An Amish Wedding Invitation by Serena B. Miller

Author:Serena B. Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

The bride’s family is pleased with their new son-in-law. He is known as a worker and a saver, a steady man who will make a good husband and father. Like most Amish youth, he has held down a job since he graduated from eighth grade. They will use and value the practical gifts they have been given. There is every expectation that a new baby will grace their home and church within the year. Babies are greatly valued. Not only because the Amish deeply love their children but because each child born to a steady, God-fearing couple like this helps secure the future of the Amish church.

I can’t help but admire the things I saw emphasized that day. Three hours of preaching about God and His will for the marriage, and less than three minutes focused on the bride and groom as they pledge their commitment to each other. The very firm expectation by everyone there, including the bride and groom, that this marriage will last for life.

Instead of comments about how beautiful the bride was, I heard people remarking on what a good mother she would make, what a good homemaker she would be. I heard comments about what a hard worker he was, and how well they were suited for each other. Unlike a few unfortunate Englisch weddings I’ve attended, no one speculated unkindly upon how long the marriage would last. Amish do divorce, but the actual statistic hovers right at approximately 1 percent.

There is something touching and valiant about this young couple and about the Old Order Amish in general. They are not an ignorant people. They are well aware of technology and the world around them. I’ve heard some of the young people on Rumspringa casually mention that they have sold items on eBay and Craigslist. Many of the young people, before they commit themselves to the church, own cars, enjoy various kinds of music, and carry cell phones. I am even told that they tend to prefer the cell phones with all the bells and whistles. They wear their hair stylishly cut, purchase modern clothing . . . and all the while, they ponder the biggest decision they will ever make in their life. Will they, or will they not, follow in the steps of their ancestors and become members of the Amish church?

One of the most extraordinary things I’ve learned about the Amish is that an estimated 90 percent of them, after having these freedoms, will choose to be baptized into the Amish church. This statistic flies in the face of all conventional wisdom and makes the retention rate of every other religious body pale by comparison. One would expect a religious group whose lifestyle is so backward and old-fashioned to be dying out by now—especially when there is such an enormous gap between our society and the Amish culture. How in the world can the Old Order Amish church be one of the fastest-growing churches in the world?

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