Merle Hostetler

EGMC Pastoral Team Member

My Family

We live in Goshen, IN. My wife, Mary, is an elementary school teacher. She enjoys teaching, as well as spending time working around our home, gardening, walking, cruising antique shops, and traveling. Our son Ian is three and finds great joy in miniature people, horses and other animals, looking at books and being read to, being outside, and roughhousing with mom and dad. Austin, 3 months, was born November 22, 2002, and his adoption was finalized February 13, 2003. As a family we enjoy riding bike together, traveling to visit our families, day hiking if we’re in Colorado, and hosting people in our home.

Contact Information

office: 574/533-7161

e.mail: merleh@eastgoshenmc.org

Current Projects

Building Authentic Relationships (BAR): This is an effort which I am undertaking to help high school aged youth come to a more clear understanding of relationships with people around them and this impacts their future relationships. A key focus is preparation for marriage. Two objectives for this effort are 1.) to provide hope for teens as they consider marriage in a world that is burdened with divorce and marital unfaithfulness, and 2.) to provide opportunities for youth to work at relationship issues before they become involved in a relationship that is seriously considering marriage.

Biographical Information

I am 42 years old, being born and raised in the Kalona, Iowa community. I graduated from Iowa Mennonite High School in 1978, attended Rosedale Bible Institute (OH) for 3 terms, graduated from Hesston College (KS) in 1981 (AA degree in Agriculture), and Eastern Mennonite College/University (VA) in 1983 (BS in Camping/Recreation & Youth Ministry and Christian Ministries), attended Eastern Baptist Theo. Seminary (Philadelphia) for one year (1998-99) before attending and graduating from Denver Theological Seminary (CO) in 2000 (MA in Youth and Family Ministries and Counseling Ministries). From November 1983 to November 1984, I served in voluntary service for one year in Ocean City, MD at Diakonia, a residential crisis shelter. Following this I was camp director at Bethel Mennonite Camp in southeastern Kentucky from May 1985 through August 1987. It was from this point on to the present that I have been involved in congregational ministry, except for the three years in seminary. From September 1987 through August 1998, I served as Director of Youth Ministries at Souderton Mennonite Church, Souderton, PA. In June 2000, I joined the pastoral team at East Goshen Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana.

Mary Yoder and I were married November 30, 1991.

Personal Interests

My personal interests, in addition to my work in the church, includes hiking, reading, basketball, golf, outdoor projects, being with people, basketball officiating, and traveling.

Last Revised: February 11, 2003