On Oct. 24, Virginia Mennonite Conference terminated Duane Yoder’s ministerial credentials. The decision follows the formation of an investigation team in July to review actions taken by Yoder during his tenure as pastor of Lindale Mennonite Church, Linville, Virginia.

In an Oct. 25 statement, VMC announced the termination. The statement also says that Yoder did not contest the findings but declined “to participate further in this process.” Update: On Oct. 31, Yoder responded to The Mennonite and declined to comment for this story.

In June 2016, seven current and former members of VMC, including Lauren Shifflett and her sister, Marissa Buck, who had written previously about experiences of abuse by Luke Hartman, then a Lindale member, submitted a formal complaint regarding Yoder’s response to allegations against Hartman. “In several instances, Duane Yoder’s actions have hurt and alienated victims and their families–people God’s church should be most concerned to comfort and protect,” said the complaint.

The formation of an investigative team also followed a report facilitated by Mennonite Church USA staff and conducted by D. Stafford & Associates in January that included a number of recommendations for VMC. Members of the investigative team were not named. In a July 24 statement, Jon Trotter, VMC communications manager, wrote that representatives from the FaithTrust Institute encouraged VMC not to disclose the names publicly.

On the Facebook page for Our Stories Untold, a network for survivors and the blog that first published Shifflett’s account of abuse in April 2016, Director Hilary Scarsella acknowledged that VMC, Mennonite Church USA leaders and the DSA report played a role in the credentials being terminated, but emphasized that “This would not have been remotely possible were it not for survivors and the people who believed and supported them.”*

“Let’s all of us here take a moment to say a word of thanks to everyone who has come forward to report Duane Yoder’s behavior and every survivor who might not have found it possible to speak into this process but is a living testament to the truth,” wrote Scarsella on Oct. 25. “You have made a real difference, and your courage and determination and care and will to survive have given countless people the gift of being less at risk for being abused, silenced, and shamed.”

For a full timeline of events in this story, see our previous report, “VMC releases response to recommendations in abuse case.”

*Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that Scarsella thanked VMC, Mennonite Church USA leaders and VMC. We have updated this story to better reflect the intent of the original OSU statement.