Someone you should know – Nancy Petrey

Nancy Petrey has been the church pianist at South Luverne Baptist Church for six and a half years, having also served as choir director several years ago. She teaches an adult Sunday School class on a rotating system and also serves on the steering committee for Crenshaw County Women for Christ. Over the years Petrey has been a choral teacher in public schools, piano teacher, church choir director, church pianist, songwriter and soloist. In addition she has written and directed church plays and has recorded two CDs. She also obtained a master’s degree in religious education in the Middle East from the Arkansas Institute for Holy Land Studies, learned modern Hebrew, has visited Israel seven times and has written a book, “Jewish Roots Journey, Memoirs of a Mizpah.”

Q: What influences in your life pointed you to Christ at the beginning of your faith journey?

A: I have always been active in church, but it was during a Lay Witness Mission at our Methodist church in Tupelo, Miss., in 1968, that my husband and I totally gave our lives to Christ. We were nurtured in a home cell group by Spirit-filled teachers, sharing and prayer.

Q: When and how were you led into your ministry work?

A: When God called my husband into full-time ministry as a Methodist pastor Jan. 1, 1976, I also felt Him call me. In the churches we served in Mississippi [more than] 23 years, which included seven years in a nondenominational church we built, I led the music ministry and served as church secretary.

Q: What does the ministry demand?

A: (Along with the ministry in the church,) I have been called on to conduct Passover Seders and to go places to speak and present seminars. I regularly pass along information concerning events in Israel, etc., to an email group. I have designed Bible and Jewish Roots courses, which I first taught at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College but later transferred to my church.

Q: What do you get from serving in ministry?

A: Even with my hearing loss, the Lord still enables me to play the piano at church and also sing in the choir. I feel it is a miracle, and I greatly enjoy playing the piano.

Q: How do family members support you?

A: My husband actually led the first Israel tour I went on, and he has been with me two other times. He is very supportive.  …  All the children are musical and appreciate my musical talents given me by the Lord.