Monticello Methodist Has New Pastor
Rev. Nathaniel Long and his family became Jasper County residents June 25 after accepting his new pastoral assignment at the Monticello First United Methodist Church.
Here just under a month, it’s evident looking around his church office that Rev. Long is still getting settled in as more than a dozen unpacked boxes occupy floor space.
The new local pastor is the father of five including three adult children—Stephen, Susanna and Elizabeth—from a previous union. He and his wife of 17 years, Meridy, are raising two teenage daughters, Nataleigh and Ashleigh, who will both be Jasper County school students.
Since joining the ministry in July 1988, Rev. Long has had 10 assignments throughout Georgia from Roopville to Woodstock to Monticello. The new FUMC minister is the son of a Methodist minister, now retired.
“Growing up I never planned on a career in ministry because we viewed ministry as a ‘calling’,” he said.
The ‘calling’ came to him via two scripture passages that spoke to him during his twenties while attending a theological conference for a parttime job.
It was a scripture in 2 Timothy that cited “preach the word” as well as a passage in the book of Paul that cited “speak the truth” that sparked him to pursue the ministry. So he enrolled at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology and earned a master of divinity degree in May 1995.
As one might imagine, his minister father was proud and very supportive of his son following in his footsteps but never encouraged him early on because he wanted his son to come to it on his own.
Rev. Long describes himself as “plain spoken” and “being just me” and my initial vibe from him confirmed that ‘what you see is what you get’ feeling.
“I’m a practical theologian, a sensory preacher.—I preach about things you can see, touch, hear, smell. I use lots of stories when preaching,” he noted.
“Every physical object should be able to be used to teach about God.”
The ordained deacon, elder and law enforcement chaplain has many pleasures that include riding his recently upgraded Harley-Davidson which has helped him earn the alias “Hog Father.”
Rev. Long has been very involved with charitable organizations including Stop Hunger Now, for which he has completed two missions in Nicaragua, and nonprofit malaria groups that aim at eradicating the disease in Africa.
“We’re looking forward to being here and we’ve been having a good time so far,” he said of his Monticello experience to date.
Rev. Long said that his goal was to become the “Andy Griffith” of the community in that sense that he becomes aware of everything that happens in the community and everyone whether or not it involves his church or congregation.
