Visits with the Amish: Impressions of the Plain Life

Chapter 7: The heart of Amish life

63 The Amish do not build churches for worship. They take turns holding the services in their large homes. Usually 30 or 40 families make up one church district—and they live close enough together so they can travel to church in a horse and buggy. Having church in the home requires a remarkable amount of organization. The Amish usually build their homes with removable walls to create a large space on the first floor. When a family’s turn comes up, the closest neighbors help clean the house, prepare the food, set up and take down the benches and tables, and serve the food. Singing plays an important role in the Amish service. Since the Amish do not use musical instruments, they sing their church hymns without accompaniment. The Amish rely on the Ausbund—the oldest Protestant hymnal in use—containing the German text for 7 the heart of Amish life chapter 64 part three 140 hymns but no musical notes. The tunes have been handed down by memory from generation to generation. Young men learn how to “lead” each song, singing the first few words of each line solo. It takes a great deal of skill, because the leader must sing perfectly on pitch without a cue from an instrument . Also, because High German is the language for hymns and Bible readings, young Amish men and women must attend “German school” in order to learn how to read the words of the songs and Bible verses. High German differs from the vernacular Pennsylvania German spoken in Amish homes and used for the sermons, testimonies , and announcements at church. A bishop, a deacon, and one or two ministers govern each church district. The Amish do not elect their church officials; they nominate several responsible men and make the final choice by lottery . Once chosen, a man holds the position for life. The Amish do not consider it particularly lucky to be selected, since the position includes heavy responsibilities. In addition to making a normal living, a minister must spend many hours preparing and memorizing sermons , with no compensation for his time. While the bishop and ministers must be male, the entire community (men and women) vote on major issues, deciding the strict rules of daily life (Ordnung) based on scripture. If a problem comes up, church members stay behind after the Sunday service to discuss and vote on the issue. The Amish go to church every second Sunday. On the Sundays off, they usually visit relatives or friends, or in warmer months, the whole family attends Sunday school together. After Sunday school, they return home for dinner, go visiting, or have company. One mother told me she sometimes invites two or three families after church, which means that she and her daughters prepare food for 30 to 40 people. A typical meal for guests on Sunday might be meatloaf, mashed potatoes, Jello salad, and cake, fruit, or pie. When they don’t have guests, the family eats lightly to give the women a rest from cooking. Favorite Sunday evening meals include popcorn, pizza, and ice cream. 65 the heart of Amish life Nettie looks forward to Sunday as a day of rest, a day to worship, and a day to visit with her friends. For her Amish family, preparations for Sunday worship start the day before. On Saturday afternoon 11-year-old Nettie and her sisters bathe, wash and braid their hair, and iron their Sunday clothes. In warm weather, they wash the black buggies the family will drive to church. Nettie fills the wood bin with enough wood to last until Monday, and her 13-year-old sister, Ada, helps bake cakes and bread so Sunday meals will be simple to make. “Saturday is always a special day for me,” says Freda, Nettie’s mother, “because we prepare ourselves for the Sabbath, the day of rest.” One Sunday in March I board a black Amish buggy with Nettie , her parents, and her younger sister and brother, Joanna and Jonas. Nettie’s older brothers and sisters ride in a second buggy. Although the horses, Comet and Ranger, trot at a slow pace, it’s hard to hear each other speak above the roar of gravel flying and wheels spinning. Another buggy pulls in front of us. “That’s my brother Harley and his family,” calls out Nettie’s father , Cephas, above the roar. A while later, Cephas...