Unsurprisingly, under these circumstances, a strong emphasis on "community" was developed. It continues to be typical of Mennonites; note the small congregations in modest churches supporting a network of private schools, pensioner care homes, and peace work abroad. These are a people that come together and take care of each other. And yeah, okay, that might not sound so different from any other Christian denomination, or from other religions for that matter. And it might not be specifically tied to the challenges they’ve faced throughout history (though one might very well expect a certain ‘pull-togetherness’ to have come of it). But these folks have more often than not been the new kids in school wherever they go – arriving in a new country with no connections, few resources, and no local language gives rise to small close-knit communities everywhere. So for whatever reason, this notion of community as a key value pops up over and over again when you’re talking about what Mennonites value.
I don’t mean the following in a ‘compared to anything’ way, and it certainly ain’t perfect, but the Mennonite church, in my experience, strives to be open & welcoming, strongly supportive of it’s members, and actively engaged in helping those who need it. They cherish their community, in both the familial and the global sense. Take the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) as an example. The primary goals of MCC are disaster relief, community service & development, and peace building. (FYI this charity receives top rating by those charity rankers that look closely at efficiency, governance, & transparency (ie how much of the money going in goes out where they say it does. These metrics are handy tools for deciding your annual charitable donations ;)
This is segueing quite a bit into a discussion on service, which I’ll leave for later. But my main point is the bonds of community are important - going to church is as much about those social ties as it is about worship; just take a peek at the dainties and tea hour in the basement after the service, or the incredible schools supported by these churches (as opposed to by gov’t, AHEM OCDSB). Without putting on our sociology glasses, we can say simply that while there are many reasons to get together on a weekly basis, this strong sense of connection to one’s network is good for the health and happiness of individual and of the whole.
Now what does a person who can count her nearest and dearest on fingers do with a lesson about the importance of a network? Learn that these bonds, however few, should be cherished and sustained. Understand that the connection to these people and the love and support you give them is one of the most important responsibilities of a good life. And try to see that whenever we’re talking about help & love & peace that community includes everyone. #socialismissexy. or whatever.