Mennonites

Today is Sunday, and I went to church. I sat among a group of wholesome folks, not all of them Mennonites (some Jewish, some atheist, some Brethren, etc.), but many of them in some way connected to the Mennonites, and listened to words and sang songs about finding the way of peace.

I grew up in a small, Mennonite village. As you can imagine, there was little need to define what a Mennonite was and wasn't. There was some need for that, as not everyone in the town was Mennonite. Now, I live in a much bigger town, with comparatively very few Mennos around. This means, I often find myself in conversation about what defines a Mennonite. These conversations often leave me pondering what it is about the Mennonite culture that I appreciate and want my children to know. 

Disclaimer: there are Mennonites of all sorts, and I cannot fairly make generalizations. However, the rest of this post refers to my experience growing up as a Mennonite. I just want to recognize that it may be quite different from what another Mennonite has experienced. 

Honestly, I'm not very religious, so that is not what draws me to the Mennonites. Realizing that is a significant part for many, for me it is more about who they are: what they believe about life and living, more than what they believe about scripture and theology. 

I find the Mennonites to be courageous. They are not afraid to address issues of violence and injustice. They bravely put themselves in the middle of conflict, and are intent on easing it. Justice and peace are sought after with steadfast courage locally and globally. 

I find the Mennonites to be more concerned about something being fair for someone else, than for something being fair for themselves. This didn't really come to my attention until recently.

They uphold what is simple, basic, least complicated.

I find that the Mennonites are sympathetic to those who struggle. Compassion is woven into the culture. They seem to be especially good at empathy, whether it's with the person next to them, or to a stranger on the other side of the world. 

They seem to believe that they can make a difference in the world, and so they try.

The Mennonites can SING! No going to birthday parties where everyone sings Happy Birthday in a dead, monotone voice. Expect at least 4 part harmony when the Mennonites are singing Happy Birthday (or most anything else!).

These are some of the reasons I am drawn to the idea of immersing my kids in the culture of the Mennonites. There are other reasons, like food and ritual. Sometimes it is hard to remember this, so I wanted to record it here.