Summer 2017 | vol 26, no 4

Tracing Anabaptist Roots by Rodney Hofer, Lawrence, Ks. New Volunteer Perspective I liked working at Menno-Hof. I am a story teller like Jordyn Miller, Goshen, Ind. my father before me. This is a trait learned while growing up in a rural community where “visiting” was a time-honored tradition to maintain oral histories. So, I don’t mind telling the same story ten or fifteen times a day. My friends, to whom I have been known to have repeated a story or two, think that this is the perfect job for me. They hope that volunteering at Menno-Hof will get it out of my system. The visitors to Menno-Hof are unlikely to have heard my stories before although Age: 17 the same cannot be said of the Attends: Clinton Christian School & staff or my fellow volunteers. Townline Mennonite Church At Menno-Hof I identify myself Began volunteering at as “Mennonite of Hutterite Menno-Hof: June 2017 Ancestry.” That generally Family: Parents Stan & requires a bit of explanation. My Elvera Miller; three sisters, great grandparents, like five brothers approximately two-thirds of the “Someone once said that if 1,250 that emigrated you work (or in this case from Russia in the 1870’s, volunteer) at a job you love, homesteaded on the prairies of you never have to ‘work.’ I . Those that homesteaded were Rodney & love volunteering at referred to as Prairieleut or Prairie People. The Roberta Hofer, Menno-Hof and am amazed remaining 450 Hutterite emigrants reestablished the (above) are at where people are from. enjoying retire- One day I had people from communal life that had been given up during the ment and the France and Madagascar in last decades of their history in Russia and are opportunity it the same group. I’ve always known as Colony People. They retained the plain provides for wanted to do something like dress, traditional for men, customs and volunteering at this and when I got the various places teachings of the Hutterian Brethren and are the including chance, I was excited. The people we identify as Hutterite today. They have Menno-Hof. first day was fun for me— multiplied to approximately 50,000 with colonies Part of the learning how to conduct mostly located in South Dakota, , and the attraction of tours. By the second day I volunteering at was doing tours on my own.” prairie provinces of Canada. Menno-Hof was Like my home church, Hutterthal Mennonite, to be near their Jordyn enjoys reading, nearly all of the churches established by the daughter, music, flowers, birds and sign Prairieleut eventually affiliated with Mennonite son-in-law and language. She is also involved two conferences. To signify their primary association, grandchildren with the family farm and helps only the word “Mennonite” appeared in the stone who live in her mom manage the event arch above the door of their new church building in Goshen, Ind. rental of their fully restored 1954. Before that, sermons were preached by a lay 1889 barn. minister in German. The men sat on one side and the women on the other. On the (cont. on page 2) Tracing Anabaptist Roots (cont. from front) groups. However, with the rescinding of front rows on the right sat the grand- the privileges the Anabaptists had mothers in their old world dresses with originally been granted by Catherine the black head scarves edged with a small Great, all three of these ethnic Anabaptist flower print. With a new building and a groups immigrated to America and settled Mennonite seminary-trained pastor who in the prairie states from Kansas to didn’t even speak German, the church Canada in the 1870’s. Menno-Hof’s John changed rapidly during my youth. The J. Funk exhibit took on new meaning for new pastor introduced a printed bulletin me when I learned that he was with a formal order of service including a instrumental in some of the Hutterite immigrants wintering in Elkhart, Indiana, in 1874-1875 on their way to South Dakota. Interested in how these immigrants were adapting, Mr. Funk visited them in South Dakota in 1882 and reported on his visit in The Herald of Truth. I have always liked history and Anabaptist history in particular. Although I had Mennonite history classes at both Freeman Academy (SD) and Bethel College, visiting European Anabaptist sites while serving as an MCC Paxman in Yugoslavia (1969-1971) made this history more vivid. This included visiting the This orphanage call to , songs from The Mennonite farmstead in from which my Hofer (above) was built Hymnal, benediction, and doxology. ancestors were deported to , in 1767 by the Young couples started sitting together as along with 14 other families, for being Jesuits to hold the Lutheran in 1756. In Transylvania these Hutterite children families and soon we resembled the Swiss they were going to and Low German churches in the families soon left their Lutheran and abduct if their community. We had modernized. joined the small community of Hutterites. parents did not For me, Anabaptist history is also My interest in Hutterite history was recant. family history. My wife, Roberta, and I renewed with our son Tim’s wedding in combine to represent all of the ethnic Alba Iulia, , in 2010. Tim met European Mennonite groups. Roberta’s Melania, a young Romanian woman, while father descended from that in the both were graduate students at the late 1700’s migrated east rather than to University of Paris – Sorbonne. Knowing that my Hofer ancestors had (cont. on page 3) by the from and the Palatinate. Initially settling in Galacia at numbers the invitation of the local prince who Aug.8.17 wanted to improve the agricultural THANK YOU! unrelated prospects of his domain, they eventually 12 Beginnings & endings visitors in one migrated farther east to the Russian tour group province of Volhynia and became hosts & hostess representing Mennonite. Roberta’s mother is Low Richard & Annie Boshart, Lancaster, Pa. | 6 different German Mennonite whose ancestors fled September countries: across northern from the Kitchener, Australia, Netherlands to the Vistula delta in Laurence & Marilyn Martin, Ontario, Canada | October - December New Zealand, Prussia and eventually the large Russian , France, Germany Mennonite colony. After the Richard & Barbara Gehring, Manhattan, Ks. and United Hutterite colony north of Kiev burned to November - December States. the ground in 1820, the Hutterites also “First, I thank my through Christ resettled near the Molotschna colony at the invitation of , the for you all, that your faith is spoken of wealthy Low German agriculturalist who throughout the whole world.” -Romans 1:8 took an avid interest in Anabaptist 2 PLAN TO ATTEND

9th Annual Singspiration Sunday, September 10, 5 p.m. Come and enjoy a cappella singing of familiar hymns under a tent on the Menno-Hof lawn in the traditions of the Amish Church, Church, Conservative Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church USA. There will be ice cream and pretzels following the worship service. Bring lawn chairs for seating. Rain location: Farmstead Inn pavilion, Shipshewana (just north of Menno-Hof)

Tracing Anabaptist Roots (cont. from pg 2) joined the Hutterites in Transylvania, I researched the Hutterite presence in Romania in anticipation of attending their wedding. About seven miles from the city where Melania grew up is the village of Alwinz where the Hutterite Bruderhof was located from 1622-1767. Unlike the Hutterite Bruderhofs in Slovakia, no remnant of the Alwinz Hutterite Bruderhof remains. However, I did find the ruins of the castle that provided the Hutterites with sanctuary in 1622. In the 1760’s the castle was used as a prison by controlled country of . Had this The Hutterites the Jesuits for those Hutterites who small remnant not escaped, the hired Romanian guides to lead would not recant. We also located Hutterites would have died out and be a numerous local historical sites including them up hidden mere footnote in Anabaptist history. As I trails and the orphanage that the Jesuits had built uncovered story after story of the over the to house the Hutterite children they were steadfastness of this small group of Transylvanian planning to abduct. Knowing that the Alps. (pictured Hutterites, I felt I had to share what I had above) construction of the orphanage was learned. This culminated in a book, nearing completion in 1767, the small Hutterites in Romania (1622-1767), which group of remaining Hutterites planned a I published in 2016. daring escape, hiring Romanian guides to lead them up hidden mountain trails and Rodney and Roberta Hofer are retired and live in Lawrence, over the Transylvanian Alps. Seventy-six Kansas, and are members of Peace Mennonite Church. They were volunteer host & hostess at Menno-Hof during the month of Hutterites, forty of whom were recent June 2017. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. Lutheran converts deported from Austria, Rod and Roberta enjoy traveling both domestically and inter- managed to flee certain destruction at the nationally. Rod’s vegetable garden is as close as he gets to his hands of the Jesuits and find safety and agricultural upbringing while Roberta maintains the flower garden. freedom of within the Muslim- Both enjoy biking and birding when it is not too hot or too cold.

School Visit to Menno-Hof | Spring 2017 Sunny Ridge Amish School, Topeka, Ind., Grades 7 & 8 “We all enjoyed visiting was all worth the time. I really liked the barn. It is very Menno-Hof! Having a place like -Leland Beachy, Grade 7 interesting how Amish and this is wonderful and is a good started. I also liked the I liked everything especially the reminder to us of all the blessings tornado theatre. tornado room. Some of the stuff and freedoms we enjoy here. Your -Justin Bontrager, Grade 7 long ago would be different to live efforts are greatly appreciated. with. - Sharon Miller, Grade 8 I liked the tornado room the best. Thank you!” -Jay Lehman, teacher I also liked the ship and everything I really enjoyed our visit to It was very interesting. The best else. I hope to come by again Menno-Hof. My favorite part was the part was the tornado theatre. It some time. -James Schlabach tornado room. -Julie Renae Chupp

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DIRECTOR’S DESK assume some of you might time. We had a great time together! I struggle as I do to stay My wife, Ruth, and I then traveled west to connected with extended family. visit some lesser known members of our larger This year my brother and I made a Anabaptist family—the Hutterites. Thanks to a commitment to arrange a time for couple who recently joined our Menno-Hof family our families to get together in of volunteers, Rodney and Roberta Hofer, we had Florida where he lives. It had been contact information for the Wolf Creek Hutterite approximately 10 years since all of Colony in Olivet, South Dakota. (Be sure to read Jerry Beasley us were together and some of the Rodney’s cover article in this issue) A young lady executive director kids present today weren't born greeted us and showed us around the colony. then. With the help of two great wives we There are approximately 100 Hutterites living actually pulled it off in spite of all the work, at this colony and it is near capacity. These folks church, sports, music and social commitments use Acts 2:44-45 as the basic principle for their many had to manage. Our younger sister and communal living. Except for a few personal her family also joined us for a portion of the items, all things in the colony are (cont. below)

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SHIPSHEWANA, IN 46565 PERMIT NO 17

(cont. from above) owned by the community Reunion is published quarterly to keep Menno-Hof staff: and all members are provided for. our friends informed of happenings at Jerry Beasley, executive director Families live together but they eat, work, Menno-Hof. Send questions or Susan Miller, managing director comments to director at Charlotte Long, program and learn and worship as a community. communication associate [email protected] The Hutterites embrace many of the Bill Yoder, facility and grounds same core values as Amish and Menno-Hof Amish-Mennonite associate Don Miller, facility and grounds Mennonites—adult baptism, divine Visitors’ Center associate trinity of God, and non-violence—to PO Box 701 510 S Van Buren St, SR 5 Board of Directors: name a few. I encourage you to learn Shipshewana, IN 46565 Larry Chupp, president, Shipshewana, Ind. more about this third surviving group of Tele: (260) 768-4117 Lovina Rutt, vice-president, Goshen, Ind. Anabaptists that emerged in the 16th Fax: (260) 768-4118 Donna Jones, Shipshewana, Ind. Orie E. Lehman, Shipshewana, Ind. century (in addition to Mennonites and E-mail: [email protected] Daniel B. Miller, Goshen, Ind. Amish). Books about Hutterite lifestyle, Web site: www.mennohof.org Steve Miller, Goshen, Ind. Jim Neff, Goshen, Ind. beliefs and history are available in our

Hours: Wayne Schrock, Millersburg, Ind. Monday—Saturday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m. gift shop. Don Stauffer, Union, Mich. Blessings on you and your family Summer hours (June, July, August) Alvin J. Yoder, Shipshewana, Ind. Monday—Friday: 10 a.m.—7 p.m. Fern Yoder, Millersburg, Ind. and cherish the time you have to be Saturday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m. Norman Yoder, Shipshewana, Ind. together.