Conference terminates Yoder’s credentials

Based on the findings of the Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC) Investigation Team regarding Duane Yoder, the previous pastor of Lindale Mennonite Church, Linville, Va., and on Yoder’s decision not to contest those findings by declining to participate further in this process, Conference leadership acted to terminate Duane Yoder’s ministerial credentials for further ministry within Virginia…

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Conference Council approves Gordon Zook as interim Conference Minister during Kratz’s sabbatical

News release September 27, 2017 The September meeting of Conference Council, Virginia Mennonite Conference’s governing body, launched a temporary time of transition. Effective October 1, Executive Conference Minister Clyde G. Kratz begins a three-month sabbatical. Conference Council hired Gordon Zook, former Oversight Leader for VMC’s Leadership/Administration Cluster, to serve as a part-time interim Conference Minister.…

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News release: VMC actions since DSA report

Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC) is actively pursuing the recommendations that were presented to us by Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) based on the D. Stafford & Associates report (DSA). The DSA report, received January 2017, contains the findings from the investigation associated with VMC leadership responses to the knowledge of Luke Hartman’s inappropriate activities. The…

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Helping pastors develop intercultural competence

Ertell M. Whigham Jr.

The term “white privilege” was not in my vocabulary or understanding while living in a neighborhood for 18 years, where whites were in the minority. In my faith community as a child, my Sunday School teacher and classmates were non-white. It wasn’t until I thought about attending Hesston College that I recognized it was more…

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Register for the pre-Assembly Pastor’s Summit

Virginia Mennonite Conference will again host a Pastoral Summit on Thursday, July 20, at Shady Oak (Weavers Mennonite Church) before Conference Assembly begins. This resourcing event is for all credentialed leaders in VMC. The theme, presented by Lonnie Yoder, is “Challenging/Difficult People in Congregational Life…including Ourselves.” Every congregation includes individuals or groups who, from a…

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Leaders gather for Celebrating Congregational Life Seminar

Celebrating Congregational Life

Lay leaders and pastors gathered for a one-day seminar on April 22, 2017, to be better equipped for the missional impulses that nurture congregational life and the mission of the church. Celebrating Congregational Life was a resource event about disciple-making, the mission of God and the mission of the church. Speakers and workshops gave tips…

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