent article for Lancaster Online. The piece focuses on the Lancaster community, though it also mentions more conservative settlements. Karen shares that typical wedding customs have been changing – and not just in the more progressive communities. If you’ve ever wondered how the food works, how many guests attend, or what else…