Amy and I just got back from a weekend away to the Amana Colonies. This is an annual tradition for us and we meet up with Amy's mom and step dad to do some shopping, relaxing and pigging out on sweets. It is always a restful time, which I appreciate in the midst of this busy season.
The thing I like best about the Amanas is the religious heritage. The settlers of Amana were religious immigrants from Germany. They were staunch Lutherans who dreamed of a better world. Part of the separatist movement, the Inspirationists (as they called themselves then) tried to live apart from the world. They founded their own self-sufficient communities and needed little from the outside world. I admire their independence and hard work, but what I like best was their commitment to being the Church in the world.
The Amana people met for worship and prayer 11 times throughout the week. They based their lives around it. And it was this devotion that allowed them to prosper. It maintained unity in the community even though there were over 1,500 members and it allowed them to go after God with one heart and mind. God blessed their work and they became prosperous and even reached out to the community with free meals, hostels and medical care.
It is looking back at such a rich religious tradition that gives me hope for the future. People can work together for a greater cause, people can live in the world but not be of it. The Amana way of life only lasted 80 years and I do not know the reasons for its demise. Even still, I hope that the Church can reclaim some of that heritage. What would our communities look like if we had churches that were empowered by the Spirit and united in purpose like the Church was in the book of Acts? I don't know, but the very though excites my spirit. Lord, may Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
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