author
Lester Hostetler
b. 1892
A Mennonite minister, hymnal editor, and writer, this Ohio-born church leader spent decades helping shape worship and congregational life. His best-known work reflects a deep interest in the stories and traditions behind hymn singing.
1 Audiobook
Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary
by Lester Hostetler
About the author
Born in Sugarcreek, Ohio, on April 25, 1892, Lester Hostetler studied at Goshen Academy, Goshen College, and Union Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1915 and went on to serve in Mennonite ministry for many years.
Hostetler became especially known for his work with church music and hymnals. He was co-editor of The Mennonite Hymnary (1940), later edited 101 Hymns from the Mennonite Hymnary and The Youth Hymnary, and wrote Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary, a guide to the background and meaning of hymns.
He is also remembered as a longtime minister in the General Conference Mennonite Church and as an early leader of First Mennonite Church in Sugarcreek, Ohio. He died on July 23, 1989, at age 97.