I just had a chance to watch an advance copy of the new PBS film The Amish: Shunned. I’ve never been, and never will be, an excommunicated Amish person, and so don’t know what that’s like. But I’ve heard enough stories from both sides to know that it can’t be easy. That’s why I was curious about this film. I think this is a difficult…
It’s been about 9 months since our last Amish words quiz, which tells me time flies. You’ve been consistently impressive in your previous answers, so I keep trying to make each new quiz slightly more difficult. Each of the 10 terms below has some connection or meaning related to the Amish. If you know the meaning of one, a few, or all, let us know…
Today’s photos were all (except for the first two) recently taken by a reader in the Holmes and Wayne County area. By last count there are 238 church districts in this settlement, more than any other Amish location, with over 30,000 Amish people living here. The Holmes County community is a sprawling settlement, spanning 20-some miles, as the crow flies, from north to south and east…
I am working on a large Holmes County Amish post for later this week. In the meantime a few preview photos and some recent news stories featuring Amish. Holmes & Geauga Holmes County as you probably know is the largest Amish community in Ohio, and along with Lancaster one of the two largest in America. It’s interesting but not surprising that the Geauga County community…
A new documentary film about the Amish is set to air next month on PBS, titled The Amish: Shunned. This has been described as a follow-up to 2012’s well-received The Amish. From the description: A poignant and penetrating look at what it means to be cut off from faith and family, The Amish: Shunned follows seven people who have chosen to leave their closed and…
Reader Jim asks: I am puzzled about how the twice-yearly ‘review’ of the Ordnung takes place if it is not a written document. By ‘not written’ I am wondering if you mean ‘not published’; that is to say it remains ‘in-house’,not something for sale, etc. I am thinking along these lines because a review would require some reference, something to refer to. Or what if…
Good morning! A Friday grab bag of news and other items of interest: Chemo case confusion An unexpected twist in the Ohio chemo case, summarized in this headline: “Guardian wants Ohio court ruling to stand in Amish chemo case even though she wants off case” (article no longer online). We got news about a month ago that the court-appointed guardian wished to drop the effort…
Winter Storm “Ion” (The Weather Channel gives big snowstorms names, apparently) has been plowing through the Midwest, bringing frozen precipitation and frigid temperatures. You know this is a real storm due to the many school cancellations and business closures in places where things don’t usually get canceled, including in the “toughest” of the winter states like Wisconsin and Minnesota. What do Amish do when the weather is this bad?…
The Amish Workshops website has an interesting feature called Ask Viola. Viola is a young Amish woman who answers reader questions on many topics. Below you’ll find Viola’s answer to a question from a seeker. Joining the Amish has been covered here multiple times before. On this topic especially, the words of an Amish person or former seeker are going to be the most powerful….
Happy New Year to all. I hope your 2013 was filled with blessings and that 2014 will be happy, healthy and productive for you. Do you take stock of the previous year at this time? Set goals and make plans for the coming year? It’s really just the changing of dates on a calendar, but can be the right time for a brief pat on…