Common Identities

Christian faith expressed by Mennonites is demonstrated in life and community and much more than simple Sunday church attendance. This section gives a list of categories that are both common and important for understanding the lives of individual Mennonites, particularly their lives of Christian faith in families, in communities, in occupations. These "common identities" words and categories should be considered and studied when describing the complex lives and many faceted interactions of Mennonites in their faith and life journeys as they interact in communities with fellow believers and with outsiders.

FAITH
Free Church
Ordinance Observation and rites
Sermonic expression
Institutions of learning, compassion, recreation
Political formations and State relations

FAMILY
Courtship and Marriage
Parenting
Histories and migrations including map sites
Genealogies

FRIENDSHIP
Non-violent relationships
Refugee Assistance
Volunteerism

FELLOWSHIP
Music
Games
Sewing circles and quilting

FINANCES
Vocations and professions
Mutual aid
Self sufficient and sustaining communities
Disaster relief

FOLKLORE
Importance of basic as well as advanced learning
Story telling and poetry
Multi-linguistic identities that often include culture like Low German

FOOD
Eating together
Recipes

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