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FAQs |
FAQs
Dress
How do you
dress?
Hutterites have a dress code. The
dress code is more pronounced with some groups, i.e. the Lehrerleut and
the Dariusleut in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Schmiedeleut Hutterian
Brethren's dress code is typically as follows: men wear suspenders,
usually black or dark trousers, and any kind of buttoned shirt.
Married men traditionally wear a beard.
Women wear
below-knee-length dresses; younger women and girls wear brighter colored
dresses than older women. Women also wear a Kupf-ti'echle or a
black, polka-dot-peppered head covering. Girls between the ages of 3 to
about 10 wear a mitz which is bonnet-like head covering.
Ownership
Who owns what in the colony?
Goods are owned communally in the community,
i.e., all moneys earned from different businesses belong to everyone on
the colony. If members need different items, they ask for it and if it
is a necessary item, it is bought for them. Most items are given out
according to the need (Acts 2:44-47; Acts 4:32-35). Things like farm
equipment, vehicles, etc, are bought and paid for by the colony and used
by whoever needs or is responsible for them.
Any kind
of Aagnutz (Eigennutz, any method of earning personal
spending money) is frowned upon and greatly discouraged, especially by
the Schmiedeleut branch. The example of Ananias and Sapphira is often
sited as proof that aagnutz is a vice that ought to be avoided (Acts 5:1-11).
Hutterites have some personal belongings in their homes though that the
colony provides for them or allows them to purchase.
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Language
What languages do
Hutterites speak?
Hutterites speak a German dialect, more specifically a dialect they
picked up from the Carinthian province in Austria. Hutterites
originated in southern Austria and northern Italy (the area of Tyrol)
and Carinthia -
www.hutteritehistory.org
Hutterites
actually speak three languages: Hutterisch, their German dialect;
German, standard German which they learn in school; and English.
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Geography
Where (in the world) are Hutterites found?
Today Hutterites are found in the provinces of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Colombia. In the US they
are in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Washington and Montana.
Schmiedeleut Hutterites
are confined to Manitoba, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota.
Darius- and Lehrerleut live in western North America: Saskatchewan,
Alberta, British Colombia, Washington, and Montana.
The Bruderhofers, who are not Hutterites (but were twice united with the
Hutterian Brethren Church in the last 60 years) have six communities in
New York, Pennsylvania, and in England (www.bruderhof.org).
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Mission
How do the Hutterites follow the command of Jesus to "be fishers
of men", i.e., evangelization of the lost?
The Lord commanded his people to "go and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost"
(Mat. 28:19). The Hutterian Brethren have felt somewhat guilty of their
mission efforts in the recent past. So in the past few years more effort
has been put forth in this area. Currently ,the Hutterian Brethren are
involved in a mission field in Nigeria, Africa.
Many of our ministers and other members
and others have been in Nigeria, living with the natives and teaching
them about Christ and the community. The community is called Palm Grove
and about 300 members live there. Their has been lots of spiritual
and economic struggles, but the outlook seems promising as these
Nigerians are slowly learning. In addition,
they need support to sustain themselves and the Brethren have been
involved in helping them to become self-sufficient.
You can view an online
blog by Lance Waldner,
one of the missionaries, at
www.hutterites.org/bridge.
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Women's Roles
What do the women do
primarily?
Women on Hutterite colonies are typically housewives, cooks,
gardeners, teachers (German, English, and Nursery), seamstress, and
secretary for different business.
Work in a Hutterite community is usually done together in large groups.
For example, gardens cover a few acres. When hoeing, there are often in
excess of a dozen women helping, so large jobs are made small. Cooking
is done in weekly rotations, e.g. two women would be the cooks for the
week, in addition to the head cook. Also, unmarried ladies often teach
school on the colony. Some have teaching degrees, others take informal
training. Older Hutterite women take care of children in the
Kindergarten, teaching them religious songs, prayers and cooperation.
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Courtship
What about dating practices?
Young people are provided means for meeting each other if they are
from different communities (they usually are); for example, they could
ask for permission to go for a visit, or they might be in the area and
drop in for the day.
We strongly encourage purity in relationships, for we want our young
people to be a witness to Christ. If young
people think that they have been led together by God, they are
encouraged to remain totally pure in their relationship. Impurity is
dealt with severely. The Schmiedeleut Hutterian Brethren have an "open
door" policy for young people who are courting.
Joining
Can a person become a Hutterite?
Yes. If a person is really sincere about becoming a
Hutterite, he or she could potentially join. Of course, one would first
have to live on a Hutterite Colony for a time to ensure that they really
do want to join. A serious candidate would obviously have to fully agree
with the doctrine of the Hutterian Brethren Church and be willing to
give up all personal ownership. Upon being baptised, he or she would be
considered a full-fledged Hutterite.
Where can I get more
information?
You can get further
information by emailing. I'll
forward your request to the appropriate personnel.
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