By Matt de Simone
Galatia Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Eagle Rock recently announced the arrival of its new pastor, the Rev. Emily B. Hook.
The Rev. Hook is originally from Henrico County outside of Richmond. When finishing up her undergrad degree at Old Dominion University, she worked in a hospital. One night, Hook was helping a family before the hospital chaplain arrived. After observing Hook’s interactions with the family, the chaplain later suggested to Hook that she should look into a career in hospital chaplaincy.
“I thought that [hospital chaplaincy] was what I was going to do until I had [my two daughters],” Hook said in a recent interview. “Then, I decided to make the switch from the hospital and into the church.”
The Rev. Hook previously pastored churches in Arizona and Arkansas. In Arizona, met her husband, Matthew, who is a native Virginian. After her husband’s job transferred him to the Tennessee/Arkansas area, an opportunity to pastor at Galatia EPC led her family back to Virginia. Matthew is a veteran who currently serves in the Army reserves.
She received her undergrad at ODU, her Master’s of Divinity at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, and is currently in her last year and a half of her Doctorate of Ministry at Memphis Theological Seminary based in Memphis.
She said she looks forward to getting to know the members of the church and community.
“My dream has always been to serve a small, mountain congregation,” Hook explained. “This is basically my dream job. I’m excited to get to know the church’s traditions and learn more about them.”
Galatia Evangelical Presbyterian Church is located at 78 Gala Loop Road in Eagle Rock.