God’s blessings to you, sister! I have had a positive comment from the local Bishop about my head cover. There are plenty of Plain people in Ontario (central Canada) but not in our city, except at the farmers’ markets. I do get a lot of “Mennonite” questions, but since Nicholas and I have read a lot about Anabaptists, we can answer without misleading. I refer you to our dear sister in the Lord, Isabel, who is at Quakerjane. You’ll see the link on my page. She is a gifted person, very encouraging, and knows the struggle well.

May the peace of Christ be yours,
Magdalena

I have only this night past stumbled across your blog and let me tell you what an inspiration our Heavenly Father has given me in leading me to your writings and musings. A little about myself; I am an Anglican ( had been in my childhood and have been again for the past three and a half years following over two decades with a markedly different Protestant denomination. Since 2001 I have been covering more or less constantly (but for a spell of three months or so in 2002). Convicted solely from scripture and prompted by the Holy Spirit to take up the headcover (having no access to the internet or books on the subject at the time). for some years leading to this, whenever reading the now iconic 1 Cor: 11 verses, this practice seemed brilliantly illuminated in my mind and tugged at my conscience. God works in His own time and way, however and in His infinite love and mercy persisted with me until 7 April 2001 (upon the occasion of my adult rebaptism) which seemed the perfect point at which to commence. the pastor who baptized me received somewhat of a shock when I stepped into the waters fully veiled, and even more of a shock when upon rejoining the assembled gathering after straightening myself out, donned another veil!! In that denomination I received criticism, had my fair share of debates and even had members, both male and female shout at me in rage about the covering trying to pull it from my head!!!! I stood my ground, and, as it happened, God used the meeting of my husband, inter-regional move and eventual leaving of that denomination to return to Anglicanism as a way in wich to refine my covering style and heal my spiritual wounds (which were numerous – our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is so loving – He has brought me forth and in my current congregation that I have attended since May 2005 has brought gentle sisters into my sphere whom He has used to refine and evolve my manner of covering. As my husband and I live in one of Sydney’s Muslim heartlands, to wear the full 40″x40″ scarf as I so love is not wise (‘false advertising’ and the like), so, it was a greatly respected elder lady at church who does not cover herself but nonetheless suggested a mantilla as a delicate yet modest means I might like to consider when covering. to this end, I wear almost exclusively lace wide headbands, mantilla-like triangles or knit headbands along with buncovers when in private or public prayer or Bible study, when at university (I study Theology at the Australian Catholic University Mt. St. Mary’s Campus two days per week) or when out of the home. when in the home, it is either bun cover or nothing unless I am praying; though more frequently I will don the headband. As for ‘Quaker’ plainness, as we do not have this tradition in any of its forms here in Australia (even the Menonites here and Quakers here see such as unneccessary, legalistic and burdensome), I’ve adhered to modesty (long skirts simple makes, modest blouses or twinsets etc) as best I can. Though my hubby shies away from me going ‘amish’ or ‘FLDS’ as he calls it, by God’s grace, he’s allowed me to redo my wardrobe courtesy of the King’s Daughters’ (Annie Lantz, our leading modest feminine attire clothierre would cost four times the price, even with the exchange rate as woeful as it currently is) so doing such is the best use of my resources (vision impairment prevents me from sewing for myself).

so there you have it, the testamony of a fellow anglican sister, overwhelmed to meet a fellow anglican similarly convicted!!!!!!! it is so hard and lonely being the only one here at times and I pray that just one lady in our congregation (St. Bede’s, sydney) would be convicted so I wasn’t ‘all by myself’. thankfully though, even those who don’t agree respect wholeheartedly my right to practice this point of faith as I am led to and would defend my right to do so to the very end. this is one of Anglicanism’s shining positives in my thinking (even though one of our Bishops commented most negatively upon Christian ladies needing to ‘take up the veil’ as our muslim brethren here point out from our own scriptures. pity the fellow can’t see that they’re actually pretty well right…….this conviction is of god and only for God to make soul by soul, woman by woman. I pray our numbers in the Worldwide Anglican Communion steadily rise for God’s glory, that as we ‘decrease’ in the eyes of the world and even our fellow paritioners’, God is increased.

May you be ever blessed and stand fast to your convictions!!

A fellow Anglican sister who covers,

Sarah.