UNITED STATES
The Mennonite
Anna Groff is executive director of Dove’s Nest and chair of the Sexual Abuse Panel appointed by Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Education Agency.
Ervin Stutzman is executive director of Mennonite Church USA.
Mennonite Church USA Executive Board, Mennonite Education Agency and the Sexual Abuse Prevention Panel are extending a broad invitation to any individuals interested in confidentially disclosing if they have been approached or abused by Luke Hartman, formerly of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Mennonite Church USA has named Linda Gehman Peachey, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Goshen, Indiana, as the individuals to receive any complaints regarding Hartman’s behavior.
Hartman was the former vice president for enrollment at EMU. He also served as a professor in the EMU teacher education program and an instructor in the master of education program for the past 12 years.
With great sadness, we received the news that Hartman resigned from EMU on Jan. 12 as a result of a Jan. 8 misdemeanor charge of solicitation of prostitution by Harrisonburg Police Department. We pray for God’s grace upon Hartman, his family, friends, and the EMU community. At the same time, we feel called to extend an invitation to persons who may have been hurt by Hartman’s actions.
To be clear, this invitation does not presume Hartman’s innocence or guilt regarding the charge of solicitation of prostitution before him. Neither are we accusing Hartman of abuse. We do not have any knowledge that he hurt any individuals connected to his work at EMU or elsewhere.
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