Face to Face: Tonganoxie UMC minister Bill Gepford
Name: Bill Gepford
Born: Overland Park
Family: Wife, Melissa
Occupation: Minister at Tonganoxie United Methodist Church
Dream job as a child: Gepford wanted to be a superhero. “Until I got old enough to realize it wasn’t a job, I wanted to be Batman,” he said.
Interesting fact: Bill and Melissa compete in various activities, including dance and CrossFit competitions.
“We did a couple of two-step competitions in Dallas,” Bill said, noting they’ve also done swing dance contests throughout the Midwest. “We do it for more the fun of it than anything else, but it was enjoyable.”
Digging deeper: Bill graduated in 2005 from Blue Valley North High School and then in 2009 from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s in English and history.
He moved to Dallas to attend the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, where he earned a master’s in divinity in 2013. That’s where he met Melissa, who also earned a degree from Perkins. She’s from Longview, Texas, about 2 hours east of Dallas.
Bill said he’s been waiting to serve in the ministry since about sixth grade. He said he went to K-State because he knew he needed a broad undergraduate education.
“Knowing I was going into a job I would do a lot of talking and have a history context behind it, English and history seemed the appropriate degrees,” he said.
“I knew I needed a broad undergraduate education.”
He said he also had the opportunity to “watch some really good football” at KSU during his college years.
He served as associate pastor the last two years in Colby, where the senior pastor served as a mentor.
His first service in Tonganoxie was Sunday.
Bill and Melissa are coffee lovers. They roast their own beans. Bill joked that he had more coffee equipment than “any one person should.” He’s also restoring a somewhat vintage espresso machine in his garage.
He said it’s been great moving to Tonganoxie, a place that he said has been so welcoming and loving.
“I don’t think we’ve cooked a meal for ourselves yet,” Bill said. “It’s fantastic for my stomach and horrible for my waistline, but it’s been fun.”