Our Amish neighbors hosted church this week. Each family in the Amish settlement takes a turn hosting in their home. Church is held every other Sunday. One Sunday they visit family or friends and the next they have church. Our neighbor had new limestone put down because the lane gets muddy when it has been raining and the wheels throws mud up on their buggies as they drive in. They don't want to brush against the mud when getting out when they are all dressed for church.
They park their buggies like this and either put their horse out to pasture or in the barn depending on the time of year.
A few of the women will come to the host house and help the hostess clean the house from top to bottom, usually on Saturday and do all the baking.
On Sunday the women and younger children will gather in the house. Benches are brought in the day before for church.
The men will gather in the barn, yesterday's photo, which is to the left. They will file in to the house together from oldest to youngest.
The men sit on one side of the living room and women and children on the other side.
In the summer when it is warm they will open the windows and we are treated to their beautiful singing of their hymns in German.
