Kenton Yoder is one of five men ordained permanent deacons Saturday, June 14, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Cloud. Deacon Yoder’s diaconate studies gave him greater trust in God and a willingness to try new things.
Current Parish: St. Andrew, Elk River
Hobbies: Golfing, hiking, camping
Favorite Saint: St. Joseph
Favorite Prayer: The Magnificat
Tell us a bit about your current family life
My wife Stefanie and I have been married for 27 years and live in Elk River. We have four children: Haley, 24 (married to George); Mya, 21; and twin boys, Elias and Elsay, both 20. My parents live just down the road from us in summertime and in Florida in the winter. My only brother lives in Waseca, Minnesota, with his family.
What do you do for work?
I work in the parish office at St. Andrew, currently as an assistant business manager. I am also very active in our parish youth ministry and religious education program
What drew you to the diaconate?
For me, entering the diaconate formation program came from a desire to be where God wanted me to be. In 2019, I was invited to attend an informational meeting about the diaconate. I felt that God wanted me to go. Then I felt God was inviting me to submit my application. From there, each time was a decision point in the formation process and I felt God was asking me to take the next step. As I learned more about the role of a deacon in the church, I felt God confirming to me that this is where he wanted me.
What surprised you most about studying to become a deacon?
I think the variety in the course work surprised me the most. One semester I was studying the writings of Church fathers that were sometimes 1,500 years old. The next semester I was learning to accompany people in their most difficult moments. Each semester was different.
How have you grown in your faith?
Through my time in formation, I have learned to trust God more. I have become more willing to try things that I haven’t done before or go places where I might not normally go. In those moments, I try to let the Holy Spirit lead. It’s in those moments — those moments where it feels like I have no idea what I’m doing — that I feel that God can best use me.
Tell us about some meaningful moments serving your parish.
I’ve been on many retreats, camps and conferences with our youth and it is always so rewarding for me to see young people encounter Christ and get excited about their faith. More recently I’ve been a part of our parish’s St. Vincent de Paul conference to focus on serving those who are in need. It’s been beautiful to see the members of our conference grow together in faith, each member bringing their gifts to be God’s hands and feet in our community.
What do you look most forward to as a deacon?
First, I’m looking forward to the grace that comes from ordination to help me fulfill my role in building up God’s Kingdom. I also am looking forward to being able to fill new roles within the sacramental life of the Church.
What moments of faith stand out to you from your childhood?
As a child, I always had a desire to serve God and wanted to live my life the way he would want me to. In high school, I remember our youth group and our youth leader who focused on teaching us how to pray. He taught us to be honest with God in our prayer, to be honest with each other and how to support each other when life presented challenges.
Where did you attend Mass and participate in church life when you were growing up? Did you serve in your parish community during your youth?
When I was young, our family attended a Protestant, non-denominational church, near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The church was small (20-30 people) and the members were essentially an extension of our family. In addition to Sunday morning service, the church would be together frequently for family fellowship nights, music jam sessions and potlucks. When a family in our church needed help with a project, I remember the whole church showing up to help. As a teen, I frequently helped with music on Sundays.
We are currently in the process of pastoral planning for our diocese — how can lay people help clergy to create vibrant faith communities?
As members of the church, we are all called to be involved and participate in the life of the Church. We have all received gifts from the Holy Spirit at our baptism. Those gifts are meant to be shared with the Church and to help build up God’s Kingdom. We must first pray and ask that the Holy Spirit show us where and how he wants us to use those gifts. But also, sometimes that discernment involves trying different things. We must be courageous and try things that we might not normally do. We might just find that the Holy Spirit leads us to places we didn’t expect!
In Isaiah 43:19, Revelation 21:5, and Isaiah 65:17, God promises to make “All Things New” — the theme of our planning process. What does this mean to you and what do you think God promises for the Church?
As we read the history of salvation presented to us in Scripture, we see a God who is continually creating. Yes, life presents us with twists and turns, but it is also clear that through those challenges, God is always present with us and he is always working in our world, in our diocese, in our parishes and in our lives to recreate us and make us more like him. Abraham was called by God to move his family to a place he had never seen. He trusted God and journeyed in faith. I think that God is asking our diocese to go on a journey and to step out in faith. While we may not know where this will lead, God promises to journey with us and lead us to a new place. I believe that new place will strengthen our diocese and ultimately will lead us to more opportunities to share his love and life within our communities.
What do you most appreciate about the Diocese of St. Cloud?
In my time in formation, I’ve met many people that possess strong and vibrant faith. I been challenged by those people and they have helped me to see God more clearly and grow in holiness. God is doing so many exciting things in our Church. Our job as followers of Christ is to see where God is working and share that with others.
What else would you like to share?
I greatly appreciate the support of our community and diocese during my formation. Thank you for the financial support that helped pay for courses. Most of all, thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for me as I enter a new phase of life.
Pictured above: Deacon Kenton Yoder pledges obedience to the bishop during the Rite of Ordination at St. Mary’s Cathedral June 14. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)
