2021
Doug Hoffman, aka Dougie, contributed, “Hello classmates! I miss you and can't wait for our next chance to be together. My family and I are well ... I am still a United Methodist pastor, serving now in downtown Hagerstown at John Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC), where I began on July 1. It is great to be back in Maryland, after serving in Berkeley Springs, WV for five years. We love our home that we bought in “Bath,” the name of the WV town preferred by those like us who love its history. We currently live in Hagerstown in the beautiful church parsonage. We return to our home in Bath for days off and to continue our improvement of the home. My wife, Donna, just started a job as the administrator at Otterbein UMC, the “other” (LOL) big downtown UMC in Hagerstown. It is cool to see how Donna’s presence there is already helping our two churches communicate better with each other. Churches today cannot afford to let our petty differences divide us any longer. Our divided land needs us to be agents of togetherness, service, and love given and received.
Our children are acclimating well to Hagerstown. We all find it refreshing to be in a more diverse community. Our son, Cory, 19, graduated last year from Berkeley Springs HS and the James Rumsey Academy with a certificate in Masonry. Cory has patiently waited for more COVID-19 safety, and with his mom and dad now vaccinated, he is ready to begin working, looking to begin his masonry career. My daughter, Calleigh, 15, is a freshman at the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, here in Hagerstown. She is a gifted writer and is thrilled to be at BISFA, surrounded by artists! We all wish you well.
I have such a profound appreciation for you all, for your parts in the amazing experience I had at Gilman. You all were so good to me. I’ve so enjoyed reuniting with you at reunions and can’t wait until the next one. I’ve been so blessed to be in touch with some of you. I think of all of you. Please be COVID-19 safe, so we can cross the finish line. Please get vaccinated, if you have not already. God be with you 'til we meet again.” As an aside, my company is planning to start a large renovation project in Hagerstown in the coming months, so I am hoping Doug and I can get together during some of my monthly site visits.
reported by Willy Moore '81
