In high school and during his first years of college, Lee Martin wanted to launch a career in forestry. But during a visit to the pastor’s office at Mt. Clinton Mennonite Church, Lee explained that “God had different plans” for his life.
At Eastern Mennonite High School in the 1970s, Lee loved Biology class with teacher David K. Mumaw. He also remembers being shaped by Christian Family Living class with Harvey Yoder, and daily chapels were formative in his life.
After two years attending Eastern Mennonite University, Lee took a break from studies and entered Voluntary Service in Mashulaville, Mississippi. There he regularly interacted with Daryl Byler ’74, his former EMHS cross country coach, who lived in nearby Meridian, Mississippi. Daryl’s mentorship of Lee while running and then in service to others in the Deep South were crucial in helping to form Lee Martin’s ministry identity.
When Lee graduated from college, he had earned a double major in Biology and Bible, accenting the two interests of his life. The Bible ministries major, though, had taken first place as Lee’s life focus. After graduation from college, Lee worked as a youth pastor at Gospel Hill Mennonite Church, and soon became involved in camp leadership at Highland Retreat, a church sponsored ministry near Bergton, Virginia. His wife Peg, a graduate of Lancaster Mennonite High School, joined him in church work and camp life service.
On the very first Sunday of the new millennium, January 2, 2000, Lee became the full time pastor at Mt. Clinton Mennonite Church. A supporting congregation of EMS, Lee says that in most years there have been students from the church attending EMS. There is a strong public school connection at Mt. Clinton, though, and Lee affirms this for the families who choose to send their children to local County and City schools. Mt. Clinton provides an annual grant to students who attend Eastern Mennonite School.
Lee says that in grades 8-12 at EMS, his life was “profoundly shaped by the triad of home, church, and school.” He remembers that Ernie Swartz taught his Sunday school class at Park View Mennonite Church, was his youth group leader at the church, and taught him Chemistry at EMHS. Lee’s children Maria ’09, and Curtis ’13, are both graduates of EMHS.
When visiting Mt. Clinton Church on a bright fall October afternoon, it became clear that Lee Martin would have served God well in a forestry career. He is tall, athletic, strong, and has a great love for the out-of-doors. But somewhere in the mix of high school, college, and Voluntary Service, Lee discovered that God had a different plan for his life. In 2012 Lee earned an M.Div. from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. At the end of the interview, with open Bible and laptop on his desk, Lee grinned and acknowledged that he was pondering his upcoming sermon that he would preach at his rural congregation about six miles west of Harrisonburg.
