Virginia Mennonite History Book

People of Peace will be released at Virginia Conference Assembly August 21-23, 2025

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Overview
A new history book has been written that narrates signs of God's kingdom in a unique southern context, distinct from other area Mennonite conferences. The emphasis is on Virginia Mennonite Conference churches, but other groups that have intersected with or emerged out of VMC are included.

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The Need
Two groups have worked to produce People of Peace: A History of the Virginia Mennonite Conference. The Shenandoah Mennonite Historians, an independent non-profit organization, has led the way to write and finance the book. Officers are Jim Hershberger, Gary Smucker, Norman R. Wenger, James Rush, Gerald Brunk, and Elwood Yoder. The Virginia Mennonite Conference Historical Committee members are Simone Horst, James Rush, Ken Weaver, Mary Sprunger, and Elwood Yoder.

The history in Harry A. Brunk's two-volume set of books ends with 1960. New churches and ministries have been established since Brunk finished his scholarly books. The second volume is difficult to find and expensive to purchase.

People of Peace presents the distinctive story about Mennonites in Virginia and surrounding states to pastors and members of Virginia Conference, as well as to a national audience, that hasn't had access to the previous books.

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The Book

People of Peace has been co-authored by Steven Nolt, professor of history and Anabaptist studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College and senior scholar at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, and Elwood Yoder, Editor of Shenandoah Mennonite Historian and former history and Bible teacher at Eastern Mennonite High School.

The authors have written a chronologically-organized, narrative history focusing on people and churches of Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC). They have included other Mennonite groups that have departed or joined VMC over time and Mennonites with links to VMC via migration and mission (such as Jamaica Mennonite Church, Mennonite Church of Trinidad and Tobago, and others).

Nolt and Yoder have situated the Mennonite story in Virginia’s broader historical and cultural context and the Mennonite world beyond Virginia. The authors tell the stories of women and men and include the voices and experiences of many groups within VMC history. The 526-page hardback book includes an index, endnotes, and many photos and captions.

Purchase a copy at Assembly 2025 at Ridgeway Mennonite Church (August 21-22) and the Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center (August 23). You can purchase a book from Elwood Yoder ([email protected]) or from Masthof.com or Amazon.com.