Hein, Marvin (1925-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Feb 4 p. 1, 2

Birth date: 1925 Apr 12

text of obituary:

MB leader stood out as preacher

By Celeste Kennel-Shank

Mennonite Weekly Review

Marvin Hein, considered one of the greatest Mennonite Brethren preachers of his generation, has died.

Hein, who died Jan. 5 in Fresno, Calif., at age 82, was a pastor and a leader in Mennonite World conference and in the MB conferences in North America.

"Marvin was a craftsman when it came to his writing and his sermonizing," said Ed Boschman, executive director of the U.S. Conference of MB churches.

He was also deeply pastoral, Boschman said.

"It was natural for him to care for people, to nurture people, to encourage and exhort and challenge people," he said.

Originally from a farm in Oklahoma, Hein was born on Easter Sundy 1925. After participating in Civilian Public Service during World War II, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan.

He pastored Hillsboro (Kan.) MB church for 24 years and North Fresno MB church for 11 years.

While in Hillsboro, Hein began his decades-long commitment to conference work, serving on the MB Southern District Youth Committee, Southern District MB Conference, United States MB conference, and the MB Board of Education that governs Tabor college, Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary. He also taught at Tabor.

After retiring as a pastor, Hein served 11 years as executive secretary for the MB General Conference, which united the U.S. and Canadian conferences before the denomination restructured.

Jim Holm, president of MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, said Hein impressed him in the executive secretary role.

"I remember attending conventions, and when someone would raise their hand to speak he would call the person by name," Holm said. "He seemed to know everybody."

Holm also recalled the strength of Hein's pulpit ministry.

"He was creative, he was original, he used lots of very clever metaphors and illustrations to make the point that he was trying to make," he said.

When Heim learned he would die of acute leukemia, he began to plan his memorial service and asked Holm to preach.

Hein would not tell Holm what to say, but did give him a verse, 1 Cor. 4:7, "What do you have that you did not receive?"