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meet the blogger Leo Hartshorn

Leo Hartshorn

Leo Hartshorn is minister of peace and justice with the Mennonite Mission Network. He began this position in March, 2002 after almost 30 years of pastoral leadership in congregations in California, Texas, and Pennsylvania. In his current position he provides staff leadership for Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA. PJSN strengthens MC USA’s commitment to peace and justice by equipping persons called to this ministry and by encouraging the church to embody Christ’s reconciling way. The network plans national and regional peace gatherings, provides peace and justice resources (e.g., peace flags, Peace Takes Guts t-shirts, Peace Drum), manages a web site (peace.mennolink.org), produces worship materials (e.g., Peace Sunday), provides Spread the Peace grants, offers Peace Pitchers and Peace Mugs in recognition of peace leaders, edits and publishes Olive Branches and Dove Tales.

In his work with Missional Church Development, Mennonite Mission Network, Leo seeks to integrate peace and justice with mission by being a resource to MC USA and its conferences and congregations. He assists in developing a missional church change process, missional church resources, training mission leaders, and preaches and leads workshops on mission, peace and justice in conferences and congregations.

Leo is also co-founder and co-director of Drumming for Peace, a Lancaster, PA-based organization that teaches and witnesses publicly for peace through drumming, rhythm, storytelling, and music. He has played drums for over 40 years (his 1968 group Beauregard Ajax CD Deaf Priscilla was just released in June, 2006 by Shadoks Records). Leo has combined his passions for peace and drumming and has offered such programs as “A Joyful Noise” to all ages and various denominations across the U.S. Drumming for Peace has provided a program called “Found Sounds,” featured in the September-October, 2003 edition of Sojourners magazine, in after school programs in Lancaster. Leo teaches a credited course entitled “Sacred Drumming: Drumming as a Spiritual Practice” at Lancaster Theological Seminary, has presented the Staley Lectures on Drumming for Peace at Bethel College and presented his drumming programs at Goshen College, Eastern Mennonite University, and Messiah College.

In May of 2002 Leo received his doctorate from Lancaster Theological Seminary with a focus on Anabaptist preaching. His dissertation, Interpretation and Preaching as Communal and Dialogical Practices: An Anabaptist Perspective, was published by Edwin Mellen Press in December, 2006. Leo has taught classes in Bible and business ethics at EMU, Lancaster extension, and as an adjunct professor teaches classes on preaching peace and justice, sacred drumming, and Anabaptist-Mennonite Faith and Polity at Lancaster Theological Seminary (UCC).

Leo is married to Iris de Leon-Hartshorn, Director of Peace and Justice Ministries, Mennonite Central Committee U.S., has three adult children, one grandson, and attends Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, Lancaster, PA (Lancaster Conference).

 

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PJSN » Youth » Peace postings The views expressed in blog postings are not official positions of Mennonite Church USA, but ideas for discussion and learning.