Kevin Ulmet accepted an invitation to become the pastor of Nashville First Church of the Nazarene. 

Dean Diehl, secretary of the Nashville First Church board, made the announcement Sunday on the church's website.

"I am pleased to announce that we have a new pastor at Nashville First Church of the Nazarene," Diehl said. "Dr. Kevin Ulmet received strong affirmation from our church family this morning with 94 percent of our voting members approving him as our new pastor. Dr. Ulmet was contacted by Dr. Larry Leonard (district superintendent) this afternoon and he and his wife Karen have accepted the call to serve."

Ulmet, senior pastor at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene, will replace Gary Allen Henecke, who announced his retirement in February. Hencke served 18 years as pastor of Nashville First. His retirement will become official at the 2011 Tennessee District Assembly in July.

Henecke, along with his wife Raedean, is laying plans to continue his ministry through preaching and writing and to openly seek God's will in how he might serve the kingdom of Christ in the days ahead, he said.  

Ulmet has been at Chicago First since 2000. He has served 29 years in full-time ministry. He graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University with a B.A. in religion, graduated from Nazarene Theological Seminary with a masters of divinity, and graduated from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School of Trinity International University with a doctor of ministry degree.

Ulmet and his wife, Karen, have been married 30 years. They have three daughters, Carrie (Wagner), Carissa, and Christy. His last Sunday at Chicago First is Aug. 7, and his first Sunday at Nashville First is Aug. 21.