The Reverend Doctor Elizabeth Hope Follum Hoffman (Beth)…
was born in Hartford CT and grew up Rochester, New Hampshire. She lives only a few houses from the home she was raised in. She graduated with honors from The University of New Hampshire with a BA in English and a minor in Psychology. She earned a Master’s Degree in English Education with a concentration in Special Education. She graduated with honors and taught English, Middle School Language Arts, and support studies for students with special needs. She was a behavioral therapist for children with autism before answering the call of ordained ministry in the United Church of Christ.
Beth graduated with honors from Andover Newton Theological School in 2006. While a seminary student, Beth served as the Christian Education and youth pastor for various churches in Maine and New Hampshire. She enjoyed being the teaching Assistant for Hebrew Studies, Systematic Theology and Liberation Theology. A member of the Jonathan Edwards Honor Society, she received the Koinonia Preaching Award, The Excellence in Public Proclamation of Scripture Award, and the Worship, Theology and Arts Award. She also earned certification in Youth and Young Adult ministries from The Boston Theological Institute
Beth was ordained by the York, Maine Association of the UCC in 2006 at Second Christian Congregational United Church of Christ in Kittery. Before coming to First Church Eliot, Beth was the Director of Spiritual Care and Senior Chaplain at Portsmouth Regional Hospital and had also served as a Hospice chaplain. She was honored to serve as the chaplain for the Kittery Fire Department until 2023. “Pastor B” earned her Doctorate in Ministry in June 2013 from Bangor Theological Seminary and was a study fellow for the Chautauqua Clergy Leadership program during 2016-2018.
Beth’s favorite joys are the family, friends and faith community that God has blessed her with. She has been married to Mark Hoffman for over 30 years. Mark is a senior validation engineer at Aclara Meters in Somersworth, NH. He also enjoys woodworking, photography and staffing the sound system for our church services.
Beth doesn’t have too much free time but is passionate about music, spending time with all books, creating theological art and reveling in God’s great creation at Pilgrim Lodge, the Maine UCC camp for all ages.
Beth and Mark are blessed to be the parents of two adult children, Gabe, and Lydia. Gabe assists with music for Sunday morning worship and Lydia is a graduate student at Yale Divinity School, pursuing ordained ministry. Supported by a deep relationship with her sister, Rebecca Follum Schenk, our pastor loves being “Aunta B” to her niece and nephews and godmother to many amazing people.
