Experiencing "The Mennonite Story"
On Thursday, November 28th, grade 10 students toured The Mennonite Story in St. Jacobs, a multi-media museum display recounting the origins, history, migration patterns and current global involvement of Mennonites.
The interactive display gave our students a window into the beliefs, worship styles and cultural practices of the local Old Order Mennonite community, and the various other branches of the Mennonite family in this part of Ontario.
One of the most unique features of the museum is the replica “cave”, a secret gathering place to remind visitors that early Anabaptists had to worship in hiding. Students were encouraged to reflect on the the stories, traditions and values that have shaped our lives so far.
We capped off the morning with a visit to the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market where students were instructed to find “the essence of Mennonite country”. Most of them headed straight for the food vendors, but a few ventured into the cattle sales arena. Student James Heitzner’s photo (featured below) wins for best capturing “Mennonite country”…complete with witty caption!
Janet, Bauman, Grade 10 Religious Studies Teacher
