The daily services at Spring Prairie are a serious affair. The men and women wash their hands and faces, put on their black jackets and aprons and wait in the dark of their houses for the colony elders to begin the somber procession to the meeting hall. As at mealtime, it is considered rude to arrive early or late and the congregation assembles quickly, parting at the main aisle of the church. Again, everyone has his or her place by gender, age and marital status. Men sit on the left with their hats in their laps.
Women sit on the right with their hands folded.
The youngest Hutterites sit toward the front, the oldest at the back - with the exception of the elected elders who sit at the front and face the congregation. Children under age 5 remain at home with their baby-sitters. The church at Spring Prairie is on the main level of the same building that houses the adult and children's dining halls, the kitchen, the bakery and the laundry. It is notably unadorned. The only thing on the walls is a wooden clock.