Mennonite life carries on amid pandemic
Social distancing has forced communities to adapt ways of communicating and staying connected to faith
Already isolated from much of the modern world, many aspects of everyday life go as usual for some of the region’s Old Order and conservative Mennonites amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
But social distancing has forced the communities to adapt their ways of communicating and staying connected to their faith.
“They’re human just like the rest of us and have some of the same human responses: disbelief, uncertainty, fear,” said Marlene Epp, a professor of Mennonite history at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo.
“To their credit and advantage, there are long-term, deeply rooted systems of family and community-connectedness that are very unlikely to disappear in the midst of this pandemic.” Southwestern Ontario is home to many diverse Mennonite communities — ranging from the horse-and-buggy Old Order to conservative to alternative — with varying degrees of conservatism and avoiding modern technology.
Epp said many conservative groups do use the telephone and are using it in new ways to stay connected and informed. Those who don’t might rely on newsletters or information delivered by mail.
In Aylmer, many low-German-speaking Mennonites are staying connected through a local radio station.
“The name of the radio is De Brigj, because we are able to bridge a lot of the information,” said Abe Harms, executive director of the Aylmer Mennonite Community Services. “We call the radio our window to the world.
“It’s the only route to get the information to the more conservative.”
The radio station is airing public health messages about the COVID-19 pandemic multiple times each day to communicate essential information to those listening.
And despite some Old Order Mennonites avowing a separation of church and government, Epp said she isn’t aware of any groups that reject health care when needed.
But many Mennonites would not accept government aid. However, Epp said a well-established Mennonite economy in the area, with most working in farm-based jobs or owning small food businesses, are factors that could mitigate their job losses during the pandemic.
“Since many of us are involved in essential services, such as agriculture, daily life is largely continuing,” said Tom Bender, deacon at the Lakeview Conservative Mennonite Church in Zurich. “The biggest impact would be the loss of freedom to assemble for worship activities.”
Bender said his congregation of about 100 conservative Mennonites is respecting the government’s social distancing measures. Children at Christian schools are receiving learning materials at home and church services are taking place through telephone conference calls.
Beyond that, Bender said, life for his community goes on mostly unchanged, with faith helping his congregation to cope with the pandemic.
“Society’s fear of the unknown is greatly moderated by those who have a living faith and a loving God,” Bender said. “We believe the Lord is in control. What he allows will be for our good.”
Faith-based events such as weddings and funerals form the backbone of many Mennonite communities, but the challenge of their absence is one shared with the rest of society.
Instead, Epp points out that some Mennonite groups might actually have an edge in coping with social distancing because they wouldn’t feel put out by not being able to attend concerts, movies or sports games.
“I think because these are such strongly bonded communities by virtue of their separation from society, in fact, they are probably less challenged,” she said.