Jim Hoff

I started chaplaincy as a Catholic priest doing sacramental ministry in a large teaching hospital. While there, I fell in love and felt God's calling to the married state. I did get married. I also knew that God had led me to the pastoral ministry and felt continued to be called in that direction. Knowing that it would be hard to pursue without getting the proper education and certification, I embarked on those tasks. I had never completed my Masters degree in theology and yet had much of that background in seminary. So I inquired about what I would need to do to complete that. I was able to get some classes and write a paper on ethics. My seminary accepted my work and awarded me with a Masters of Divinity degree. At the same time I enrolled in a Clinical Pastoral Education group to get the required units to be certified.

My classes were so revealing to me about myself and my way of doing ministry. It helped me get in touch with those blind places in my ministry and helped prepare me for future ministry in this realm. I was so grateful for what I learned, I even entered the supervisory tract after several years doing ministry. I continue to this day to feel the calling of the Lord to be one of God's pastoral ministers, some 22 years after entering this ministry. All the stumbling blocks that I expected because of my marriage never materialized in my case and I continue to find God's hands in all I do.