Staff

Pastor Daren Hofmann was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. He was ordained as a pastor in 2007. He served as an associate pastor at First Federated Church in Peoria, Illinois and as the solo pastor at White Lick Presbyterian Church in Avon, Indiana. He was called to the be the Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in late 2019.

Daren has an B.S. in Mathematics from Illinois College and taught High School math for four years after college. He received his M.Div from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia and his D.Min from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Rev. Hofmann’s wife, Sarah, teaches math. Together, they have two children, James and Amelia.

Pastor Jae Wang No was born in South Korea and earned his undergraduate degree in International Trade. He worked for nearly eight years as a journalist, serving as a National Assembly correspondent and religion reporter before answering God’s call to ordained ministry. After completing his Master of Divinity, he served in pastoral ministry in Korea for 13 years. During that time, he also led an export business as part of a business-as-mission initiative. He later earned a Master of Theology (Th.M.) from Kosin University and completed doctoral coursework (Th.D.) before coming to the United States.

Pastor No served for seven years in young adult ministry at the Korean Church of Champaign–Urbana in Illinois. In 2026, he was called to serve as Pastor of the International Congregation at First Presbyterian Church of Muncie. Since 2025, he has been pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He and his wife, Yunhee Choi, are grateful to share in faithful and joyful ministry together.

Director of Music & Chancel Choir Director Kerry Glann is the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Ball State University, where he conducts the Concert Choir and Women’s Chorus and teaches conducting and choral literature courses. He was previously on the music faculty of Kent State University and taught in the public schools of Ohio. He holds a BM in music education from Bowling Green State University, an MM in conducting from Kent State University, and a DMA in choral conducting from the University of North Texas.

An experienced theatre conductor, Kerry spent 17 seasons as musical director of The Huron Playhouse, a non-profit, professional-grade summer theatre in Huron, Ohio, where he led performances of over thirty productions. He has conducted opera for professional and university companies and has been on the staff of the Bigfork Sumrner Playhouse in Bigfork, Montana.

Kerry grew up in the First Presbyterian Church of Huron, Ohio, where his mother is still the choir director. Before moving to Muncie, he served as Director of Music at the Kent United Church of Christ in Kent, Ohio.

Equally at home in vocal and instrumental repertoire, Cara Chowning is in demand as a coach, music director and collaborative artist. She has performed extensively throughout the United States, South America, and Europe as duo partner, chamber musician and orchestral pianist.

Dr. Chowning has served on the accompanying faculties of the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as the faculties of Simpson College, Oklahoma City University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Former students and singers from her private coaching studio can be heard in young artist programs, theater series and opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, Kansas Lyric, Union Avenue Opera, Minnesota Opera, San Francisco Opera and Writers Theatre. Chowning is a frequent guest on recital series throughout the Midwest and Northeast Ohio and has been broadcast on WFMT, WCLV and Iowa Public Radio and has recorded on the Albany label. She has performed at the National Flute Association’s Convention and the International Double Reed Society Convention as competition pianist and recitalist and is principal keyboardist with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra.

April Murray is a native of Muncie and a graduate of Wes-Del High School and Ivy Tech.  Her children attended Pre-K here at First Presbyterian Church. April has a granddaughter who may also be attending Pre-K here in the future.  April is excited to begin her time in the office with the church.

Jami Jones moved to Muncie in 2001 when she attended Ball State to earn her Master’s Degree. She is married to Mike and has one daughter, Mia.  Jami has over 15 years of classroom experience including grades 1-9, with most of her time spent in Middle School Language Arts. She has a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration. For the first 6 years of daughter, Mia’s life, Jami removed herself from the classroom and stayed home.  This gave her the opportunity to spend time on projects at church, volunteer with community organizations, and aid in Mia’s classrooms.  Mia attended 1^st Pres for three years, where Jami  felt like it as a family.  

Jason was born and raised in Seattle Washington but has spent the bulk of his adult life in the Midwest. He has been teaching in Ball State’s Honors College since 2008. He is an intellectual historian by training but has recently completed his MA in theology from the University of Dayton. His areas of teaching and research are in the history of literature, philosophy, and theology.

Outside of school, he and his wife Kristina (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography) are empty nesters of two wonderful children and two lovely grandchildren. He serves on the advisory board of Muncie Scholar House, an organization that helps single parents overcome the obstacles of generational poverty and obtain their four-year degree. And it is not uncommon for him to be seen at the Caffeinery (his office away from his office) either reading, writing, or having coffee with students.