When John Simmons came to Jacksonville First United Methodist as its new pastor earlier this month, it was, in a sense, a homecoming. From the time Simmons was seven years old until he began seminary in 1976, he spent most of his time living in Hokes Bluff.“It is like making the circle, coming home,” Simmons said. “I still have family living in Gadsden and Hokes Bluff.”
Simmons’ father was a Methodist pastor, but when he passed away the family moved back to the familiar surroundings of Northeast Alabama. Simmons met his wife, Nancy, at Hokes Bluff High School where they both graduated in the 1960s. It was then off to Gadsden State Community College for a year before the looming threat of the draft caused him to join the Marines.
“I felt a need, but also concern about the draft, so I wanted to choose. If I were going to war, I wanted to be trained well and the Marine Corps trained well,” he said.
He spent two years in the Corps, one of those in Vietnam, and then came back to Alabama to work in a factory.
From there, he joined the police force, working for the Etowah County Auxiliary for two years and the Gadsden Police Department for four years before he felt the call to preach.
“It was about a seven-year journey through several pre-seminary education experiences,” said Simmons. “God just kept pursuing and I came to a place where I said, ‘Okay, God, whatever you want me to do.’”
Faith has always played a large role in any decisions he has made and he raised his two children, Mike and Terri to be the same way.
“Two things we tried to teach our children were a work ethic and also how to make right decisions. I think faith is a strong part of the decision-making process,” said Simmons.
Both of his children are now grown with kids of their own. Terri married Jason Northcutt and now has two children, Will and Mary Katherine, while Mike and his wife, Laura, have Allie and Brantley.
Since he accepted the call, Simmons has spent 32 years in the ministry, including 25 in the Birmingham area. His last four years were spent at Haleyville First United Methodist in Winston County.
“I was born in the Methodist Church. I was raised in the Methodist Church. As an adult, I choose to remain in the Methodist Church,” said Simmons, citing several reasons why he felt drawn to serve. “It helped form my sense of wholeness.”
Simmons is still learning about Jacksonville FUMC, but his is looking forward to being a part of its future.
“I believe this church can be a vibrant, fruitful, growing congregation and I want to be a part of that experience because I am on the journey, too. I’m assigned here as pastor, but I’m also on a faith journey,” he said.
