Get to Know: Hannah Hutchinson

In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Hutchinson, Christ Methodist Church's Associate Pastor of Discipleship and Women's Ministry, to hear the story behind her call to ministry and what brought her to Memphis.

Hannah shares about growing up as the daughter of United Methodist pastors, surrendering to God's call as a teenager, preparing for ministry through Samford University and Asbury Seminary, and serving alongside her husband, Nathan, in Mississippi and Florida before joining the Christ Methodist family.

She also offers a glimpse into her heart for discipleship, preaching, and equipping believers to discover their calling and make disciples in everyday life. Whether you're meeting Hannah for the first time or have already gotten to know her around campus, this conversation is a wonderful opportunity to hear her story and learn more about the ministry she'll be leading at Christ Methodist. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

You're listening to the podcast of Christ Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Join us for an insightful conversation where faith intersects with real life experiences and discover how God is at work in our world. We're here today with Hannah Hutchinson, our associate pastor of Discipleship and Women's Ministry. She started in 2026. How are you, Hannah?

Icebreakers and travel favorites

SPEAKER_03 0:29

Doing great.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Good. Well, we're happy to have you. Uh, as is tradition with the show, we typically start with a couple of icebreakers. So I hope you're ready for the grilling part of the interview. So the first icebreaker I have for you is what is the favorite place you've traveled nationally and globally? So it's a two-parter.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

Okay. So very recently we did our first trip to Europe for my husband Nathan and I's 10-year wedding anniversary. We visited Switzerland and a little village in France, and it was the best.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

What drew you to those two places? Like what was it?

SPEAKER_03 1:12

We looked for where in Europe has the cheapest flight, and it went to Zurich, Switzerland.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 1:19

And we're like, we would love to hike in Switzerland. This sounds great. And then realized, okay, France is kind of close and enjoyed a few days in the mountains, and that's cool. It was wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

That's awesome. That's really cool. So what about low like nationally?

SPEAKER_03 1:35

Love national parks.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:38

I it's hard to choose, but I think Glacier National Park in Montana was beautiful. A lot of hiking there too, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

Okay, cool. Very cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:52

Love to be outdoors. Okay. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Well then you're gonna like these questions because they're all travel-oriented.

SPEAKER_03 1:58

Oh my.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

So next question is mountains or beach?

SPEAKER_03 2:02

Oh, that is very hard. I told you important part. I did just move from the beach and it was glorious. So I will I will go with the beach, even though I I definitely love the mountains.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

So I know some people you're from you were coming from Florida just. Yes. But so some Floridians don't go to the beach ever. They don't like the beach. It's crazy. But you actually go to the beach when you live there.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Yes. The locals who never set foot on the sand, I could not understand.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

That's so funny.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

But I loved on Fridays, a lot of Fridays, I would go, and that would be my Sabbath, take a walk, read, sitting there, read the Bible, read some books. It's just yeah, it was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

That's nice to have in your backyard.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Yeah. Literally, we were about 15 minutes. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

Yeah. Okay. Next question. What is a dream destination for you?

SPEAKER_03 2:54

Dream destination. Hmm. I guess other Europe countries. We got the bug for that. Yeah. Rome, London, Paris. One day.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

That sounds well, 20th anniversary, maybe. Maybe. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 3:15

We've got a decade to plan it. Got some time.

Growing Up in North Mississippi

SPEAKER_00 3:18

So, okay, last one. What's something in Memphis that you're excited to explore?

SPEAKER_03 3:23

I'm so excited to explore. I grew up coming to Memphis as a child. Remember coming to the zoo? I don't know if I have anything particularly.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

Have you been to Shelby Farms? Talked about not yet. You'll like it out there.

SPEAKER_03 3:36

I am very excited to.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

It's not mountains or national park level hiking, but there are some good trails. Yes. Or did bike or I already hit one trail.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

I don't know which one. Green line?

SPEAKER_00 3:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 3:49

Is that what it's called? Yeah. Perfect. I didn't go that far.

SPEAKER_00 3:54

Okay. But yeah. Well, there you go. I'm ready.

SPEAKER_03 3:57

All the trails. I'm ready to bike. I'm ready to run.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

That's fine.

SPEAKER_03 4:00

It's gonna be great.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Well, we're excited to have you, but let's go all the way back. Where did you grow up? Where are you from?

SPEAKER_03 4:07

So I grew up in North Mississippi.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 4:10

I was born in Oxford.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Go Rebs. And then moved to Cleveland, Mississippi in the Delta for my elementary years. Spent one year in Olive Branch close by in fifth grade. And then I would say I'm from Pontog, Mississippi. That's where I graduated high school. So kind of close.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

You moved around a lot. What did your parents do?

SPEAKER_03 4:31

Yes. Both of my parents were United Methodist pastors. Okay. And so grew up moving to different churches in those areas.

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Did were you the open when the doors were shut and closed kind of yes, always at the church.

SPEAKER_03 4:50

And that was beautiful in a lot of ways, because I saw true community and got to know God from a young age, but also had its difficult parts too.

Sports, Siblings, and Calling

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Yes. So what was young Hannah into as a child? Were you in like what was your like five-year-old dreams and things like that? What were you into?

SPEAKER_03 5:12

I love sports. Okay. From a young age, love playing soccer and being outside and basketball.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

And I would imagine moving a bunch that made it easier to make friends. Yes, it did.

SPEAKER_03 5:26

It did. I loved cross-country and track and running and things like that.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

So growing up doing lots of sports, did you ever have like did you ever do like big wins, like win a championship league or anything like that?

SPEAKER_03 5:40

So we Hotalk is a very small school in Mississippi. But we did win some cross-country state championships and got to got to the state championship in soccer twice and lost both times.

SPEAKER_00 5:53

What a disappointment.

SPEAKER_03 5:54

Really, really disappointing. But we made it there. It was fun. It was very fun.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

So are you do you have siblings?

SPEAKER_03 6:00

I do. I have one younger sister.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

She her name's Julia and she lives in Athens, Alabama. Okay. And she's a worship pastor there. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

So I'm I'm noticing a trend in your family. Yes. So the was that like was there ever expectations of like you're going into ministry, or was it just kind of what was what was the parents like input there?

SPEAKER_03 6:23

There was not pressure. There was no explicit expectation communicated, but I think just being immersed in that environment, of course, makes you more comfortable with something. But also it also shows you the hard parts too. So I think there was there was some fear involved with going into ministry just because I knew it so closely. But when God calls you, it's kind of like the Jonah story of you want to be in the center of God's will. And God just made that clear to me from a young age and has continued to lead me

Childhood Faith and Family Life

SPEAKER_03 6:58

from there.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

Well, what kind of relationship did you have with your parents growing up? Did you all do a lot of family trips or a lot of activities together? What was that like?

SPEAKER_03 7:06

Yes, we did. We had a really, really fun childhood, of course, always in the church in ministry, but also we would go to the beach, go to random cities. I remember going to Washington, DC. I think I don't remember maybe early high school years, and they said we were going to the national mall, and I thought we were going shopping.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

That was that same experience. Down to a T.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

I just remember that. Like me and my sister were like high school girls. We're like, oh, this is gonna be so fun, like a huge mall.

SPEAKER_03 7:39

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

We are not Lincoln Monument now. Yep. That was my exact same experience.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

This is so funny.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

That's awesome. Well, that's exciting. So tell me about your sister. Y'all, y'all had a good relationship growing up.

SPEAKER_03 7:52

We did. So we got to play the flute together in the marching band. She was a few years younger, but she was in the high school band with me for a couple years. And then we actually both went to the same college. So my senior year, her freshman year, we were both at Samford in Birmingham. And that was a really special time for us to be in the same city and adulthood.

SPEAKER_00 8:20

Like, do you have what was that like?

SPEAKER_03 8:22

There was definitely a transition when she came to the high school band. So I think she was in eighth grade and I was in 11th grade, and we became more like actual friends. But she would probab would definitely understand me saying this. She was a quite, I don't know if annoying is the right word, but just mischievous little sister is probably a better word. And so we were not really on the same page until a little bit, a little bit later. But we've been close ever ever since and excited to live a little bit closer to her.

Rededicated at Camp

SPEAKER_00 8:54

That's awesome. Well, you've already kind of talked about it, but tell me your story of how you came to know Christ. It seems like it started pretty early and been pretty integral since you were very young. Can you tell me what that is?

SPEAKER_03 9:06

So I vaguely remember one night at my house whenever I was five years old, and I prayed that I wanted to give my life to Jesus. And I went and I told my mom about it, and we prayed together. And so from that really young age, I started developing a real relationship with God. And my mom was really instrumental in helping me understand how to have an intimate relationship with God through prayer. Both my parents were, but especially my mom helping me learn how to pray as a really young child. And then that relationship just continued to blossom from there. I remember in high school, there was a moment at a camp called CFAT. It's a missions-centered camp in Lineville, Alabama. And that was a moment where I had been following Jesus for a long time. But when you're in high school, you got like new temptations and like the question of like, am I really going to be committed to the Lord? And I just I remember that rededication moment of like, yes, I'm really going to live for him. And in that same moment, I feel like it was the me surrendering to a call to ministry at the same time. Because I kind of kind of knew that was part of it. If like, if I'm really going to do this, then I'm really going to do this. And I know that God has a calling for me. So um that was a really special moment.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

Aaron Powell Well, five years old, you that's y I mean young, not that it's unheard of or anything, but like do you remember like what that pool was when you were a child? Like, or there's there any moment or like anything distinct about that?

SPEAKER_03 10:50

I don't remember anything specifically, but I think just having a family where that's so immersed in everything that you're doing and talking about. No, I don't recall specifically. That's good.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

No, that's good. That's I mean, I was just curious. So I mean, and you may have said, but how old were you when you were at camp in high school?

SPEAKER_03 11:07

I think I was about 16.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

And so I mean, were you in public school and everything? Okay, so that's a big decision for a 16-year-old in public school doing the whole thing. Like, can you walk me through like what that was like or what you felt in that time?

SPEAKER_03 11:23

Yeah. I mean, there was definitely this like crux in the road, like which direction am I gonna go? Because I I guess my personality is like all in or all out. Like I'm not gonna be a nominal Christian and you know, vaguely follow Christ. And so I knew that that was a that was a big moment for me. And at that age of 16, I was kind of thinking about what does college look like, what does a major look like, you know, those initial thoughts. And and so I was already kind of going there with, okay, I'm I'm gonna go to college to prepare for ministry. And so it it took a lot of I took it very seriously.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

I was a I was a serious high schooler, and I s I still have a lot of that, but yeah,

Choosing Samford and Ministry

SPEAKER_02 12:12

that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 12:13

Okay, so you went to you graduated, you went to Sanford in Alabama. What drew you there?

SPEAKER_03 12:18

Yeah, so I part of it was growing up going to All Miss Games, and this is this is big. This is partying. This is your parent alumni, or just my dad went to All Miss, and then he was the Olmus Wesley Foundation director for a long time, and that was why when I was born there. And so, yes, we grew up going to All Miss Games. It was really fun, but it was also like, I don't know if this is really the environment for me. And then I was already dating my husband at the time. He was going to Mississippi State, but I had this like, I am not going somewhere for a boy. I am charting my own path. And so we did a visit to Birmingham Southern and Sanford and a few other schools, and just loved the city of Birmingham, loved the campus of Sanford, and specifically, Sanford had what they called a pre-ministerial scholars program. So they had a very large scholarship for people who wanted to go into ministry, and that made it affordable for me. And it was exciting to be a part of a cohort of students who were all pursuing ministry together. We had internships, we had retreats and things that we did together. That was really formative and really great.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

Did you have a like an internship at a church during that period or anything?

SPEAKER_03 13:34

Yeah. So in order to be a part of that pre-ministry scholars program, we had to do four internships throughout college. And so I did that at a couple different churches and really enjoyed the channel. What were some of those roles?

SPEAKER_01 13:47

What were they?

SPEAKER_03 13:48

So one of them was with a vineyard church and they had a college ministry on our campus. And I basically organized and led that college ministry. We would meet Tuesday nights in the chapel. Beforehand, we would study the Bible, and we had incredible students who led worship and just prayed with each other and just developed this really beautiful community, which now looking back at, I was like, wow, like the spirit was moving in such a like unique and powerful way. And at the time I was just experiencing it and it was just normal. And then I'm looking back and I'm like, that was not normal. Like you were baptizing students in the fountain. Like it was, it was a really cool opportunity. And I got to learn from some of the pastors at that church.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

So was it just you could do like four semesters, or is it like four different internships?

SPEAKER_03 14:45

I think it was four different internships. So I did one in the summer with the Orchard Church in Tupelo, Mississippi. And worked with a discipleship pastor and learned a lot from being a part because before that I had been a part of smaller churches. And so then being a part of a bigger church environment was a whole new experience for me. And really cool. Really enjoyed that.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

So you in all of this period, 16 to middle of college now, you never really had any doubts about being called to ministry, it sounds like.

SPEAKER_03 15:16

No.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

That's awesome. I mean but it's it's funny because you mentioned the Jonah moment of like because you know, like I I've like Brad Bog on staff here, was talking about how he he fought it for so long and then he just surrendered to go. You just like you said, you went all in, no questions asked, basically.

SPEAKER_03 15:32

Yeah. Yeah. I I feel like when you encounter God and the Holy Spirit in a real way, you understand nothing is better than this.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 15:47

Nothing is more important than this. And I feel so grateful that I experienced that at a young age and knew, you know, without a doubt, like nothing this world can offer is going to lead to joy and peace in life, and nothing is gonna be better than the adventure that that God's gonna lead me on.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Did you ever feel a pool towards a specific ministry or area or anything like that? Or has it just kind of been like, let's see where God takes me?

SPEAKER_03 16:20

I think one of the one of the coolest parts of my Sanford experience was they had a program called Sanford Sunday where students could go to different churches and preach. And so they had a lot of connections in the Southern Baptist world, but they didn't let women go to those. And so they also had connections with cooperative Baptist and Methodist churches. And I remember, like a few weeks into my freshman year, I preached at a Baptist church in the Birmingham area and just was a whole new experience. Didn't know what the church would be like, so out of my comfort zone, probably a terrible sermon. But I just felt like, okay, this is what I'm called to do. And it definitely is going to take a lot of growing, but like I just felt the spirit confirming that in me. And so I went on to be one of the directors of Sanford Sunday and made a lot of connections with churches in Alabama and got a lot of preaching experience in college and just appreciate those churches welcoming young students to be able to get some experience. And that a lot of the pastors would take me to lunch afterwards and just pour into me, encouraging me. I got to ask questions. And so that was, I think, specifically like preaching and getting out of my comfort zone in that way was something that God was like, okay, that's cool. This is this is something that uh that

Marriage and Seminary Years

SPEAKER_03 17:50

I've called you to do.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

That's really cool. So what happened after college? Did you go to seminary? What what was that like? What happened?

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Yeah. So right after college, I got married. Okay. Um, which was very exciting. And both Nathan and I s started our Master of Divinity at Asbury. So we moved immediately to Wilmore, Kentucky as newlyweds and lived there for three years and did school together.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

Okay, well, he's been name-checked enough. I feel like we need to talk about him.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

Tell me about your husband. Tell me where y'all met and everything.

SPEAKER_03 18:21

Okay, so we met when I moved to Pontiac in sixth grade. Okay. He was in seventh grade. And we ran cross-country together, we were in the band together, we were in youth group together, um, we were friends for several years, and then we didn't start dating until my senior year of high school.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

So he was going to the youth group where your dad was pastor?

SPEAKER_03 18:41

No. So we actually both went to a youth group that neither of us were our home church. Okay. So we had a friend group that went to the same youth group and we went there together.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

I was thinking that might be a little intimidating because you dating the pastor. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_03 18:57

No. Okay. I mean, my my parents were pretty intimidating, but not in that way. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

That's awesome. Okay, so y'all y'all did the long distance thing. How did that how was that?

SPEAKER_03 19:09

Yeah, so he was in Starkville at Mississippi State and I was in Birmingham, and it was actually studying that state. So he changed his major a lot at the beginning, but he ended up with human development and family studies. Okay. His call to ministry was before we started dating. He felt called in high school, actually at that same missions camp that was the youth group that we were a part of. But he went to a pastor and said, Hey, I feel called to ministry. This was like in high school, and the pastor was really discouraging and was like, You really don't want to go into ministry. It's it's gonna be really hard. The people are gonna be mean, you're not gonna make money. Don't do this. And so that's just really discouraging for a high schooler. And so I think he then fought that for a couple more years. But ultimately, that his freshman year of college, he landed back on the ministry route and family studies and being a part of helping people be healthier versions of themselves was why he ended up in that major to them to then go to seminary later.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Okay, so I interrupted the question that I asked. Long distance, how was that?

SPEAKER_03 20:17

Yeah, so we were about two hours apart and it was really fun because we were able to chart our own paths and be our own people and develop in that really crucial part of life. But then we got to visit on the weekends. I loved getting to go to go to the football games. Dak Prescott was the same year as Nathan at Mississippi, so it was very fun years for the Mississippi football. And so we just enjoyed like planning out the semester every few weeks. We would either go to Pontock or go to one of our one of our schools and got to know each of our friend groups and just really enjoyed that season. But it was a long season, five years of dating.

SPEAKER_00 20:59

That's a long time.

SPEAKER_03 21:00

It was, but it was it was great.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

Good. Well, I think the question that everybody's gonna want to know now, the pressing question is you had the old miss experience growing up, and then your husband went to state, and you visited games and had a good time. Where do you land on this one?

SPEAKER_03 21:17

Yeah, that's a that's a really tough one to make a definitive uh statement. But I will say biblically, you leave your father and mother. You join with your husband. So yeah, that I think that's gonna be my decision that I really was swayed during those college years to become a bulldog.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Well, I'm sure you just made a few enemies, so I'm sorry.

Churches, Moves, and Memphis

SPEAKER_00 21:43

No, it's okay, it's great. Well, that's wonderful. So y'all did seminary together, and then what happened after seminary?

SPEAKER_03 21:49

We were appointed to St. Paul United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. So we moved there from Kentucky and 2019 and we're there for three years.

SPEAKER_00 22:02

So y'all were both appointed We were.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

We were both associate pastors and we got to lead the contemporary service, got a lot of preaching experience. They were very patient with us as new preachers and just a really fun, fun community to be a part of. That's really cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

So what how long were you there?

SPEAKER_03 22:22

We were there for three years.

SPEAKER_00 22:23

Oh, three years. Okay. Yes. And so what what happened after that? Where do we go after that?

SPEAKER_03 22:27

So after that, we moved to Florida to Niceville at Cross Point. And um both of us were pastors there as well.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Gotcha. And you were there for how many years?

SPEAKER_03 22:36

For four years.

SPEAKER_00 22:36

Okay, four years. And so and now you are back to Memphis. Yes. And what brought you back to Memphis?

SPEAKER_03 22:42

Yes. So our families, like I mentioned, are from North Mississippi. And so being closer to the grandparents for our kiddos is a big factor. My husband's brother and his family also live in Collierville, and they have some kids that are close to our kids' age. So the cousins getting to grow up together. But I also knew Paul from a while back and know what an incredible leader that he is and knew that I would love to work with him and have known about Christchurch all growing up, of what an incredible, incredible community it is. So

Family, Role, and Vision

SPEAKER_03 23:24

yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Well, okay. Now you've name checked your kids. Tell us about your children.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

Yes. So my daughter Laurel is five and she will be in kindergarten this year. And then my son, Reed, is almost two.

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Exciting. Do they get along well enough?

SPEAKER_03 23:40

Do I was shocked. My daughter is has been so sweet with her brother. I did not expect it because she's very, she just tells you like it is, and she really does love her brother.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

That's awesome. Well, you mentioned being aware of Christ Methodists. Now that you're here, what are you most excited about doing, serving? What what's the most exciting thing about that?

SPEAKER_03 24:04

I'm so excited to be here to get to know everybody on staff, the congregation, to get to know specifically, I knew about the mission work of this church and just excited to learn more about that and and my role with discipleship and women's ministry, being able to pour into the women of this congregation, um, but also to to connect with serving and missions and being a part of a city like this is an incredible, incredible thing.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Well, with your lengthy job title, what uh what can people expect to see? What are what are some of the things that you'll be doing with this?

SPEAKER_03 24:46

Yes. So like I mentioned, being here for the women in this congregation, um, whether that's community, whether that's care, um, but ultimately discipling. And I know through Paul's leadership and the other leadership of this church, moving into really a disciple-making emphasis and being a part of that alongside Grant to help equip the saints for the work of ministry and to help people to understand who they're called to be and do that little nudge outside the comfort zone to step into what God has for them. So that's awesome. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:23

Well, Hannah, on behalf of the congregation, we're so excited to have you.

SPEAKER_03 25:27

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 25:27

Can't wait to work with you and to see your ministry grow here. So welcome and we're excited to have you.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here.

unknown 25:36

Good deal.

SPEAKER_00 25:40

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the podcast for Christ Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. We pray that today's message has inspired and encouraged you in your walk with Christ. To stay connected with our church community, visit us online at Christchurch Memphis.org. We hope to see you this upcoming Sunday for worship as we seek to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ among all peoples.