Alumni Spotlight – Paul Hoffman ‘74

Reflecting on his path to a 33-year career in the clergy, Paul Hoffman sees his involvement in Susquehannock’s American Field Service (AFS) program, under the guidance of advisor Phyllis Krumrine, as a crossroads. His recollections do not resonate of an epiphany but rather of a natural progression. He says, “It was in AFS that I began to develop an intense interest in people. The rest was a series of logical steps.”

It began with his family’s hosting of a Danish exchange student in 1972. This led to his own exchange trip to Afghanistan the following summer. He was there when the country’s king was overthrown in a populist coup. “It was a scary 10 days,” Paul recalls. But he returned safely to complete his senior year at SHS, graduating with honors in 1974.

He was in band, orchestra, chorus, and school musicals. Paul was primarily a keyboard player, skilled in both piano and organ, but also played tuba and string bass.

Outside of school, he was very active in the Christ Lutheran Church in Shrewsbury, and served as church organist at St. John in New Freedom.

After graduation, he enrolled in Lycoming College with aspirations for a career in political science. “That lasted for one semester,” he laughs. “Then I majored in English.”

The new major was also a logical step. He remembers English as his favorite subject at SHS, where he was inspired by teachers Carol Williams, Kathryn Crozier, and Joann Pitzer. Of the change Paul says, “Words became my life. I was fascinated with the power of language.”

Paul was president of the college choir, where he both sang and accompanied. He also served as organist for a local church.

After graduating from Lycoming in 1977 (a year early) with a Bachelor of Arts degree and career certainty, he enrolled in the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, where he earned a Master of Divinity in 1981.

Paul’s first position, or calling in the vernacular of the Lutheran Church, was as an associate pastor in Lincoln, Nebraska where he had performed his seminary internship.

His next calling was to Texas in 1984, where he was a mission developer, starting a congregation from scratch. “We began in an elementary school cafeteria and built a church from the ground up.”

After five years and finishing what he started in Texas, he was called to Fremont, Nebraska, where he was a pastor for seven years from 1989 to 1996. It was in Fremont that he became a supervisor of interns in seminary, an experience he found tremendously rewarding and influential toward his later career.

In 1996, he was called to Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle, where he served as lead pastor for 17 years. It was in this period that he rose to the stature of a nationally recognized author, preacher, and speaker.

He has written three books: Stations of the Cross (2010); Faith Forming Faith (2012); and Faith Shaping Ministry (2013).

For what he has been able to do with his life, Paul freely credits his time at Susky. “The school was filled with people who believed in me,” he says. “There was a spirit of encouragement and a challenge to excel everywhere. I’m a farm boy from Glen Rock with a life filled with ‘pinch me’ moments, and the seeds were sown at Susquehannock. I will always be grateful for that.”

Paul, now devoting full-time to his writing and speaking career for the larger church, lives in Seattle with his wife Donna (whom he met in the choir at Lycoming College) along with his children Jacob (33) and Lauren (31), who live nearby.

Thanks to Paul Hoffman ’74 for making us Warrior Proud.