Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked logistical questions:
Q: When do you worship? Do you have a nursery?
A: We worship at 10 AM on Sundays followed by a second hour discussion period. Nursery is generally staffed and is always available for children who need to move durring the service.
Q: What should I wear?
A: Wear what ever you are comfortable in. We are relaxed congregation in a relaxed part of the country, so come as you are is a general rule.
Q: Do you have mid-week services?
A: At this point in time, we do not have regular mid-week services outside of meetings of small groups.
Frequently Asked questions regarding Shalom and being Mennonite
Q:Shalom is a Hebrew word. Are you a Messianic Jewish congregation? What does it mean that you are a Fellowship?
A: While shalom is a Hebrew word and we deeply value the Judaic roots of the Christian faith, Shalom Mennonite is a Christian congregation in the Anabaptist tradition. We chose that name for its significant meaning of God's intention for the way we are to be in the world. We have chosen the name Shalom Mennonite “Fellowship” as opposed to Shalom Mennonite “Church” in order to emphasize our understanding of the church as a group of like-minded and equally responsible believers, without the expectations of hierarchy (of one-person-over-another).
Q: Do you sell Queso Mennonita?
A: Tasty, but no. A number of more conservative Mennonites who live in Chihuahua, Mexico have become known for their special brand of cheese that they produce. While we are the only organization in Tucson to claim the name Mennonite, we do not have any direct connection to the colony Mennonites of Mexico or their delectable dairy products.
Q: Where do you keep your horses?
A: Other parts of the family of Mennonite churches use horses and buggies as their primary transportation. For us, we ride bikes or drive cars of many colors, makes, and models, each as our own conscience directs. (Besides, it can be tricky to raise horses in the desert, and driving buggies in the bus lanes is a good way to get injured.)
Q: Do women need to wear head coverings? Do men need to wear beards?
A: Portions of the Mennonite family do retain expectations as to dress. We, however, have decided that this will not be a primary expression of our faith. While we encourage people to dress modestly and appropriately as fitting a simple lifestyle, there are no expectations or judgments as a congregation as to what that must look like. Most people dress and groom casually and comfortably every day, Sunday included. Some of our members choose to wear a head-covering or beard as a visible symbol of their faith, but this remains a choice of individual conviction, and is not encouraged or discouraged by the church as a whole.
Q: Are you an intentional community?
A:Not in a formal sense, if by “intentional community” you include notions of, say, a common purse… We do work hard on supporting each other and walking with each other in all of life; our church community is fairly traditional. Some individuals have experimented with more intentional expressions of Christian community, but presently this is not our primary focus
