With you in mind, I’m making a few changes to how this Plain Talk Blog works. We’ll soon be able to have written conversations throughout each week, a little like the interactions on Facebook, only this place will include anyone with access to a computer and the internet. I’ll be able to reply to you directly under your comment, so you won’t need to dig through hundreds of comments or flip pages to find my response to you.

But currently the blog is a tad broken as we aim to make it work as it needs to. Oftentimes when I post, hundreds of people leave a comment and this website blog isn’t (most blogs aren’t) designed for that kind of traffic, and certainly not in a way that allows a conversational-style flow. So, with some wonderful tech-support help, I hope to make the comments stream in a way that this blog becomes a wonderful, social part of my week–hopefully yours too!

In the 2012 blog lineup, I’ll have a new post for you each Monday morning. I’ve been talking with several Plain friends who will also write posts throughout the year.

My friend Sherry Gore will have a post for you on the third Monday of each month. Sherry is an Amish-Mennonite woman who is a caregiver, storyteller, writer, accidental editor of The Pinecraft Pauper, author of Taste of Pinecraft and An Amish Bride’s Kitchen, and the owner of a nonresistant double-barrel shotgun. She’s the editor-in-chief for a wonderful new magazine called Cooking & Such. I enjoy this magazine so much that I want to share it you, so I’ll be giving away subscriptions every so often.

One Monday each month will be devoted to answering your questions about the Plain life, so if you have a question, e-mail it to me by going to Contact Cindy.

One Monday each month will be devoted to sharing a family-favorite recipe from my Amish friends’ Old Order Amish cookbooks.

And one Monday each month will be grab bag style, either written by me or by some of you!

I’ve come to realize over the years that many of you have precious, heartwarming, and humorous stories about your connection with the Plain community. If you have a true event that is centered around the Plain life that you’d like to share–perhaps something about a trip you made to Amish Country or a friendship you have or had, or growing up with Plain relatives etc.–I’d love to receive it. Please contact me by going to Contact Cindy. We can edit it for you to make it grammatically correct, so don’t let that concern stop you from writing your short story (it can be as short as you’d like or as long as approximately 1,500 words).

Also, if you’re more comfortable staying anonymous, I can post it without using your name. If we use your article, I’ll send you an early-release, autographed copy of my next release, which is currently The Scent of Cherry Blossoms.

If you have any suggestions for this blog, please send them to me via e-mail by going to Contact Cindy.

You talk, I’ll listen.

Em Gott Sei Friede (God’s peace) ~

Cindy

by Susan Meissner, author of A Sound Among the Trees

Home for the Holidays

Christmas has a way of beckoning us home, doesn’t it? We long for our loved ones to be seated at our holiday tables, gathered cozy in our festive living rooms, and posing for family photos at the blazing hearth. Expectations can be high and disappointments can run deep when what we want – everyone home for Christmas – isn’t what we have. We want to be home and we want everyone we love to be home with us.

It’s interesting that we should feel this way when we consider that Joseph and Mary were far from home the night Jesus was born. The shepherds that celebrated with this little family on that starry night were strangers, not loved ones, and the setting wasn’t cozy or festive. And yet when we think of that first Christmas, we think of joy, serenity, warmth, peace. Home.

When I was writing A Sound Among the Trees, the idea that Home is more than just a house, was a theme that moved me, so much so, that I strove to instill in the house that appears in the book layers of human emotion. When I imagined this house experiencing, if you will, the Christmases of the Civil War, I found myself contemplating how much we attach heavenly attributes to our earthly houses. We don’t say “House, Sweet House” for a reason. It’s Home that we are drawn to.

The Israelites sojourning in the desert were homeless for four decades and yet God did something remarkable in those years of wandering. When God gave the Israelites instructions to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness, He was essentially making His home with His people, right there in the middle of their homelessness. ‘Tabernacle’ is a word we don’t use much these days, but it means to dwell, reside. To be at home. This was an amazing concept to the Israelites. And it still is. It’s no accident that Jesus is called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” At home with us. John 1:14 aptly and beautifully reminds us of this: “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.”

Perhaps it could be said the pull toward home that we sense at the holidays isn’t so much reminiscent of the Bethlehem night Jesus was born, but rather a much older notion; that of being wrapped in the wonder of God’s dwelling place, as if our hearts know the very idea of Home begins in heaven, the place Christ left when he came to earth as an infant Savior.

As I write this, my Air Force chaplain husband is far away from me, deployed to the Middle East. He won’t be at our house for Christmas. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be home for Christmas. It comforts me to know whether we are together or apart, in a desert place or relaxing in bright gaity, we are both sheltered within the safe walls of God our dwelling place.

It’s true that there’s no place like home for the holidays. And equally true that there’s no home where God has not placed Himself this Christmas.

That’s the heart of the holidays. God came to us. God dwells with us.

He is our home.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

For a chance to be one of three a winners who will receive a copy of  A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner, please leave a comment below. This contest ends Monday, December 12th.

Award-winning writer Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker and workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of 2008. She is a pastor’s wife and a mother of four. When she’s not writing, Susan directs the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at her San Diego church.

To see additional information or contact Susan, please visit her website http://susanmeissner.com/index.html

Cooking & Such by Sherry Gore

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Update: There were over two hundred wonderful participants in this “Win a copy of Taste of Pinecraft by Sherry Gore.” The winner is Sandra Stover! Congratulations, Sandra!

The screen door slams for what seems like the hundredth time as my children brush past the blooming yellow mums, dashing in and out, hopeful for a little taste of something tantalizing from my kitchen.

Later, tummies are stuffed with turkey and trimmings, and the children’s play has wound down to a slower pace. They’ve gathered on the braided-rug-covered floor, taking turns playing checkers, toy cars, and Dutch Blitz. The aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with creamy pumpkin filling wafts through the air as the oven timer signals the pie has baked to perfection.

Reflecting on Thanksgivings past in my home when my children were small fills me with a joy that warms my heart.

As the seasons of the year change, so do circumstances in our lives, especially as we grow older. Some changes are greeted with anticipation and are welcomed, like when our children fall in love and marry, or when a pink or blue blanket gets knitted in celebration for a little one on the way. Other changes are not so welcome and come unexpectedly, such as sickness or even the loss of a loved one.

My younger daughter married last year. This Thanksgiving she’ll be mashing potatoes and baking pie for her husband on their ranch out west. My older daughter lives at home but is critically ill. And my son? Now that he’s turned sixteen, his interest in Hot Wheels has been traded for the driver’s seat of a Jeep. He and I will be the only ones from our family eating Thanksgiving dinner together this year.

On Thursday, you’ll find me in my kitchen along with beloved friends. I’ve been poring over favorite recipes while planning the menu. Cherished recipes become more precious when they are prepared for and enjoyed with others.

We’re planning to grace the table with twelve place settings, but we know to make lots of extra food for any (always welcomed) last-minute guests. Anticipating laughter in the kitchen with my friends as we roll out pie crust and whip up a bowl of sweet potatoes laced with sugared pecans and a dollop of whipped butter puts a sparkle in my eyes. While the turkey and stuffing bake and cranberry Jell-O salad sets, games of bocce ball will be played in the backyard. If the weather turns, we’ll get cozy inside and pull out a box filled with checkers, Uno, Rook, and other family games.

Whether you’re looking forward to baby’s first family gathering, enduring your first year as an empty-nester, or facing the holidays without a spouse for the first time, embrace this time of your life. Our circumstances, whether they be grievous or delightful, are meant to draw us closer to God. And what a wonderful time to acknowledge Him in our lives, at the Thanksgiving dinner table. My prayer is for us all to feel His comforting presence as we pray, “Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:13).

For a chance to win an autographed copy of Taste of Pinecraft by Sherry Gore , please leave a comment below. This contest ends Thursday, December 1, 2011.

Only comments left on my website will be entered. If you’re reading this on Facebook or such, please hop over to http://www.cindywoodsmall.com.

Thanks! (It’s just too hard to track down all the comments left in various places, and that means it’s too easy to miss some of the comments.)

Holiday Recipe from Cooking & Such: Adventures in Plain Living Magazine

Sugar-Glazed Pecans

2 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250ᴼ. Grease one baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg whites and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bowl (or use a gallon-size zip-lock bag), mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add pecans to egg whites. Stir to coat nuts evenly. Remove the nuts and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool.

To visit Sherry Gore’s site, go to www.sherrygorebooks.com

To purchase Sherry Gore’s books or magazine  books, go to www.sherrygorebooks.com/books.htm

Sherry Gore is a scribe for the national edition of The Budget newspaper, author of Taste of Pinecraft: Glimpses of Sarasota, Florida’s Amish Culture and Kitchens, and editor-in-chief of Cooking and Such: Adventures in Plain Living magazine. She makes her home in Sarasota, Florida, with her children and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church. Sherry is the nonresistant owner of a double-barrel shotgun and has an affinity for pie. She learned the hard way one spring day not to wear ChapStick while driving an open buggy behind a shedding horse.

The Christmas Singing hits store shelves  October 4!

The Christmas Singing

Three years ago, at Christmastime, Mattie Eash’s life was everything she could hope for. That is, until her childhood sweetheart, Gideon, betrayed her.

Heartbroken, Mattie retreated to her brother’s home in Ohio and poured her life into the dream of running her own cake shop. There, she found someone unlike Gideon. Someone safe.

But a devastating fire forces her back home…and right into the path of Gideon Beiler.

Will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy—or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?

This holiday season, Mattie’s best gift might just be the harmony of unexpected truth and reconciliation.

Spend Christmas with the Amish in this story of love, romance, heartache, and restoration in The Christmas Singing.

Excerpt ~

One

Cold darkness and the sugary aroma from the cake shop below surrounded Mattie as she slid a solid-colored dress over her head and tied her white apron in place. The Old Order Amish here in Ohio didn’t wear the black aprons—a difference she enjoyed—and only those involved with baking wore the white apron from the waist down. After brushing her hair, she fastened it up properly and donned her prayer Kapp. Who needed a light or a mirror to get ready for the day? She’d been wearing similar clothes her whole life, and the Ohio Amish pinned up their hair in much the same way as she had back in Pennsylvania.

Now, cake decorating—that required good lighting and great attention to detail. And her favorite season for making specialty cakes—Christmas—was right around the corner.

Ready to take on a new day, she hurried down the rough-hewn steps that led into her shop, lit a kerosene lantern, and pulled on her coat while going out the back door. Before getting to the woodpile, she paused a moment, enjoying Berlin’s lights. Illuminated white bulbs hung like beacons against the dark night. Although she missed her Mamm and Daed, this was home now, not Pennsylvania.

She scanned the silhouettes and shadows of nearby homes and shops. The golden full moon had a silky glow around it, a ring almost as clear and defined as the moon itself. What would it look like if she designed a cake with a halo?

Eager to make notes, she loaded wood into the crook of her arm and went inside. She dumped the logs in the bin and then stirred the embers in the potbelly stove and added kindling. Before her first customer arrived, she’d have the place toasty warm.

The shop was old and narrow, but Mattie loved it. When the previous owner, a man who sold saddles and such, decided to sell his place a few weeks before she moved here, her brother James had helped her buy and remodel it. They’d torn out all the old counters, workbenches, and shelving.

The ceiling, floors, and walls were made of unfinished, exposed wood. She’d put in a huge display case along the left wall, and a couple of small tables sat to the right. Stainless-steel sinks and a gas-powered commercial oven and refrigerator filled the back wall. Her work station, where she pieced together and decorated her cakes, sat a few feet away. Even in cooler weather, keeping the place warm without electricity wasn’t much of an issue with the heat radiating from the oven and the wood stove. Hot summer weather was a little more problematic, but the many windows helped.

She began searching for her spiral notebook, which she often referred to as her brain. The pages of her combination sketch pad, scrapbook, and journal were covered with drawings, doodles, and pictures from magazines and newspapers. It’d been a gift for her twelfth birthday, and although the gift giver had broken her heart seven years later, she still appreciated the book. Her day planner was in the back of it, with the types of cakes she needed to make, due dates, and all her clients’ names and phone numbers. Without it she wouldn’t know how to run her store.

She knelt and looked under her work station. It was there, maybe two feet away. Reaching as far as she could, she touched the edge of the thick binder and grabbed it. Now where did she leave her pencil?

Is it behind your ear, Mattie Lane? Gideon’s voice washed over her.

She shuddered, detesting hearing him inside her head, especially with the added use of the pet name Mattie Lane. Lane was not a part of her given name or her surname. When they first broke up, his voice had played constantly in her mind, but after three years these whispers from the past were rare.

They’d been good friends most of their lives. He was three years older than she, and it had stung when he began dating at sixteen. But worse than seeing him with other Amish girls was seeing him with Englischer girls. At eighteen, he’d stopped seeing others and told her that he’d decided to wait for her.

Their first date had taken place on her birthday, Christmas Eve, and she’d attended her first singing with Gideon. The magic of Christmas seemed to surround both of them as their voices rose in celebration of Christ’s birth and the blessing of being together. Nothing in her life had ever compared to the emotion of that night, not even owning her own shop. For the next three years, they enjoyed the glorious Christmas singings together.

And then she caught him.

To read the rest of chapter one, click here. 

For a chance to win an autographed copy of The Christmas Singing and this Amish-made wall hanging, please leave a comment below. This contest ends Wednesday, October 5 at midnight.

Only comments left on my website will be entered. If you’re reading this on Facebook or such, please hop over to http://www.cindywoodsmall.com.

Thanks! (It’s just too hard to track down all the comments left in various places, and it’s too easy to miss some of them.)

I will have a FUN (and adorable!) wall hanging giveaway on my Facebook page this Tuesday, October 4.

Be sure to drop by https://www.facebook.com/authorcindywoodsmall

I had the pleasure of reading Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher before it hit the store shelves, and it is charming! It will lift your spirits and bring you closer to the Amish. And Suzanne’s publisher has kindly provided a copy to give away. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below. As much as I like playtime and socializing, I cannot play chase with comments left in various places. Therefore, only comments left on my website will be entered. If you’re reading this on Facebook or such, please hop over to http://www.cindywoodsmall.com. Thanks!

Readers who long for strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much to learn from the Amish. Values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy–without selling your car, changing your wardrobe, or moving out to farm country.

In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shows how you can adopt the wisdom of the Amish when it comes to family matters. In this inspiring and practical book readers will find charming true stories interlaced with solid, biblical advice about parenting, marriage, and all aspects of family life. As readers get an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of real Amish families, they will learn to prioritize what’s truly important, simplify decision-making, slow down as a family, safeguard time together, and let go when the time comes.

Anyone interested in the Amish lifestyle and bringing some of the peace the Amish are so well known for into your life will enjoy this book. If you’re interested in winning the copy Suzanne’s publisher provided, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Visit Suzanne at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

I had a marvelous time at LifeWay in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. And I want to thank Justin, the manager on duty that day, for working so hard to make every part of the signing and media event run smoothly! He did a fabulous job!

And the precious participants were warm and friendly, waiting patiently as we worked around a camera crew. I tried to help out by sharing embarrassing stories with my reader friends from the log of events that take place while traveling. What a wonderful and refreshing time that was for us.

I know that this next event at Rachel’s Country Store will also be A LOT of fun! I hope to see you there!

Tuesday, September 6, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Rachel’s Country Store
6352 McClays Mill Rd
Newburg, PA 17240
(717) 530-9452

The first ten folks to come visit me will receive a FREE autographed copy of their choice of any of my books (whatever is in stock)! And someone who comes during that time will win a special thirty-dollar gift certificate, good for anything at Rachel’s Country Store!

Just to clarify, Karen Kingsbury will not be at the signing. This is simply an image of a sign in front of Rachel’s store that I wanted to share with you.

Friday, September 2, 10 to 11 a.m.
LifeWay Christian Store
1108 Sheller Avenue #1
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: 717-264-7775

The first ten folks to come visit me will receive a FREE autographed copy of your choice of any of my books (whatever is in stock)! And someone who comes during that hour will win this Amish-made wall hanging.

Then I have two really fun events coming up in October. I’m participating in LifeWay’s Fiction Day, and I’m having an author chat at a library.

I’m looking forward to seeing reader friends!

Behatz Sei Friede (Embrace His peace)

The Harvest of Grace made the New York Times and USA Today best seller lists, so as a thank you celebration (THANK YOU!), I’m offering a chance for two people to win a complete autographed set of Ada’s House.

I’m so grateful for my loyal reader friends, many of whom constantly help spread the news about my novels or my latest release. It’d be great and I’d really appreciate it if you’d click on one of the social network icons — Facebook, Google+, Twitter. Or share about this giveaway wherever you connect with people online. There is no better help or compliment to an author than for readers to share about a book with loved ones, friends, and coworkers.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below.

And since we often want to know “the story behind the story,” I share an account below of where the ideas for the Ada’s House novels came from. Hope you enjoy ~

One sunny spring day, my husband and I were welcomed into the home of an Old Order Amish woman. Her old brick farmhouse was filled with her people. They talked among themselves in their “native” language, Pennsylvania Dutch, but when they spoke to us, they used English.

The home was built in the early eighteen hundreds, and in its long history, electricity had never been installed. One cookstove burned wood and was used mostly in the cool months. The other stove ran on natural gas, the propane tank sitting in the backyard.

A pleasant May breeze flowed through the open kitchen window, making the broad, green leaves on the trees outside dance; yellow sunlight splashed about the room, playing a game of tag with the shadows. The sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air, but an earthy smell passed through occasionally, bringing in the scent of the freshly tilled garden. Looking out the window, I could see horses grazing, patiently waiting for their owners to take them home.

An elderly Amish man approached me, one I’d been getting to know for several years over a number of visits to his community. He’d seemed a bit shy in the past, perhaps leery of this Englischer woman who writes stories about his culture. This time he wanted to talk. He began telling me of his family roots, the long journey his ancestors endured to break free of the persecution happening in their home country. He shared about the first Plain folks to arrive in America in the early seventeen hundreds and many fascinating historical highlights that his people had passed down generation after generation. Then he told stories he had witnessed firsthand, and that led to talking about my favorite subject—the struggles of Amish young people in the twenty-first century.

Ideas for new stories churned within me and characters started to form. When a novel idea sparks it’s always exciting, but I was unsure if he’d mind our conversation becoming book fodder. With a friendship at that tender stage, I didn’t feel comfortable asking permission.

His daughter-in-law pulled a pan of homemade chocolate-chip cookies out of the oven. She loaded up a plate with the baked goodies and slid the pan into the sink. My gentleman friend had become caught up in another conversation, one I couldn’t understand a word of, so I went to the sink to wash some dishes. That’s one thing in an Amish household that always needs doing, and I could do it without instructions from my hosts.

A few of the Amish women asked me questions and we began talking about things we had in common—attending church, coping with teenaged children, and the joys of trusting God. Could I trust Him to remove the story ideas that were begging for me to write them? Or was it possible He’d open the doors to allow me to use them? A writer is always tempted to borrow from conversations or observations, but integrity dictates that private conversations remain private.

While I passed a clean dish to an Amish woman to dry and put away, my elderly Old Order Amish friend came alongside me again. He looked out of place, having left the circle of men and woven through the crowd of women gathered near the sink.
Thinking he wanted something out of the cabinet, I asked, “May I get you a glass or a fresh plate?”

He shrugged. “I suppose so.”

Something appeared to be on his mind. He was the patriarch of this gathering, honored and distinguished by everyone. I was an outsider, a fact I couldn’t forget no matter how kind everyone was. I pulled a clean glass from the cabinet and with his permission, filled it with ice water for him. After I passed the glass to him, I returned to washing dishes.

“Excuse me.”

When I turned back to him, he asked if I thought I could use any part of our conversation while writing a book. My heart thumped wildly at the gift he was offering me. Did he understand what he’d just done for me…and for you? His smile and nod communicated that he fully understood.
He said he trusted me, and I assured him I’d do my best to nurture the seeds he had planted in my imagination. Could I do them justice? But I warned him, giving him an out if he wanted it, that some people might not like my interpretation. After all, fiction is really an author’s interpretation of life.

He told me, “Trust God.”

I felt overwhelmed and blessed.

Three book ideas came from our conversation. I shared the first story in The Hope of Refuge and another in the second Ada’s House novel, The Bridge of Peace. But the events closest to this man’s heart, the ones that would be the hardest to portray, were the ones that had affected him and the community of Amish farmers of which he was a part. Those unforgettable events pointed him toward perseverance, hope, and an unbending trust in his heavenly Father. That’s the story you’ll find in The Harvest of Grace.

Ada's House novels

UPDATE:Thank you to everyone who participated! This giveaway is now over. The winners are entrants number 31, Ophelia and number 104, Shelley. Congratulations, Ladies!

Yes, it’s true. The Harvest of Grace, the final book in the Ada’s House series, is scheduled to hit bookstore shelves Tuesday, August 9. But the first book in the series, The Hope of Refuge, is already available on Kindle for $1.99! To view it, click here.

Just yesterday I received my author copies of The Harvest of Grace in the mail. The cover looks great!

For a chance to win one of two autographed copies of The Harvest of Grace, just post a comment below.

(If you’re viewing this post anywhere except my website, you’ll need to hop over to my website—www.cindywoodsmall.com— and leave a comment.)

Below is my book tour schedule. I am so excited about this ten-day trip. I’m especially looking forward to having a great time with my readers!

The Harvest of Grace Book Tour
August 9-19, 2011

Tuesday, August 9 (Release day!), 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Memphis East LifeWay Christian Store
The Commons
8025 Giacosa Place
Memphis, TN 38133
Phone: 901-373-4900

~

Wednesday, August 10, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Christian Book Outlet
670 Elsinger Blvd.
Conway, AR 72032
Phone: 501-513-2226

~

Wednesday, August 10, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
11500 Financial Center Pkwy.
Little Rock, AR 72211
Phone: 501-954-7646

~

Thursday, August 11, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Mardel
9725 E. 71st St.
Tulsa, OK 74133
Phone: 918-254-1571

~

Friday, August 12, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Mardel
4848 NW Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK 73132
Phone: 405-773-1717

~

Saturday, August 13, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Topeka LifeWay Christian Store
2121 SW Fairlawn Plaza Drive
Topeka, KS 66614
Phone: 785-228-2858

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Sunday, August 14, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
420 W 47th Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: 816-753-1313

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Monday, August 15, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
113 West County Center
Des Peres, MO 63131
Phone: 314-835-9980

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Tuesday, August 16, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Springfield LifeWay Christian Store
Primrose Marketplace
3362 South Glenstone Avenue
Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: 417-886-0911

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Wednesday, August 17, 11:00 a.m. to noon
Christian Gift Outlet
300 Tanger Blvd, Suite 101B
Branson, MO 65616
Phone: 417-348-0841

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Wednesday, August 17, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Christian Book Outlet
1428C Hwy 62-65 N
Harrison, AR 72601
Phone: 870-741-2600

~

Thursday, August 18, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Christian Book Outlet
4505 W. Walnut, Suite 1
Rogers, AR 72756
Phone: 479-936-7777

~

Friday, August 19, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
LifeWay
Turtle Creek
3009 East Highland Dr., Suite D
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Phone: 870-972-0606

The Old Order Amish meet for church service every other Sunday. They refer to the non-church Sundays as “between Sundays.” Since they don’t have a church building, the meeting place is rotated among members of their district. With approximately 25 families in each district, every member holds church on their property—either in their home, barn, or shop—once each year.

When the rotation rolls around to a family’s turn, preparations—which include a lot of cleaning—begin a week or two in advance. One room is cleared of all furniture. If it’s a shop or barn, all tools and equipment are stored away to make room for the benches.

On Saturday afternoon, a horse-drawn wagon arrives from the homestead that held the last service. The driver unhitches the wagon and leaves it on the property of those who are hosting the current Sunday meeting. The men set up benches in two separate sections: one for men and the other for women. An elderly person, or one with health issues, can bring in a chair with a back.

These are the benches that are used during the church meeting. There are enough so everyone can have a seat. When the service is over, it’s time for the meal. Some of the benches will remain benches and some will be converted into tables. A simple family-style meal is served, but only some of the people can be served at a time, beginning with the church leaders and elders.