Meet New Member: Fran Hoffmann
Fran joined First Unitarian Church of St. Louis on January 23, 2023. Her familiarity with Unitarianism began during her high school years in the early 1960s when her parents became founding members of the Newark (DE) Unitarian Fellowship, a thriving congregation to this day. Fran soon left for college and multiple moves thereafter as she embarked on a 35 year teaching and administrative career, including a stint at UMSL in the 1990s. Her lifelong academic focus on sociology and women’s studies was forged in the social movements of the ‘60s and the campus activism of the time.
Fran’s involvement with Unitarianism was limited to visits to the Newark Fellowship with her parents, but she sustained an appreciation for its social justice focus and commitment to forging a welcoming community for all. She engaged more fully with Unitarianism in the more recent past, becoming a member of the All Souls UU Congregation of New London, CT (2000-2010) and, subsequently, the All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, DC (2010-2020).
While in DC Fran volunteered with the Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) efforts to bring progressive religious voices to Congress, a role she especially appreciated because it enabled her to speak with Congressional staff and members directly on behalf of participating congregations -- access otherwise closed to her as a DC resident without a direct voice in Congress (she supports statehood for DC!).
The latest chapter in Fran’s life involved moves in 2021 to both upstate NY and St. Louis where she will divide her time enjoying grandchildren in both places, having more time with her grown sons and their wives, and involving herself in the two very different communities of rural Clinton, NY and relatively urban STL!
Welcome Fran!