Rev. Bill Carter
Pastor and Head of Staff
Bill Carter has served as our pastor since 1990. Obviously we enjoy having him around – and he tells us how much he loves serving as our pastor. “It’s an interpretive art,” he explains.
“A good pastor is one who leads people in prayer, explores the scriptures, and asks how God is working in our lives.”
Like all Presbyterian ministers, Bill has had a good bit of education. After earning a philosophy degree at Binghamton University, he went to Princeton Theological Seminary to prepare for the ministry. He is an avid student of the Bible and theology, and teaches regularly at our church. The author of six books of sermons and numerous articles, he is frequently invited to speak at church conferences and workshops. His special interests are stewardship, faith and the musical arts, congregational vitality, and the art of preaching.
In addition to his full schedule at FPC, our national denomination has enlisted his talents in a number of significant ways. Most recently Bill served for the second time as a mentor for brand-new pastors. “That was a blast,” he notes, adding, “It’s clear that God keeps calling capable and creative people to serve the church.” He has preached seven times on Day 1, the national radio pulpit of the mainline church. Currently Bill serves as the moderator of the Committee on Ministry of Lackawanna Presbytery, with a focus on the spiritual health of congregations and their preachers.
Bill is also known as a musician. Back in 1993, he formed a jazz ensemble called the Presbybop Quartet. It all began on a Sunday when the church couldn’t find a substitute organist and asked their pastor to fill in. A long-time professional jazz pianist, he called some musical friends to help him lead worship. “It’s been steadily rolling downhill since then,” Bill confesses with his trademark grin. Seven recordings and numerous concerts later, the quartet has become nationally acclaimed for its music and liturgical leadership. Each fall they assemble for our church’s annual Jazz Communion Service and during the holidays for a Christmas Eve midnight service. “This is a church that invites all kinds of people to share their talents,” he notes, “and the pastor is not exempt.”
For fun, Bill composes jazz tunes (over one hundred to date), reads a lot of books, tries out Mexican and Thai recipes, and seeks out the perfect Texas Weiner (northeastern PA’s version of the chili dog). Lately he has been tinkering with the possibility of a podcast that explores his integration of jazz and the life of faith.
Bill lives with his wife Jamie in a lively and loving household in South Abington Township. Their four children currently inhabit the same dwelling, but there are signs that won’t always be the case as, one by one, they will leave the nest for new adventures.
