Mennonites of Ontario

[Keesha]

Mennonites of Ontario

Here in Ontario, not far from where we live are religious sects or cults called Mennonites.

The first Mennonites came to Ontario in the late 18th century in the Aftermath of the Russian Revolution but most are from Germany. There are approximately 200,000 of them in Canada. About 75,000 in southern to central Ontario.



There are apparently 30 different Mennonite groups in Ontario. Some sects of Mennonites drive cars and use cell phones. These are considered ‘conservative’ Mennonites, while others are considered Old Order Mennonites and they don’t drive cars but use horse and buggies.
We have both not far from where we live.

Yesterday we bought 2 lites of pure maple syrup off them.



Mennonites have always fascinated me for some reason. The old fashion lifestyle they religiously adhere to is quite interesting. They don’t cut their hair or have their picture taken as it’s considered vain. They are very close knit and their businesses always do well. Products made by Mennonites aren’t cheap but are always top quality.



They believe technology is evil and will only teach education to grade 8 since they believe that’s all the education that’s needed. They don’t celebrate Halloween as it’s considered worshipping the devil. Wherever they do plan to live is always surrounded with rich fertile soil which is needed for growing their food.



These people have fascinated me so much that I introduced myself, met with them, got invited to church ( was driven by horse and buggy) and a Sunday dinner at one of their houses and it was a highlight in my life and most enjoyable. This may surprise most people but I actually really enjoy being around people who have absolute faith. They carry a loving energy about them that’s undeniable.



Some of these pictures are taken from the internet but some are my own.

 

[DaveA]

There's a small community of Mennonites in Brownfield, Maine where we have the family cottage. My only contact is at there country store. In season their vegetables and fruit, locally grown just can't be beat. Always busy, they are friendly, courteous, and and the ladies are dressed in long gowns and bonnets. Most of the men and boys seem to favor dark pants and blue shirts. they must be of the more modern version as they do drive vehicles.

 

[Geezerette]

There are numerous groups of Mennonites in Pa ; one near the town of Springs, Pa put on a wonderful craft & folk festival every year 1st Fri & Sat of Oct. Went there for a number of years while I lived in Pgh & still have numerous things that I bought there, delicious foods too. When I lived in VA there was a Mennonite colony near Harrisonburg and some folks ran the best fabric store I've ever seen, all kinds of quilting fabrics & supplies as well as sold things like material for their caps. I still have things I made from their materials. As Keesha experienced, everything very high quality. Brought back some very happy memories writing about those experiences.

And even here in ABQ there is a Mennonite meeting house. The only ones from there I've ever seen in traditional garb is the leader & his wife, when they are formally representing the community. Very simple but with some modern audio systems & is sometimes used for little concerts & recitals. Very peace & civil rights oriented, but not in the form of marches or protests, just supportive living.

 

[Keesha]

There's a small community of Mennonites in Brownfield, Maine where we have the family cottage. My only contact is at there country store. In season their vegetables and fruit, locally grown just can't be beat. Always busy, they are friendly, courteous, and and the ladies are dressed in long gowns and bonnets. Most of the men and boys seem to favor dark pants and blue shirts. they must be of the more modern version as they do drive vehicles.

Maine’s a beautiful state. Their produce is top notch and I actually like the long dresses. The bonnet thing, not so much but there’s some type of magnetic attractive I have to them. Their simplistic, basic lifestyle I find somewhat appealing. Too much distraction I find difficult so perhaps that is what the appeal is.

 

[hollydolly]

I watch a show about Amish people ..and there's a few Mennonites on that. They have a similar but more relaxed life to the Amish from what I've seen. For example Amish aren't allowed to use Electricity while Mennonites are , and Mennonite women are permitted to wear much more colourful clothing..albeit well covered..

 

[Keesha]

There are numerous groups of Mennonites in Pa ; one near the town of Springs, Pa put on a wonderful craft & folk festival every year 1st Fri & Sat of Oct. Went there for a number of years while I lived in Pgh & still have numerous things that I bought there, delicious foods too. When I lived in VA there was a Mennonite colony near Harrisonburg and some folks ran the best fabric store I've ever seen, all kinds of quilting fabrics & supplies as well as sold things like material for their caps. I still have things I made from their materials. As Keesha experienced, everything very high quality. Brought back some very happy memories writing about those experiences.

And even here in ABQ there is a Mennonite meeting house. The only ones from there I've ever seen in traditional garb is the leader & his wife, when they are formally representing the community. Very simple but with some modern audio systems & is sometimes used for little concerts & recitals. Very peace & civil rights oriented, but not in the form of marches or protests, just supportive living.

Thats another thing I find very attractive and appreciate is their attention to detail. Their craftsmanship is outstanding.
There is a furniture store that they own and their woodworking is top notch.

Another thing I find impressive about them is how well they work together. Everyone is inclusive unless you’ve done something wrong because if you do and enough people find out, that person is shunned. I suppose in that sense it’s not much different than our culture but some of their ideas are so narrow minded that it’s baffling.
Anyway it works for them and for that I have great respect. They are God fearing hard working people.

There have been some prime opportunities to get some beautiful photos but I respect their right to privacy so never the pictures of their faces. Last summer while at a park a gorgeous horse and buggy drove by with a handsome Mennonite couple and they smiled and waved at me. It was prime autumn time so the colours were magnificence but I didn’t.
I really like them.

 

[Keesha]

I watch a show about Amish people ..and there's a few Mennonites on that. They have a similar but more relaxed life to the Amish from what I've seen. For example Amish aren't allowed to use Electricity while Mennonites are , and Mennonite women are permitted to wear much more colourful clothing..albeit well covered..

Perhaps that’s the same show we get here. The old order Mennonites don’t use electricity either. When you pass by their houses you see their house lights but they are dim and definitely different. Even their house colours are traditional to them. Around this area they often choose forest green and sage green for their exterior house colours so you can often distinguish them if you know what to look for.

They arent allowed to wear makeup or look any different than any other women. nthego:

 

[Aunt Bea]

We have various sects of Amish and Mennonites in my area.

I'm always interested and a little bit confused by the different rules and restrictions that each group follows.

We have some that only speak a variation of German.

Another where the young girls and women dress by a strict code while the boys and men tend to wear a combination of traditional clothes mixed with items from the local thrift shops.

Some of the groups are controversial as to how they treat their families, farm animals and dogs that they raise for sale.

Like every group, there are good and bad.

 

[Keesha]

We have various sects of Amish and Mennonites in my area.

I'm always interested and a little bit confused by the different rules and restrictions that each group follows.

We have some that only speak a variation of German.

Another where the young girls and women dress by a strict code while the boys and men tend to wear a combination of traditional clothes mixed with items from the local thrift shops.

Some of the groups are controversial as to how they treat their families, farm animals and dogs that they raise for sale.

Like every group, there are good and bad.

Yes it can be quite confusing. My husband often pokes fun of the more modern Mennonite lads who sit at their tables at the side of the road wearing caps and sunglasses while viewing their cell phones. We sometimes get a kick out of it.
The women definitely stick to dress code but they are also subservient to their men. The men do seem to slack off with some of their traditions without having any consequences but that’s also not much different to ours. nthego:

 

[jujube]

There have always been a lot of Mennonites in Indiana and Ohio, too. Goshen College in Indiana is a Mennonite college; I have a Black friend who won a full scholarship to Goshen as a young man. He says, "Talk about being a fly in the buttermilk!" There are many Amish and Mennonites here in Florida living around the Tampa and Sarasota areas; many have winter homes there.

The Mennonites believe that women should cover their heads; that ranges from wearing the "Kapp" like the Amish to pinning a tiny piece of black lace to the back of their heads.

Around 80% of the RVs produced in America are made in Northern Indiana, mostly by Amish and Mennonite workers. They have buses that drive around the countryside and pick them up for work and then take them home.

 

[Keesha]

A fly in the buttermilk. I’ve never heard it phrased that way before. :laugh:
In a show I watched they showed Mennonite communities around the Sarasota area.
They do have a certain distinct way of wearing their hair with their bonnets.
That’s very interesting about them working in the RV manufacturing business. Who would have thunk? Lol....but they are meticulously hard workers. We purchased one of our dogs from Mennonites.

 

[Tommy]

Keesha, I grew up just across the water from Sarnia, ON but never realized that there was a significant Mennonite population just north of Lambton County. Learned something new today ...I'll have to drive up that way the next time I'm back there.

My wife's part of Michigan is home to many Amish families (similar to, but distinct from the Old Order Mennonites). As you noted, they are nice people and, by all accounts, good neighbors although they are understandably cautious about their interactions with the secular community. I've always admired them for the strength of their faith and their self-discipline.

Thanks for sharing.
(Love your pictures!) :thanks:

 

[Don M.]

We live in a rural area with quite a few Mennonites and Amish in the area. The Mennonites drive cars, while the Amish use their buggies. Both groups seem to be quite nice. I've never delved into their religious views, but if it works for them, so be it.

 

[RadishRose]

Keesha, thanks for your interesting pics and post about Ontario Mennonites!

 

[Falcon]

A lot of that is revealed in the movie "Witness".

 

[RadishRose]

A lot of that is revealed in the movie "Witness".

Oh yes, I remember that now.

 

[Keesha]

Keesha, I grew up just across the water from Sarnia, ON but never realized that there was a significant Mennonite population just north of Lambton County. Learned something new today ...I'll have to drive up that way the next time I'm back there.

My wife's part of Michigan is home to many Amish families (similar to, but distinct from the Old Order Mennonites). As you noted, they are nice people and, by all accounts, good neighbors although they are understandably cautious about their interactions with the secular community. I've always admired them for the strength of their faith and their self-discipline.

Thanks for sharing.
(Love your pictures!) :thanks:

Ahhh... Sarnia. You are at the south west corner of Ontario.
Yes the majority of Mennonites are just north east of you going all the way up to Algonquin Park.
The majority are around Elmira / St. Jacobs area but they are scattered everywhere.
We also have Amish people here as well and I can’t always tell them apart. I’ve got a picture that I took who could be old order Mennonite or Amish. I didn’t mean to get his face in the shot but he turned around.

This horse and buggy combo confused me some last summer.
Are they old order with nice wheels?
I was stunned when I watched this horse back up from it’s mini convenience store parking spot and move towards the highway. It was most impressive.



Backing and turning

 

[Keesha]

Keesha, thanks for your interesting pics and post about Ontario Mennonites!

Thanks RaddishRose.

A lot of that is revealed in the movie "Witness".

Oh yes, I remember that now.

And a great movie it was.

 

[Keesha]

One of the things that stayed with me after visiting these Mennonites was the response one women said to me when I started asking lots of questions. When I asked what they did if winter came to soon and ruined their crops or their house burned down she pointed to the bees outside and told me that they have a purpose and just work as a team for that purpose and trust God.
She said that the bees don’t fret and worry. The birds don’t fret and worry about building a nest for their eggs.
It was one of those true break throughs because at the time I was depressed and that visit changed so much for me. It was just what I needed at the precise right time and I was so grateful.

 

[Don M.]

One of the things that stayed with me after visiting these Mennonites was the response one women said to me when I started asking lots of questions. When I asked what they did if winter came to soon and ruined their crops or their house burned down she pointed to the bees outside and told me that they have a purpose and just work as a team for that purpose and trust God.
She said that the bees don’t fret and worry. The birds don’t fret and worry about building a nest for their eggs.
It was one of those true break throughs because at the time I was depressed and that visit changed so much for me. It was just what I needed at the precise right time and I was so grateful.

For Sure! The Mennonites and Amish flourish as a True Community. Helping each other is part of their Life. If a severe storm or fire ravages one of their houses or barns, they don't rely on insurance companies and contractors to rebuild., Instead, within days, large groups of friends and neighbors gather, and quickly rebuild any damaged structures....usually better than it was originally. In recent years, we've replaced our central AC system, and had a new roof installed on the house, and in Both cases, I went with local Mennonite owned companies...and the work was done on time, in an excellent manner, and at a Reasonable cost. If people of all religions practiced what they preach, like these people do, the world would be a Far better place.

 

[Keesha]

For Sure! The Mennonites and Amish flourish as a True Community. Helping each other is part of their Life. If a severe storm or fire ravages one of their houses or barns, they don't rely on insurance companies and contractors to rebuild., Instead, within days, large groups of friends and neighbors gather, and quickly rebuild any damaged structures....usually better than it was originally. In recent years, we've replaced our central AC system, and had a new roof installed on the house, and in Both cases, I went with local Mennonite owned companies...and the work was done on time, in an excellent manner, and at a Reasonable cost. If people of all religions practiced what they preach, like these people do, the world would be a Far better place.

Exactly. That’s what I find so admirable. The have such faith and loyalty towards God and one another that one can’t help but respect them. Their dedication is so impressive and it was a turning point in my life because I’d been demanded to be respectful. These people commanded respect and it was instantly given. The difference is paramount!

 

[Keesha]

Here are some more pictures I took today of Mennonites.
Work horses stopped at the side of the road


A mennonite working man


And parking at the grocery store

 

[drifter]

There's a group of Mennonites in west Texas. I knew some of them for several years.
They seem to be good people everywhere they're found. They are hard-working people.
The products of their labor was first class as was their labor. Real craftsmen.

 

[Keesha]

There's a group of Mennonites in west Texas. I knew some of them for several years.
They seem to be good people everywhere they're found. They are hard-working people.
The products of their labor was first class as was their labor. Real craftsmen.

That’s the consensus with everyone who meets them. Isn’t that interesting that they are found in colonies all around North America. They are certainly interesting people. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Leann]

Like several of you, I live in an area where there are many Amish and Mennonite families. Most of them farm organically so during the growing season, I'm able to purchase delicious, fresh-picked produce at low cost. They are also exceptional craftsmen. My house is over 50 years old and was in dire need of updating and some repairs when I purchased it a few years back. Last year I was able to re-do the kitchen (which had been on the top of my list since the day I bought my house) and I hired a local Amish cabinet maker to build all of the cabinets. Here are some pictures. The brown,dingy cabinets are the before and the rest are the "after". Sorry they are out of order. I don't know how to upload things on this site. Still learning




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