School for Leadership Training 2008

Seminary Recognizes Veteran Church Leaders

HARRISONBURG, Va. - Two veteran church leaders were honored Wednesday, Jan. 23, by Eastern Mennonite Seminary for more than 50 years of ministry.

Paul T. Yoder and John R. Martin, both of Harrisonburg, received plaques and letters of commendation during a church leadership banquet held during the annual School for Leadership Training.

Their spouses - Daisy B. Yoder and Marian L. Martin - were also cited for their "significant supportive roles" over the years.

Ervin R. Stutzman, dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and Phil N. Helmuth, director of church relations, made the presentations at the recognition ceremony.

Dr. Yoder was ordained in 1956, serving as a medical missionary in Ethiopia with his family and working with the Meserete Kristos Church there until 1977. He was a family practice physician with Park View Medical Center in Harrisonburg, 1977-85, and college physician at EMU until 1987. He was also staff physician at Blue Ridge Sanatorium, Harrisonburg Men's Diversion Center and Camp 8 Correctional Center at Linville, Va.

Yoder was a member of the first pastoral team, formed in 1980, at Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg. He left his medical practice in order to take on full-time pastoral and conference responsibilities,
including: president of Virginia Mennonite Board of Missions, 1985-1990; bishop/overseer of the Harrisonburg District of Virginia Mennonite Conference, 1983-2000; bishop/overseer of the D.C. Metropolitan Cluster and Potomac District of VMC, 1993-1996; and several interim pastorates in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The Mennonite Medical Association named Yoder "doctor of the year" in 1989, and he and Daisy Yoder were joint recipients of EMU's "alumnus of the year" award in 1982. They have four children: Debra (Gullman), Daniel, Paul Jr. and Judith (Stroop).

He graduated from EMU in 1950 and earned an MA degree in church leadership in 1992 from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Yoder is currently an assistant in the alumni-parent relations office at EMU, where he gathers information on alumni for the university's "Crossroads" magazine.

Martin, a 1954 EMU graduate, was pastor of Fish Lake Mennonite Church, Walkerton, Ind., while working on a bachelor of divinity degree at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart. He was pastor 1956-59 at Hyattsville (MD) Mennonite Church, and pastor of Neffsville Mennonite Church, Lancaster, Pa., 1961-71.

Other ministry involvements include associate executive secretary, National Service Board for Religious Objectors, 1957-59; director of I-W Service with Mennonite Board of Missions, 1959-61; overseer with Ohio Mennonite Conference, 1962-71; board member of the former Mennonite Broadcasts, Inc., 1966-77; and board member of the Mennonite Board of Congregational Ministries, 1979-87. He was moderator of Virginia Mennonite Conference, 1987-89.

Martin wrote three books - "Divorce and Remarriage: A Perspective for Counseling" (1974); "Keys to Successful Bible Study" (1981) and "Ventures in Discipleship" (1984)

Martin was a member of the EMU board of trustees, 1966-71, before joining the university faculty, where he taught in the undergraduate Bible department, 1971-78. He was registrar, director of field education and professor of church ministry at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, 1978- and was "acting dean" twice when the late George R. Brunk II was on sabbatical. He was instrumental in the development of the "spiritual formation" series, a basic component of the seminary curriculum.

The Martins have three children - Don, Lee and Ann.

The program featured an illustrated narrative of the couples' lives and ministry involvement put together and presented by Gloria Diener of Harrisonburg, a niece of P.T. Yoder, and an interview of Yoder and Martin by Jim Bishop, public relations officer at EMU.

-Jim Bishop 1-28-08