After living in Charlotte, North Carolina, for nine years, Pastor Randy Forrester was called to serve at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village. His wife Paisley, their daughter Azure and three sons Julian, Clive and Finlay were also ready to make the change. In 2017, the circumstances worked out for the church, schools and neighborhood to overlap, something they wanted but didn’t know to search for.
“The neighborhood was everything we were looking for,” Forrester said. “With St. Andrew’s Church and the great public schools right in our own backyard, we couldn’t have asked for more.”
Having pastored at a relatively small church in Charlotte, Forrester now serves at St. Andrew’s as the associate rector for teaching and equipping and director of The Ridley Institute, teaching Bible and theology classes at the Mount Pleasant campus. He said the lessons are accessible enough for those beginning the journey of faith and are deep enough for mature believers as well.
“Our children love being involved with the church, each in their own way. The best is when my sons, who are 15, 13 and 10, ride their bikes around the neighborhood with their friends and bring them by my office at the church to chat and interact. We also enjoy walking and seeing neighbors and church members, while meeting new friends.”
In 2018, an electrical fire destroyed the St. Andrew’s sanctuary. During the rebuilding process, the congregation met in the cafeteria of Mount Pleasant Academy, where Forrester’s daughter attended school. “That was the first time the sense of community here clicked for her, when the church came into her space, worshipping in her school,” he said. “Out of a bad situation, we found some good. Now, my daughter spends almost as much time as I do at St. Andrew’s, serving in our children’s and youth ministries.”
Forrester continued, “Overall, this is a family ministry. Paisley doesn’t work outside the home. She spends her time meeting with and mentoring women who are seeking advice about relationships, marriage, career and children. Paisley’s passion is helping them seek God’s perspective and applying their faith to the challenges they face.”
“It’s important to us that we prioritize family meals around the table as well,” added Forrester. “That’s where we have conversations around our children’s curiosity. Because when a child asks a question, that means they are in learning mode.”
Members of Forrester’s congregation enjoy listening to stories about his family and how he uses the Bible to teach his children in the context of everyday life. One example he pointed to was during the last Advent season when everybody started feeling overwhelmed and cranky while preparing for Christmas. “We are very much a normal family,” he said. “Like everyone else, we sometimes have bad attitudes or get grumpy. It’s the times when everything feels like it’s falling apart, during that in-between space, when we turn our attention to God. We are everyday people who have faith.”
By Sarah Rose
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