Maxwell 43: Divesting from the First Church of Stevehovah Reversalist

[freejugar 6,169]

22 minutes ago, fundiewatch said:

One of those Sunday lunches featured only Jesse and (ofjesse) Anna, and another one just Chelsea and Elissa and their J-husbands! The whittling numbers make me so sad for Sarah, Anna, and Mary who just seem so hopelessly stuck there. 

Staging the pie picture with Bethany is a pleasing throwback to when they had their dog chase a freaking cat up a tree in order for the illustrator to have a picture of what they wanted. This is not how life or illustration works. 

I was surprised to see Sarah babysat, that is usually not her skillset. 

Something tells me the illustrator is Mary, who somehow can't imagine a dog chasing a cat up a tree or eggs being dropped in a grocery store aisle.

I hope they ate the pie at least.

Now that Sarah's finished her book she has no excuse not to babysit. I hope she starts working on another one soon, to get out of those boring chores!

Edited October 12, 2020 by freejugar

[VVV 5,133]

22 hours ago, PennySycamore said:

@VVV,   I'm not so sure it's totally unnecessary to say that my Baptist church used grape juice instead of wine,  Not all Baptist's are Southern Baptists or IFB.  There is also the American Baptist Church which tends to be more progressive as well as those churches that have split off from the Southern Baptist Church when it went fundie.  The American Baptist Church used to be called the Northern Baptist Church and yes, they split over slavery.  

You make a good point but what is accepted in the sanctuary tends to lag behind what is accepted at home.  A couple of the churches I have been familiar with were American Baptist churches and they too did grape juice for communion. This may change as the younger generation takes over but I suspect an awful lot of Baptist churches are like the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church I attend now. Many, probably a strong majority of members are not averse to an occasional glass of wine or beer, or something stronger. Our pastor showed up at a multi family Christmas dinner last year with a six pack of a very nice beer. But there is no alcohol permitted on the church grounds and communion is definitely grape juice. I don’t think anyone has even ever brought up discussing the alternative.

[ElizaB 1,921]

So I have noticed the Maxwell's tend to meet with individual families these days. It makes me wonder about the Jesse and Joseph move. We all speculated that they were trying to get away from Steve (because who wouldn't want that?), but what if there is a rift amongst siblings? Could it be possible that Nathan and Christopher's family are not so keen on their younger brothers choices? 

Not sure if I really think this is true- but an interesting theory! 

[Coconut Flan 41,770]

It could be a simple win-win of less of a petri dish for gatherings plus the children get more attention than when they're all together and with fewer children there is less noise to get on Teri and Steve's nerves.  

[Black Aliss 35,085]

16 minutes ago, ElizaB said:

So I have noticed the Maxwell's tend to meet with individual families these days. It makes me wonder about the Jesse and Joseph move. We all speculated that they were trying to get away from Steve (because who wouldn't want that?), but what if there is a rift amongst siblings? Could it be possible that Nathan and Christopher's family are not so keen on their younger brothers choices? 

Not sure if I really think this is true- but an interesting theory! 

Nah. My guess is they had simply run out of room (Mary, Anna,and Sarah relegated to the children's table) and I suspect conversation was next to impossible with the din of so many lively children (one of my favorite sounds, but probably hard on Steve and Terry). I can easily imagine their wives heaving a collective sigh of relief over not having to eat bean burritos at the fathership Every, Effing. Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Max sons suggested that they rotate Sundays and couched it in terms of being easier on Steve and Teri.

[Maggie Mae 27,509]

58 minutes ago, ElizaB said:

Could it be possible that Nathan and Christopher's family are not so keen on their younger brothers choices? 

Or the reversals are tired of being treated as children, there's a pretty big age difference there. I think it's 10 years between Christopher and whichever reversal was first. 

[FloraDoraDolly 4,347]

4 hours ago, Black Aliss said:

Nah. My guess is they had simply run out of room (Mary, Anna,and Sarah relegated to the children's table) and I suspect conversation was next to impossible with the din of so many lively children (one of my favorite sounds, but probably hard on Steve and Terry). I can easily imagine their wives heaving a collective sigh of relief over not having to eat bean burritos at the fathership Every, Effing. Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Max sons suggested that they rotate Sundays and couched it in terms of being easier on Steve and Teri.

With everyone there, every Sunday would have been like a huge Thanksgiving dinner, except with bland food instead of turkey and pie.

[Bethy 3,300]

11 hours ago, ElizaB said:

So I have noticed the Maxwell's tend to meet with individual families these days. It makes me wonder about the Jesse and Joseph move. We all speculated that they were trying to get away from Steve (because who wouldn't want that?), but what if there is a rift amongst siblings? Could it be possible that Nathan and Christopher's family are not so keen on their younger brothers choices? 

Not sure if I really think this is true- but an interesting theory! 

Remember that Steve spurned one of his own siblings who was into "bunny stuff" - I'm not sure I would believe it so much with Nathan as he and Mel seem a bit more balanced and open but I could see Christopher being uncomfortable with his kids interacting with cousins who tuck their skirts into their snowpants and have fathers that wear shorts and/or mothers that wear stretchy JEANS under long tunics. (I know Christopher's family isn't at the table right now for other reasons, just saying that going by appearances, he's the uptight one.) If nothing else it could lead to awkward conversations - "Why does Calia get to wear skirts that only come to the top of her knee, Daddy? Why is Axton wearing shorts? Why doesn't Uncle Jesse own his home debt-free?"

Apropos of nothing, I seem to have a sudden deluge of ads showing up on FJ for the following:

• Medi-Share
• Guaranteed-to-work bedbug spray

🤣

[anachronistic 7,907]

My mother went to a Northern Baptist church in NJ, I think when she was growing up, and always, always noted whenever it was mentioned that it was *Northeen* not Southern Baptist because they didn’t support slavery.

Retrospectively, I honestly don’t think that is something to be that proud of, or that huge of a deal, that 130+  (It hasn’t been mentioned in decades) years ago your denomination made a moral choice which seems incredibly obvious to me, but I don’t know the history, maybe it was a huge split, like the Methodists might be doing before long. (Or are they already?)

[clueliss 25,670]

@anachronistic Another denomination that resulted from the slavery split was the Free Methodist Church (split from what was then the American Methodist Episcopal Church - aka United Methodist).  But today they tell you that Free refers to the difference at the time in that they didn't believe in selling pews/seats to raise money for the church while the main church body did.  (Thus glossing over the truth in that they were an abolitionist church - as is witnessed by the fact that there are a lot of them in Kansas but you don't find them in Missouri that much)

[Alisamer 41,083]

13 hours ago, VVV said:

You make a good point but what is accepted in the sanctuary tends to lag behind what is accepted at home.  A couple of the churches I have been familiar with were American Baptist churches and they too did grape juice for communion. This may change as the younger generation takes over but I suspect an awful lot of Baptist churches are like the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church I attend now. Many, probably a strong majority of members are not averse to an occasional glass of wine or beer, or something stronger. Our pastor showed up at a multi family Christmas dinner last year with a six pack of a very nice beer. But there is no alcohol permitted on the church grounds and communion is definitely grape juice. I don’t think anyone has even ever brought up discussing the alternative.

My church is Baptist - we are technically apparently still listed on the SBC church finder thing, but we really aren't SBC. And one of the families in our church owns a wine store! There's no alcohol allowed on the church grounds, communion is grape juice, and dancing is pretty restricted if you use the church facilities for a wedding reception (I think a first dance and possible parent/child dance is allowed). But at the same time we have had a rock 'n roll themed fundraiser and praise dancing in a service once or twice, so...

I think the "social" rules have so little to do with actual doctrine, that things are evolving. Luckily my church seems to be evolving away from any hint of fundamentalism, rather than toward it.

[SPHASH 11,415]

Arnold and Ellie are still The only Maxwell's I like.

The candidate Nate and his kids are stumping for is an anti choice freak, never mind he spent 30 years in the Army and may have killed someone in Iraq and Afghanistan.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.leavenworthtimes.com/opinion/20200125/letter-common-sense-restrictions%3ftemplate=ampart

Edited October 13, 2020 by SPHASH
ETA

[Black Aliss 35,085]

10 hours ago, Bethy said:

Apropos of nothing, I seem to have a sudden deluge of ads showing up on FJ for the following:

• Medi-Share
• Guaranteed-to-work bedbug spray

I mostly get PSA ads for a suicide-prevention hotline. Are my posts really that bleak that I come across as SEVERELY depressed?

That said, my Facebook ads are even worse. Apparently their algorithm has figured out that I'm an Elderly and I'm getting ads for assisted living facilities, incontinence supplies, and cremation services.

[Black Aliss 35,085]

10 hours ago, anachronistic said:

My mother went to a Northern Baptist church in NJ, I think when she was growing up, and always, always noted whenever it was mentioned that it was *Northeen* not Southern Baptist because they didn’t support slavery.

Retrospectively, I honestly don’t think that is something to be that proud of, or that huge of a deal, that 130+  (It hasn’t been mentioned in decades) years ago your denomination made a moral choice which seems incredibly obvious to me, but I don’t know the history, maybe it was a huge split, like the Methodists might be doing before long. (Or are they already?)

You make it sound like the Southern Baptists are all enlightened now. Newsflash: They are not. In fact in October, 2000 Jimmy Carter left the Southern Baptists* after  the group’s leaders voted at its national convention that women should no longer serve as pastors. They also voted to condemn racism, homosexuality, abortion, pornography and adultery. Somehow I don't think they really condemn racism, though and of course porn and adultery, unlike a woman's agency over her own body, continue to be private matters.

*I'm not sure how that actually worked, given that he continued to serve as deacon of his Baptist church in Plains, GA. He said that he and Roslyn would associate with Baptist groups “who share such beliefs as separation of church and state … a free religious press, and equality of women.”

As for splits, that's pretty much what defines Baptists. Check out this list of 56 Baptist sects in the United States. And that list doesn't include the IFBs, of which each congregation appears to see all the others as heretic scum.

The Methodists announced back in January that they were splitting into United Methodist and Traditional Methodists. https://www.npr.org/2020/01/04/793614135/united-methodist-church-announces-proposal-to-split-over-gay-marriage

Edited October 13, 2020 by Black Aliss

[PennySycamore 55,195]

@Black Aliss, did the Carter's church join the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship perhaps?  

First Baptist in Greenville, SC did.

[Black Aliss 35,085]

3 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

@Black Aliss, did the Carter's church join the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship perhaps?  

First Baptist in Greenville, SC did.

I'm not sure. It stopped being news  after the Carter announcement. Quite a few Baptist churches did leave the conference though.

[ophelia 14,844]

7 hours ago, Black Aliss said:

I mostly get PSA ads for a suicide-prevention hotline. Are my posts really that bleak that I come across as SEVERELY depressed?

That said, my Facebook ads are even worse. Apparently their algorithm has figured out that I'm an Elderly and I'm getting ads for assisted living facilities, incontinence supplies, and cremation services.

I get a lot of ads about fertility treatments.. probably fits.

[Bluebirdbluebell 5,428]

More wedding pictures!  I think I spy Marlin and Becky Bontrager in the back row, but it's mostly the backs of their heads. 

They did sand instead of the unity candle. 

Jesse and Anna are holding hands in quite a few pictures. There's one picture where she seems to be smirking at him. They have chemistry. 

[ClareDeLune 425]

Is it just me or are the photos very unflattering of the bride's sisters?!  The only good bridesmaid photos are Mary and Anna, the other bridesmaids are mostly in the background, fiddling with their hair or looking the other way!  Maybe they did not want portraits of themselves on the maxblog, but there was no need to make them look bad!

[LurkerOverThePond 6,328]

I was starting to think we'll never get the rest of the wedding pictures...

Random thoughts:

Against the popular opinion, I do like the bridesmaids' dresses, especially the colour of them, but the white bow makes it look a bit childish to me.

I just can't get over Steve's Jesus-tie. So NOT okay at son's wedding. 3nna's father's suit is way too big, looks like he's wearing a bag.

Tell me, is that Curtis Bowers officiating the wedding?!? Who the fuck wants him to speak at your wedding?? I know, these people do. Disgusting, but not surprising.

Jesse and 3nna look genuinely happy and comfortable together. Based on earlier pictures, they were holding hands already before getting married (though probably not before engagement) so it must not have been awkward to them. I love the smirking picture and the one were they walk down the aisle after the ceremony - 3nna looks so excited and kind of "giggly happy".

Waiting for the last batch of wedding pictures before their first anniversary...

[ophelia 14,844]

I kind of like the bridesmaids dresse, especially the color. Some of them could have been better fitting, but there are definitely worse fundie bridesmaid dresses (looking at you, Chelsy!)

Anna's father looks quite young. What is her backround? Do they have a blog or anything? They seem to run in the same circles as the Bontrager family and attended their family camp this september.

[fundiefan 26,948]

3 hours ago, ClareDeLune said:

Is it just me or are the photos very unflattering of the bride's sisters?!  The only good bridesmaid photos are Mary and Anna, the other bridesmaids are mostly in the background, fiddling with their hair or looking the other way!  Maybe they did not want portraits of themselves on the maxblog, but there was no need to make them look bad!

Because Sarah & Chris were taking the pictures so the only focus for them was their "crew". They got Anna & Mary going down the aisle - but not Anna's sisters. I hope that's because they only chose to share their family on the blog and they didn't totally one-side all the pictures. 

But, let's face it, with Chris & Sarah as their photographers, there are no doubt a ton of questionable shots & motives. 

I think Anna & Mary's dresses needed to be a size smaller & actually fit. But, then I guess that would show they have bodies and that isn't allowed in Maxhell. The Craig girls (women) have female bodies, and their dresses mostly fit those bodies. "The girls'" dresses just kind of hang on them. 

I wonder which topic Stevie regaled the guests with -  the story of his balls or of death? 

[anachronistic 7,907]

There is so much there that just makes me go, ‘huh?’

Like the fact that sand can totally be separated, it’s made up of teeny bits, that’s literally what sand is.

or that they never said what they shared to the parents. 
 

or what ‘really feeling real’ means.

‘Sharing who was missing in the family’ to me sounds like they are dead or kidnapped, not staying home because of health concerns.

 

I don’t love the bridesmaid dresses and think they would’ve been a lot better without the bows and if they were sleeveless, ditto Terri’s outfit. Bows like that belong on little girls and flowers, not grown women. But that’s just IMHO, your wedding, do what you want.

Abby had to babysit while the aunts were busy being bridesmaids.
 

Would’ve liked to see more shots of the kids, see how cute they looked from the front. What was the little boy carrying, a sign? Wonder what it said.

 

[Florita 3,467]

8 hours ago, ophelia said:

I kind of like the bridesmaids dresse, especially the color. Some of them could have been better fitting, but there are definitely worse fundie bridesmaid dresses (looking at you, Chelsy!)

Anna's father looks quite young. What is her backround? Do they have a blog or anything? They seem to run in the same circles as the Bontrager family and attended their family camp this september.

https://www.heritagehillmusic.com/

The Craigs are or were another singing family. Two more daughters of marriageable age.

[Black Aliss 35,085]

11 hours ago, ClareDeLune said:

Is it just me or are the photos very unflattering of the bride's sisters?!  The only good bridesmaid photos are Mary and Anna, the other bridesmaids are mostly in the background, fiddling with their hair or looking the other way!  Maybe they did not want portraits of themselves on the maxblog, but there was no need to make them look bad!

It's not just you. Catching the oldest sister as she scratches the back of her head? That's borderline catty. Surely there were better photos, or a person experienced with Photoshop could have merged photos into one where everyone looked good.