๐๏ธ “Delivering 300-year-old Mail
Swiss-German Mennonites did not pull themselves up by their bootstraps when they came to North America. Many 18th-century families had help from the Dutch Mennonites, who financed early immigration to Pennsylvania. Mennonites in Amsterdam also sent aid to poor and persecuted Anabaptist families in Switzerland and the Palatine region of Germany. Their descendants โ especially those in Plain Anabaptist communities โ donโt want this legacy of mutual aid to be forgotten.
Sunday Quote ๐๏ธ๐ด

๐๏ธ I have this weird and super-dorky idea that someday a Baptist is going to ask if Iโm Baptist and Iโm gonna be like:
nah, Iโm OG Baptist, anabaptist
โฆand weโll have a big laugh together.
(Not gonna happen.)
๐๏ธ ๐ถ ๐๏ธ๐
I like the variety of pre-church activity this morning in our house.
Iโm listening to HolyName - Fall on Your Knees and their live heavy taizรฉ set.
Spouse is listening to Emily P. Freeman/Next Right Thing, charming inspiresting devotional.
Both reading At Home in Exile by Russell Jeung
Look, Iโm a Mennonite and had to ask what this is.
(Apparently itโs some vinegar-and-cabbage preparation that sounds like cheater-sauerkraut. I suspect this is yet another appropriation of โAmishโ and not at all authentic?)

๐๏ธ๐ Double-preordering this Advent book from the incredible Shannon Walker Dycus: The Holy in the Night - Herald Press. You should too!
โMaybe Hobbits are like Mennonites with big hairy feet?โ
Trying a new thing (thanks tinylytics!).
Recent top pages:
๐๏ธ Ever since Everence lost their focus I occasionally dream about restarting Mennonite (or Anabaptist) Mutual Aid, but I donโt want to deal with all the legal stuff. #MennoCon23
(Admittedly, compliance was likely one of the factors driving Everenceโs retreat, as well.)
๐๏ธ Goshen College winning the shirt giveaway contest at #MennoCon23

๐๏ธ who knew Mennonites could jam this hard?
Loud Environment Sound levels hit 90 decibels. Around 30 minutes at this level can cause temporary hearing loss. This measurement takes into account the sound reduction from wearing your AirPods.
And yes, I was wearing earbuds in noise-cancelling mode. (Insert old man yelling at clouds gif here ๐)
๐๏ธโป๏ธ Good workshop on Climate Anxiety, Hope, and Resilience this morning. #MennoCon23
Once again I made the call to reorient our conferences and districts to our watersheds.
This week is Mennonite (Church USA) national convention. Along with the normal stuff, I again have delegate duties.
For a short but inadequate description of modern Mennonites, read this.
As usual, Iโll use ๐๏ธ (category page and feed) for church & faith matters.
๐๏ธโป๏ธ cool story from local Mennos:
317 Project: Herron-Morton couple has created a ‘carbon sink’ brimming with trees, flowers
๐๏ธ
“The original โIron Manโ script was decidedly pacifist, with protagonist Tony Stark attempting to use his enormous manufacturing empire to battle against war profiteers and the military industrial complex. However, after the Pentagon got involved…the tone of the movie was radically altered. Much of the fighting in the movie takes place in modern-day Afghanistan, with the U.S. military serving the role of the good guys. In this sense, the filmโs stance on war was reversed.”
How the Pentagon Leaned on Hollywood to Sell the War in Afghanistan

Me, putting on Keen sandals: โlook, Iโm a Mennoniteโ
๐๏ธ Iโm sleepy and almost nodding off during our Tenebrae service. Just call me โSimonโ?
๐ฐ๐ Indiana Nut and Fruit Growers Association meeting and scion swap, today.
We are walking there after church.
The White River Alliance is issuing an urgent action request to protect Indiana wetlands. This is important for flood & drought management, ecosystems, biodiversity, and much more.
