Westview Presbyterian Church
118 First Street - PO Box 2505 - Watsonville, CA 95077
831-724-6222 

Rev. Dan Hoffman with his wife Leslie

Meet Our New Pastor!!

God's goodness continues to abound here at Westview. Not only has He provided us with amazing people of faith to help and guide us while the our Church was in the process of finding a new Pastor, but one of our guest speakers/moderators is now our new Pastor.

On April 12, 2010 Reverend Dan Hoffman officially became the new Pastor for our Church. Rev. Hoffman has been a guest speaker and Session moderator for Westview for over a year now, and has been doing a wonderful job of ministering to us. After much prayer and careful consideration, he approached Session, saying he would like to serve as pastor for our Church. Our Church believes that Rev. Hoffman will bring strong spiritual guidance, energy, enthusiasm, and joy to his ministry here and in many ways, the decision was an answer to our prayers.

Elders and Deacons welcoming Pastor Dan and wife Leslie April 18, 2010

on his first official Sunday as Westview's Pastor.

After Sunday worship a potluck celebration and fellowship hour took place

to welcome Rev. Hoffman on April 18th (above left). A welcome basket was

also presented to Rev. Hoffman by Randy Mano (above right). And last but not least is Elissa Kadotani Barte showing her hula moves during this special fellowship hour.

The following is a biography from Reverend Dan Hoffman

MY JOURNEY TO WESTVIEW

   I was raised in Glendale, CA and was heavily involved in scouting

and swimming as I grew up. I am the youngest of three children (consequently my older brother always got the blame).

My mom was in education and my father was an engineer. My father

got cancer when I was 13 years old old, he survived for 9 years and died when I just graduated from college. This tragedy deepened my inner life and gave me a deeper compassion for those who were mourning/suffering.

   After high school I got out of the city and went to UC Davis (lots of

pigs and sheep) graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology (I

started out with engineering but had a vision in chem class of working for

Proctor and Gamble making a better soap). In psychology I could pursue my interest in understanding human behavior, emotional growth, suffering and healing. It was here in college that I met Leslie in our InterVarsity Christian group. I fell in love with her at college, but it took us 5 years before we started dating seriously. We married in 1993 and were starving students living in a leaky rental as we both finished grad school.

   I graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1996 with a Master of Divinity and after 3 years of debating whether I theologically believed in ordination I was finally ordained in 1999. After seminary I directed Hollywood Urban Project, a non-profit ministry in a low-income Hispanic neighborhood for 7 years while also being a parish associate at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. I supervised over 50 one-year interns as they lived and ministered in this challenging urban setting of gangs, drug dealers, and wonderful immigrant families. I rejoiced with families as several youth made it into college and mourned with families as several youth were killed in gang violence. My work in Hollywood deepened my concern about injustice, poverty, and the joy of service.

   I felt the call to pursue parish ministry and was pastor of United Presbyterian Church in Watsonville for almost 4 years. I am now a Hospice Chaplain with Central Coast Visiting Nurses Assoc. and Hospice in which I get the privilege of walking with families/patients as they deal with ultimate issues and what really is most important in life. I've been changed by witnessing extreme poverty and the human struggle as I led two mission trips to Guatemala during the civil war and several trips to Mexico.

   I have a wonderful wife of 17 years and two amazing children of 10 and 7 years of age. We love the beauty of the Monterey area and enjoy hiking, kayaking, bike riding and just soaking up God's amazing creation as it restores our spirits.

   I am delighted to have been able to get to know the members of Westview Presbyterian Church. You are kind and love God. My family and I feel very welcomed. We are delighted to journey with you and discover even more the wonders of our good and loving God with you.

Thank you for your kindness and warm welcome.

Peace and love to you,

Pastor Dan