By Clinton Martin
Sometimes, you just fall deep, down into a rabbit hole. One curiosity leads to another discovery, which leads to a tangent, which results in a new direction. After a while, you wonder, “Just how did I get here?” Such was my experience when I picked up a copy of the Plain Communities Business Exchange, to skim through looking for an article to read.
Pages flipped by nonchalantly, until my eye stopped on “Forest Hill Manufacturing.” The Plain Communities Business Exchange is a publication aimed mostly at Amish, Mennonite, and other Plain entrepreneurs running their own businesses, and reaches an audience throughout North America. Stories from the publication can therefore be from any Plain population center throughout the US and Canada.
But Forest Hill is a small village very close by, so I zeroed in and read the story, and indeed this small manufacturing business is indeed in “my neighborhood.” The story was engaging and interesting. Then I got the author credit, Susan Burkholder – noted as a freelance writer who is often featured in the Plain Communities Business Exchange. The publication added that those who wish to learn more about her can go to www.pennyletters.com. Down the first cottontail trail.
Turns out Penny Letters is her own blog, which features various musings of this local author. I looked for a contact method, which was there. Next to that, her blog notes Penny Letter is listed on The Mennonite Game. What in the world is that? My bunny burrow just took a right hand turn, and I was along for the ride.
The Mennonite Game was a link, so I clicked and went to a broader directory of Mennonite bloggers. The name still confused me. Was this a board game? Was this like Dungeons and Dragons… Plain People edition? Turns out, the name is like an inside joke. Luckily the website does explain:
“The Mennonite Game” jokingly refers to the typical conversation between two Mennonites meeting for the first time: they often try to find connections such as mutual friends, relatives and organizations. Similarly, this directory seeks to provide connections for those with Mennonite interests.
Had I reached the end of the rabbit trail? Hardly.
The Mennonite Game blog directory then went on to publish a disclaimer:
We recognize that many Mennonites do not support the 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith. However, this directory serves a specific niche and notes that there are other Mennonite online groups available for those looking for something different.
At this point whatever rabbit I might have been chasing stopped and peered over my shoulder, wondering what the 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith was. Luckily, this too was a link on the site. Clicking that, I was taken to Wikipedia of all places, with an article about this particular doctrinal statement (which I surmise is accepted by some Mennonites and rejected by others.)
The 1963 Mennonite Confession of Faith was “Adopted by Mennonite General Conference August 22, 1963.” It was basically a tune-up of the Dordrecht Confession of Faith, which was adopted in 1632, by the forefathers of many modern Plain Sect groups.
For those Mennonite groups who do espouse this particular confession of faith, “We regard this present confession as a restatement of the Eighteen Articles adopted at Dordrecht in the Netherlands in 1632 and of the other statements adopted by our church.”
So does anyone want to buy a shovel? (That’s what they make at Forest Hill Manufacturing.) It is the only logical question one can arrive at by falling down a rabbit hole.