Rev. Seung Ri “Victor” Han will succeed Rev. Patrice Goodwin as the pastor of the Houlton United Methodist Church. “Pastor Pat” and her husband, Rev. John Goodwin, who recently served as pastor for the United Methodist churches in Hodgdon and Danforth, are retiring and relocating to Eastport. Pastor Victor will be serving HUMC full-time and will also be serving the UMC in Hodgdon on a quarter-time basis, along with Mrs. Paula Lilley, a certified lay minister.
Pastor Victor and his wife, Joyce, are originally from South Korea and have been serving churches in Boston, Mass., for the past seven years. They have been married for six years and have two children, Lydia and Abe. Victor considers his wife and children as God’s greatest treasures and support. A former pastor’s child, Joyce mastered in pastoral counseling and is currently pursuing a master of divinity program.
Pastor Victor received his BA (law) degree from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, and his master of divinity and master of theology (Old Testament) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Mass. As a college junior, he studied at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and then returned to church ministry, where God blessed him with a consuming desire to help the youth, particularly those from dysfunctional families. God blessed Victor with a vision to set up a “Vision Study Club” for the purpose of teaching the youth the Word of God as well as academic subjects.
One of Pastor Victor’s passions is for mission work within the community served by the church. He has past experience in community mission work, including setting up a free clothing store and food pantry ministries. His prior church also built new partnerships with various groups, including social services centers and town offices, and also worked collaboratively with other local churches in various community ministries.
“Pastor Patrice Goodwin touched our hearts. We will miss her, and we wish her and her husband, Pastor John, the best of luck in their retirement. We look forward with great excitement to Pastor Victor’s pastorate within our church. We pray that under his leadership and guidance, we will more extensively serve the people within the Houlton community,” said Jim Blois, chairman of the HUMC Administrative Board.
“We cordially invite everyone to join us as Pastor Victor leads his first worship service at HUMC on Sunday morning, July 6, at 10:15 a.m.,” Blois said. The church is located at 57 Military St. on the corner of Military and School streets.
