After six years as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, the Rev. Nancy Gammill is retiring.
Prior to being appointed senior pastor she was district superintendent for three years, Gammill said. In the United Methodist Church members get sent to appointments, she said. Gammill said when the senior pastor position came open, she put her name in the hat and was appointed. Gammill, who was already in Emporia, had hoped to be sent to a town the size of Emporia.
Gammill has always been active in the church, she said. At some point, a friend of hers pointed out that she should go into ministry.
“At that time, lots of women didn’t go in to be ordained,” Gammill said.
In her first year in seminary she decided she could be in the ministry. When she completed seminary in 1976, there were only three women that had been ordained.
Gammill, who was the first woman senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Emporia, has enjoyed her time as senior pastor.
“The one thing that keeps me going is the relationships and being involved in people’s lives and helping people through the most difficult parts of their lives,” she said. “Just the relationships with talks is the most rewarding.”
Gammill also loves working with children, she said.
“I love seeing children and people grow up,” she said, adding that it’s neat to be able to see a child grow up and then be able to conduct the wedding for them later in their lives.
After retirement from First United Methodist Church next week, Gammill said she plans on working part time at a church in Topeka as pastor of congregational care. She’ll be involved in people’s lives by visiting people in hospitals, conducting funerals and other duties.
“I’ll be involved in critical periods of people’s lives,” she said.
Gammill said she’s enjoyed her time in Emporia.
“It’s been a very enjoyable six years,” she said. “I don’t regret a moment of it. Emporia is a great community.”
It was Gammill’s choice to retire, she said.
“I need to be able to give adequate time to various aspects of my life,” she said.