Our Mission:
To make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Rev. Anna Shipley is deeply passionate about the mission of the United Methodist Church and am excited about her pastoral ministry with you as she has recently been approved for commissioning as a deacon in the Horizon Texas Conference of the UMC.
Anna grew up in Rowlet, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) and moved in 2018 to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Leadership with a minor in Religious Studies in 2021. Anna then continued her theological education at SMU Perkins School of Theology, earning a Master of Arts in Ministry in 2024 and has been living in Austin ever since!
Over the years Anna has served in a variety of roles in ministry. Some of these include directing and developing curriculum for the youth missions nonprofit U.M. ARMY, serving on staff at Northwest Hills United Methodist church in North Austin, and working as both Worship Director and Pastoral Intern for the UT Austin Wesley Campus Ministry. In addition to joining our staff as an Associate Pastor, Anna will also be stepping into the role of Executive Director of the Belton United Wesley, where she will continue my dedication to campus ministry and spiritual formation for young adults.
When she is not working she love playing board games, spending time outside playing soccer, making music, and reading while she pets her very cute cat Mei. (she would be happy to show you cat pictures!)
Rev. Patrick Hoffman was born in Singapore and raised across multiple countries, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, Patrick’s diverse upbringing has greatly influenced his ministry and global perspective. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with a minor in Psychology from The University of Texas at Dallas and graduated with a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology in 2014. Patrick was ordained as an Elder in the North Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in July 2016.
Prior to his appointment at FUMC Belton, Patrick served as the associate pastor at Arapaho UMC, as well as the senior pastor of Valley View UMC, FUMC Henrietta, and most recently, FUMC Celina.
Patrick and his wife, Rev. Jennifer Chickering, an ordained deacon in The UMC, have two young children: their daughter Sophia, age six, and their son Micah, age three.
Patrick is passionate about helping people discern God’s calling in their lives and has taken on leadership roles in this area, serving on the Northwest District Committee on Ordained Ministry, the North Texas Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, and the Board of Directors for the Denton and Wichita Falls Wesley Foundations.
Outside of his ministry, Patrick enjoys spending time with his family, running, and gardening with native Texas plants. His approach to pastoral leadership emphasizes community-building, spiritual growth, and guiding individuals to listen for God’s direction in their lives.
Belton First United Methodist Church was founded in 1850 when Bell County was created. By the 1880s, the original sanctuary at Pearl and First Avenue was outgrown and the current sanctuary on Third St. was erected 1884-1886 during the Pastorate of Rev. W.L. Nelms.
