Harvey Yoder 鈥�64, SEM 鈥�99, is guided by a steadfast vision of God鈥檚 future in which the 鈥渨olf lies down with the lamb, people study war no more, and prisoners are released.鈥� In the half-century since his 1964 graduation, Yoder has quietly encouraged efforts to bring about God鈥檚 shalom.
While he prefaces mention of his accomplishments with 鈥渢hey didn鈥檛 set the world on fire,鈥� his work鈥攁s a teacher, pastor, counselor, writer and community organizer in Harrisonburg, Virginia鈥� has kindled flames of communication and cooperation. Yoder鈥檚 work garnered him other accolades. In March 2016, he received the Harriet Tubman Commemorative Leadership Award, awarded by the local Harriet Tubman Cultural Center.
鈥淗arvey鈥檚 many years of leadership as Mennonite pastor and counselor in matters on faith, life, spirituality, relationships, values, peace, social and criminal justice reform has touched the lives of thousands,鈥� the plaque reads.
In April, he was recognized as Counselor of the Year by the Central Valley Counselors Association.
Bridge-builder
For the first 20 years after his graduation, Yoder shared his time between teaching social studies and Bible at Eastern Mennonite High School and pastoring at Zion Mennonite Church. In addition to earning a master鈥檚 in congregational leadership at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, he earned a master鈥檚 in counseling psychology from James Madison University (JMU).
A year after Virginia Mennonite Conference founded the Family Life Resource Center in 1988, Yoder joined the Harrisonburg center as a full-time mental health counselor, while still serving as an unsalaried pastor of a house church congregation. His book, Lasting Marriage: The Owners’ Manual (Herald Press, 2007), distills some of his learnings, as does his radio program, 鈥淐enterpiece,鈥� and his 鈥淗arvspot鈥� blog at .
Yoder鈥檚 influence extends into the community. In 2014, when county supervisors proposed a new $63 million prison to alleviate overcrowding at the existing facility, Yoder joined others who were alarmed at the area鈥檚 soaring incarceration rates. He hosted a weekly meeting to address the issue and shepherded the group from merely opposing a new prison to broadly examining the root causes of mushrooming imprisonment.
In dealing with this emotionally charged topic, 鈥淗arvey has developed important and healthy relationships with others, even and especially with those who might not agree with him,鈥� wrote Dr. Terry Beitzel, director of JMU鈥檚 Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence and a member of Yoder鈥檚 group. 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 get frustrated with others, but works with others through these frustrations to develop better conditions.鈥�
Among other contributions, Yoder has also led a local chapter of Fellowship of Reconciliation, as well as guided Old Order Mennonites to create agricultural-forestal districts.
Working for shalom
Yoder grew up Amish, the eighth of nine children. He moved to the Shenandoah Valley from Kansas with his parents when he was 6. Nine years later, they left the horse-and-buggy group and joined the somewhat less conservative Beachy Amish.
Despite this move to 鈥渕odernity,鈥� Yoder鈥檚 parents were leery of Mennonite sway on their son, then 21, when he chose to attend Eastern Mennonite College. Harvey himself, however, found the influence formative and positive. 鈥淓MC expanded my world big time. My peers at EMC became my family.鈥�
One literally did. 鈥淢y parents were afraid I鈥檇 marry a Mennonite girl,鈥� he says, 鈥渨hich I did,鈥� he adds with a chuckle. Yoder married Alma Jean Wert 鈥�63 of Juniata County, Pennsylvania. They have three adult children: Brent, Brad and Joanna Yoder 鈥�98 Heatwole, and six grandchildren.
Yoder says he often questions the effectiveness of his influence in helping create God鈥檚 peaceable kingdom. 鈥淢y grown daughter once gave me a candle of St. Jude, the saint of lost causes,鈥� he says with a laugh. 鈥淏ut I can’t help dreaming of things as they truly should be, and as they in fact one day will be.鈥�