This blog features happenings on the Old Windmill Farm in Lancaster County, PA and a glimpse into the Amish way of life. A new message is posted ever 2-3 weeks (that’s the goal!)
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Friday, February 9, 2024
Greetings from Old Windmill Farm. We hosted church services here on the farm in our house this last Sunday (2/4/24). We thought our farm guests might like to learn about our customs in hosting a church service. Our services are held in the homes of members (or depending upon weather in the barn) and we meet every two weeks.
There is always lots of preparation work to be done as we spruce up the place. We purchased 23 tons of gravel to spread on the driveway, delivered by a dump truck and spread by the driver, around an inch or a little more gravel. The gravel is called pea gravel.
The compost is cleaned out of the horse stalls and piled on the compost pile where it will ferment and compost into rich fertilizer for the fields and gardens.
My wife had a surprise as her 2 sisters showed up here and surprised her on Friday morning to help bake the pies. Bringing their rolling pins and aprons they had baked 42 pies by 1:30. These are apple pies and apple snitz pies. Apple snitz is made from dried apples. The day before one of her best friends that lives over the hill from here had told her she will help with the pie filling making around 3 gallons each of apple and apple snitz pie filling. The pies are baked at 350 degrees for 60 min.
For the service we had around 30 horses here. The haus dawdy (father) and sons greet the families as they arrive, help unhitch the horses from the buggies. The father or son(s) lead the horse to the barn and offer the horse water from the big water trough. The horses are also fed grain and hay.
The men and women file into the house by age. Oldest first. The ministers, older men and women sit in folding chairs as well as visiting folks from other districts. Families with small children will not take chairs but will sit on the pine benches with their small children under 9 years old. A father or mother can have 3 children and the other spouse can have 2 or 3 children by their side. Of course if the small babies get cranky the mothers will take them upstairs and rock them and put them in bed when fallen asleep. One of the other mothers will bring the baby down and hand to the baby’s mom when awakes. The boys and girls 9 years and up go with the boys and girls groups. Of course they are expected to be quiet and attentive.
The ladies bring the other food for the noon meal. It is rather a sweet meal of pies, bread with peanut butter spread and cup cheese, pickled red beets, pickles, seasoned pretzels and coffee. You always try both pies plus everything else.
The haus frau (wife) will expect some compliments on her recipes. As the families head homes afterward the husbands and wives will be discussing the sermon and pointers they appreciated, how good the pies were or the pie crust was very good and baked to perfection. Some families are known for their excellent baking.
The sermon was based on the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7 of Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most read and memorized portions of the Bible in the Amish community. It is full of life lessons such as loving your enemy, turning the other cheek, denying your flesh and more. The children are rewarded as they memorize Mathew 5 to 7.
The service will last 3 hours with German hymns and preaching in German. Praying in silence one time and praying from recited prayer by the minister.
After the service and meal is a time of conversation about things in the neighborhood, milk prices, crops or politics.
Next the neighbors will host the service in 2 weeks. We have Sunday School with the family at home studying the Scriptures written for the scheduled teaching at our next service in 2 weeks.
From our family to yours.
The Lapps
Pies made for an Amish church gathering.
We gather every other week for a church service in a home rotating from house to house throughout the year. Every service is followed by a meal shared together with the host family making pies. For the gathering we made a total of 42 pies!
Pictured is the table made with 3 benches.
A page from an English/German Bible
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Jesse Lapp
262 Paradise Ln
Ronks, PA 17572
US
717-687-7929
Old Windmill Farm
https://www.oldwindmillfarm.com
Old Windmill Farm Blog 
Thanks for sharing.I am curious if you also have a main course of meat, potatos and vegtables? How many ovens do you have that it is possible to bake so many pies in so few hours? Can outsiders (English) attend your church service? Thanks
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Thanks for questions,
We just have the basic meal as described at each gathering after the church service for all who attend. Later in the day we have a larger meal for extended family that stays longer.
Anna Ruth uses only two ovens for all the pies!
We have outsiders if a member invites them.
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