Leadership

Reverend Nathanael Hood

Grace and peace, love and joy to you all!

 My name is Nathanael Hood, and I’m honored to be called as the next pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Junction City!

 I’m a third-generation PCUSA pastor who grew up attending churches throughout the Deep South and the Northeast. My mother’s side of the family was deeply involved in international missionary work, spreading God’s word throughout both Africa and South America. I originally attended grad school in New York City and lived in the five boroughs for about six years before returning to school and going to Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, where I received my Master's of Divinity. After graduating, I spent a year-and-a-half doing a medical residency in an inner city hospital in Brooklyn, where I served as a chaplain for an economically, racially, and ethnographically diverse community. My extensive experience working with both Christian and non-Christian patients from all walks of life gave me a heart for serving all of God’s children, no matter how they identify, live, or worship.

 I’m overjoyed to be called to a church with such a long and established history serving both the people of Junction City and the nearby Fort Riley military base. I’m eager to learn more about First Presbyterian’s past, its present, and its hopes and aspirations for the future. I look forward to learning more about the church’s many ministries involving both the local congregation and the wider Junction City community. As my mother was a Director for Children’s Ministries, I’ve inherited a heart for working with small children and young adults and feel particularly excited to become involved in First Presbyterian’s outreach to them.

 Before I went into ministry, I worked for several years as a freelance film critic, so I have a deep love of movies and the arts. In my spare time, I also enjoy listening to music—especially jazz and rock—reading, being outdoors, and attending live concerts and shows. I’m also an experienced traveler, having journeyed throughout Europe, parts of the Middle East, and Japan. I’m always open to trying out new experiences, meeting new people, and experimenting with new kinds of food!

 I look forward to meeting all of you and moving forward with First Presbyterian’s mission of glorifying the risen Christ to all peoples.

 Love and mercy,

 Nathanael Hood

Deacons

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