Copyright © 2020 Logansport First Church of the Nazarene

Our Associate Pastor - Rev William Somsel

HOME: Ministry takes many forms, and for me, two areas bring particular joy: connecting with children and serving in the church where my own family story began in 1981. Growing up just down the street from the church where Alice, my soon to be wife grew up in, there was never any inclination of ministering or serving in that church, although I have always had a church background growing up in the Christian and Missionary Alliance church.

Alice influenced me to deepen my faith, and I started to get involved in the Church of the Nazarene as Caravan teacher for 3rd and 4th grade until our marriage in 1984 and then the Army for 4 years. While stationed in Washington State, Alice and I taught Sunday School for 1st and 2nd grade and were involved with NYI and helped with NMI.

After the Army, I got involved again at Alice’s home church teaching young adults, 4 years younger than me, and started doing a children’s sermon in the worship service.

In 1992, it became evident that full time ministry was in my future, something that Alice had always dreamed of, marrying a preacher. It had been 10 years since High School graduation and the former pastor recommended Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since it was geared more towards families than one of the Nazarene colleges where competition with teenagers would be devastating.

While in Colorado, I was involved in NYI and NMI once again and helped with children’s ministries. I was also on rotation for conducting services at nursing homes.

I graduated in 1996 with a bachelor's in biblical studies degree leading Alice and me to our first church in Northern Ohio for 3 years until an opportunity allowed me to invest in the next generation as a Youth Pastor for two formative years in Millbrook, Alabama. During that time, I filled in regularly at a church until one of my teens’ dad took over the church.

When that position ended when the pastor retired, a church came open for senior pastor in the southern tip of Ohio. Many hardships and trouble eventually brought us back to Alice’s home where once again I started doing children’s sermons.

There's something truly special about watching young minds grapple with spiritual concepts through tangible examples. The kids' responses are often insightful, sometimes hilarious, and always a reminder of the simple yet profound truths of our faith.

Since 2012, I have been the Associate Pastor at Alice’s home church where she and the current pastor’s wife grew up together. The former retired pastor needed someone to fill in for him at another church when he had 2 different churches lined up at once. I began filling the pulpit at 3 non-Nazarene churches and 2 other Nazarene churches.

In addition to these duties, I am on rotation for an adult Sunday School after the teacher retired from 30 years of teaching. I also am on rotation for children’s church and often the children’s object sermon carries over into children’s church. I am the Vice President for the NMI council and fill in regularly for the lead pastor. ~ Rev William Somsel