Minister and Ministries
Meet Pastor Char
I began ordained ministry in 1996 after decades of serving God and the church. As a lay person I’ve
participated in youth groups, prayer groups, bible studies, served as a United Methodist Women’s president, was a member of the Elgin District Education Committee as well as other positions on the Northern Illinois Annual Conference and North Central Jurisdictional Conference.
But I always knew God was calling me into pastoral ministry and I was ordained Deacon in 1996 and Elder two years later. Lifelong education is very important to me. After receiving a Masters of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, I received a Doctors of Divinity degree in preaching in 2013.
I’ve previously served as pastor in Polo, Evergreen, Park, River Forest, Villa Park, and Antioch. I am currently the Clergy Advisor to the North Central Jurisdiction Men’s Ministry group and have special interest in fostering men’s leadership in the local church. I’ve been pastor of Hebron United Methodist Church since July of 2020.
Contact Pastor Char Hoffmann:
E-mail – charh-pastor@att.net
Phone: (815) 728-3036
Our Beliefs
We are a local congregation of The United Methodist Church. Following the roots of Methodism, our church is devoted to putting faith and love into action and our primary mission is “Creating pathways to serve and love God’s people.” Keeping our mission in mind, our vision for all our ministries is that “We will be God’s inclusive love.”
United Methodist preaching and teaching is grounded in scripture, informed by Christian tradition, enlivened by personal experience, and tested by reason. Read more here.
Central to our mission is finding ways to be Christ’s hands, feet, and heart beyond the doors of our local church. There are a number of ways you can make a difference by participating in our N.O.W. ministries. Feel free to e-mail any of our N.O.W chairs to learn more!
Nurture Ministry
Shirlee Correll, Alberta Austin – Nurture Co-Chair
You can e-mail Shirlee Correll at offqueen@aol.com
Outreach Ministry
The Outreach Ministry Team is committed to publicly witnessing, advocating, and providing opportunities to act, encouraging Hebron to prophetically bring God’s vision to reality. We find inspiration in the United Methodist Social Creed and Litany and Social Principles.
A prime focus of our Outreach Ministry team is fighting hunger. Almost 7 of every 100 residents in McHenry County experience food insecurity each month. Hebron UMC is dedicated to fighting hunger: our PADS program (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) assists homeless people with meals, we systematically make donations to the Hebron Community Food Bank, we offer a community wide Thanksgiving meal, and we participate in Peace with Justice Sunday.
Stephanie Claussen, Wendy Schaid – Outreach Co-Chair
You can e-mail Stephanie Claussen at juststephers@gmail.com
Witness Ministries
Our Witness Ministry Team leads evangelistic outreach and shares Hebron UMC’s faith stories, oversees communications, lay speaking ministries, and other means that lifts up Jesus Christ. You can learn about what we’re doing at the moment by checking our our monthly newsletter Catch the Spirit!
Stephanie Claussen, Dave Dickey – Witness Co-Chairs
You can e-mail Stephanie Claussen at juststephers
You can e-mail Dave Dickey at dadickey1@gmail.com
A Word on our Beginnings
Our church has been serving the Hebron community of approximately 1,200 residents for 165 years. We began without a building – meeting in schools and farmhouses with visiting Circuit Riders, until 1862 when our church was built (now the Fellowship Hall). In 1925 the building was rotated and a new sanctuary was added. Our first full time pastor was Reverend Ronald Colton who served from 1957-1959 and our first female pastors were Rev. Pat Herriot who served for 6 months in 1976 followed by Rev. Kay Dillard who served from 1976-1981. Our church housed the Hebron Area Community Food Pantry until it grew so large, it was moved in 2012 to the Hebron Village offices and later to an even larger facility at the Hebron Township office. Many other missions, church groups, and traditions that started decades ago either remain or have had a lasting impact, such as our Rainbow Covenant/Mission Links giving, Community Thanksgiving Dinner & Service, Community Vacation Bible School, Prayer Shawl Ministry, P.E.P. Club, Catch the Spirit Newsletter, UMW, Rally Day, Sunday School, Dancing with the HUMC Stars, Christmas and Easter programs, Choir, and the Fellowship Cafe. In 2015, we adopted our new vision statement: We will be God’s Inclusive Love and our new mission statement: Creating Pathways to serve and love God’s people.
