My time with the Plain People

Plain Anabaptists are those of the Anabaptist Faith that have kept with a certain lifestyle that is conservative in nature. They feel this lifestyle helps them have a closer relationship with God and also prevents them from getting distracted by the sins of the modern world. Most people of these faiths are born into them, but there are some converts. Plain church congregations can be found in the denominations of Amish, Brethren, Hutterite, & Mennonite. 

I attended the Belen Mennonite Church, a church that has stayed committed to a conservative lifestyle and an unwavering devotion to God. Their service was at 10am and open to the public. 

Before I attended, I studied about Plain churches and what to expect from a great Anabaptist Faith Resource Site. I read about what I should wear. Even though I wore my hair up and a conservative blouse, skirt, tights and flats - I was still an obvious anomaly. 

In the church, the women are on the left and the men are on the right, young women sit at the front of their section. The only deviation I saw was with small children, they were sitting with a parent on both sides. I noticed the only jewelry they wore were watches, not even wedding rings. Women do not speak during church, other than to sing. All people wear plain garb, the men wear button up shirts and plain coats and women wear the same cut of dress of plain or small print colored fabric. The boys do not wear the plain coats until they are baptized and take the commitment of the Conservative Mennonite Faith, the men I saw were clean-shaven. The girls wear their hair in braids until they are baptized and then they wear a white head covering. 

They started the service with several hymns sung a cappella and many songs were sung throughout the service. Then gentlemen read biblical passages and led the group in prayer. The congregation prayed by turning around to face the pew and kneeling down.  The children then left the service for their Sunday school. A moderator led the adults in a bible lesson from a Conservative Mennonite study guide published quarterly for congregations. The men took turns reading the bible passages and answering questions posed by the bible study guide.

SIMPLY SAY YES TO GOD'S OFFER

The children returned and there was a sermon given by a man who I believe was a bishop, but I am not sure of his title. The title of the sermon was, "Why We Stay Conservative," He spoke of how difficult it is to stay true to the conservative values in a land "saturated with consumerism." He spoke of how easy it is to justify, the idea of letting go of some of the traditional ways; but he warned of allowing such errors creep into your lives. He spoke of families that had fallen away and the results of their decisions. Jude 1:8-11 He also spoke of the pitfall of focusing on the conservative lifestyle itself, more than focusing on keeping the "Spirit of God in our Hearts." He encouraged the members to stay steadfast in their conservative and plain lifestyle as a means to a Godly life free of many of the burdens of the modern world.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Before and after the service, many women spoke to me. They were very friendly and asked me to visit again. 

THANK YOU Belen Mennonite Church for graciously allowing me to be a part of your worship service. 

Note:This group is not Old Order Mennonite so they do use electricity, cars, phones, and many electrical items. Most still will not listen to the radio or watch television.