Old Order River Brethren  The Old Order River Brethren are a small Old Order Christian denomination with roots in the Mennonite church and German Radical Pietism through the Schwarzenau Brethren. The denomination began about 1778 in Pennsylvania. They share their early history with the Brethren in Christ Church. A group of brethren living near the Susquehanna River, who had previously separated from the Mennonites became known as the River Brethren. In 1856, there was a three way split among the "River Brethren" and these folks established a separate, more conservative group. They were sometimes referred to as the "York Brethren or Yorkers", because most of the members in 1843 were located in York County, Pennsylvania. This group believed the majority of the River Brethren churches were becoming too lax in their standard of Biblical non-conformity and non-resistance, and desired to return to older, Scriptural doctrines and traditions. With the increase of more progressive and modernizing groups in Christendom following the industrial revolution, and the emergence of clarifying naming of other traditional Old Order groups among the plain people such as Amish (Old Order Amish forming 1862–78), the Mennonites (Old Order Mennonites, 1872–1901) and the German Baptist Brethren (Old German Baptist Brethren 1882) in the late 1800s they defined themselves also as "Old Order". Between 1921 and 1961 four splits occurred in the group, mostly regarding the use of cars, leaving the Old Order River Brethren divided into five subgroups. Three of the five groups reunited between 1969 and 1977 so that there are three subgroups until today. Traditionally meetings for worship are held in the homes and barns of the members. In recent times, sometimes meetinghouses and public buildings are also used for church services. Ministers are un-salaried and there is no formal training for preachers. Ministers are chosen from among the godly men of the congregation, who fulfil the Scriptural description of church leaders in 1 Timothy 3.1–13, and Titus 1.5 – 3.11. A congregation traditionally has a bishop, two ministers, and one or two deacons. Testimonies are an integral part of every worship service, which opens by allowing all members, male and female to share personal testimonies, answers to prayer, or songs. There is no Sunday School. The two-day Lovefeast observance of communion is practiced which includes foot washing.