A little about being a Mennonite:

When I was 3 my parents joined a Mennonite church, Beachy Amish Mennonite that is. We were members of the church until I was 12 or so. I just was thinking about it the other day when the subject of church background came up in our church. I found a description of some of the beliefs of the church online as follows:

The Beachy Amish Mennonites are an evangelical, fundamentalist Christian group with an Anabaptist heritage and a conservative practice. Some distinctive beliefs include:
-Baptism only upon confession of Jesus Christ by a person who has reached an age of accountability.
-Nonresistance, that is, returning good for evil and not resisting a persecutor. This includes non-involvement in combat, though alternative service is acceptable.
-Emphasis on the essential role of church community as a supporting organism for individual spiritual growth and fellowship.
-An extent of practical everyday separation from mainstream society, especially in areas of social and recreational activities, personal adornment, amusement, speech, gender roles, and schooling.
-A covering for women in obedience to 1 Cor. 11:1-16.

There were a lot of rules; No pants for women, long hair worn up with a headcovering at a young age, no make-up, no ankle socks, no printed fabrics, caped dresses, strings on headcoverings that also have x amount of pleats. Men must wear plain clothes as well, no prints, no graphic tee shirts, hair must be parted in the center, no shaved faces.

In church acapella music only, separate seating for men & women, two cups for communion (one for men, one for women).

But amist all the rules there were really good things about growing up Mennonite. We spent a lot of time together as a family, involved in church & Bible studies. We grew up listening well in church & sunday school. I felt like I got a good knowledge of the Bible & Christian life through the services. We weren't confused as to right & wrong by tv, radio or secular media. My parents chose to homeschool us but if you did go to school it was to the private Mennonite school. Most graduated at 8th grade, some did go on through 12th.

This is just a little bit that I thought I would put on my blog for anyone who is interested.