The Docudrama: Breaking The Silence
Breaking the Silence is a docudrama that explains the origins and legacy of the Amish faith and traces the Graber family back to the Reformation Era.
The Director: Joseph J Graber
Joseph is Lester and Rebecca’s son. He was fourteen years old when they were excommunicated from the Old Order Amish church. He is on a journey to discover where the Amish come from, to find out what his heritage means. What really is the faith of his fathers that his extended family has admonished him to keep?
“Martin Luther’s German Bible opened the way for my ancestors to read the Scriptures in a language they understood during a time when the church was being shaken more severely than it had been for a thousand years. Some people call that turbulent time the Reformation, I call it my heritage. But, what does it mean?
I deeply appreciate my childhood as the son of an Old Order Amish pastor. I love the body of Christ and am deeply grateful that God has allowed me to serve Him as a pastor of Living Water Fellowship in Golden Colorado. I am fascinated by Church history and desire to learn from the Scripture- and the past- as I seek to order my Christian walk. In Breaking the Silence I ask the question, “What is my Amish heritage?” I interview my parents, Lester & Rebecca Graber, as well as others who are either familiar with the Amish or with Church history. I travel to places that hold meaning to my family over the last five centuries.
From the pages of Scripture I have discovered my identity in Christ. Through the process of making this film I hope to define an Amish legacy that has been hidden for centuries.”
I have been watching and enjoying Joseph J. Graber’s videos about the Amish and Mennonites and have been enriched by them. When I noticed Josepeph’s surname was Graber I became intrigued. My paternal great-grandmother was Elizabeth Graber, daughter of Jacob and Katarina Blessing Graber, and was born in Germany August 19, 1838 and came to Ashland County, Ohio in 1855 where she married John Dalton in 1858 and settled on a farm near Hayesville. I immediately wondered if Joseph J. Graber and I, Dennis E. Dalton, could possibly be related, possibly cousins. Would you please forward this message to him. I am now 80 years old and family has always been so important. Thank You.
Dear Joseph,
my name is Ansgar Burkhardt. I am a brother in Christ. Since a young adult I was interested in the Amish culture. A friend of mine recommend your breaking the silence documentary to me. It was very interesting to see. I am living in Switzerland and watched some of your Coffee with Pastor Joseph sermons. When i saw your broken Swiss coffee mug I found that i would love to send you something. It should be arriving at church by today. Have a nice day and God bless,
Ansgar
God bless you for bringing Jesus to the Lise who thirst for Him. Religion does not replace the relationship Christ gave His life in order we might have communion with Him. He came to set the captive free from sin and man’s traditions.