MONROE - Randy Booth, who has visited museums all over the world, says real art is never paint-by-number. It's because within the paintings, sculptures and drawings is a passion and a gift that, if you listen, can tell you something.
He's hoping to leave that same passion behind in the form of being a strong pastor for the Monroe United Methodist Church. Now in his 10th year, he hopes to develop more people into strong leaders, help make them good followers of Christ and be there for the new people who are just beginning their faith journey.
"I want a ministry that's known for passion," Booth said. "I don't want to be a paint-by-number pastor."
He was born in Delaware but lived in Pennsylvania a lot of the time while he was growing up. The family moved often, he recalls, and he often bounced between there and New Jersey. He lived in five states and attended six schools.
His father worked in agriculture, selling growth hormones, and as he got older, his parents went through a divorce. He had two older sisters who eventually were out of the house as well. The tumultuous time is something Booth handled with grace.
"I got used to moving," he said. "I think it makes me adaptable."
Booth says he was an active child who did well in school. He was in the marching band, playing the trumpet and French horn, and played football for two years. He was the state champion in ninth grade fencing. He was active in Boy Scouts and was an Eagle Scout by ninth grade, taking on a recycling project in 1977.
As time went on and as the family kept moving, Booth attended three different high schools. His first year was in northern New Jersey, his second in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then he graduated in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1981 from Middleton High School.
After graduation, Booth knew where he was headed without question.
"I knew I was called to ministry by the time I was a junior in high school," he said. "The one constant - despite all of the different schools - was church."
He was actively involved with a church and its youth group in Lancaster and felt a strong connection there.
"They showed me love and acceptance when things were really chaotic at home," he said.
He learned quickly to be independent and says it might also have been when he learned to become a workaholic.
He graduated from Wofford College, a small Methodist school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, majoring in religion and philosophy. He then attended seminary at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He says he enjoyed his time there, gaining closure from his childhood while in his old neighborhood.
He also met his wife, Karen, on his second day of seminary - although she didn't remember him until much later.
"I guess I don't make big impressions," he said, laughing.
In 1984, Booth graduated with his master's degree. He was associated with the Methodist churches in South Carolina and said they offered him seven churches in the swamp. Fortunately, through friends, they were able to get churches in Delaware.
When they started, Karen took on four churches in Secretary, Maryland, and Booth had three churches in Bethel, Delaware. They were 23 minutes apart and split the time evenly, living in his Delaware home for six months and her Maryland home through the winters.
They each preached at three different churches on Sunday mornings.
"It was exactly what I was called to do," Booth said. "I love sharing the grace and acceptance I received when life was so chaotic. I want to see other people receive it before they get to the level of chaos that I endured."
They were with the churches and split home for four years when they received word from the district superintendent they would move. They were still in Delaware, where Booth now had three churches and Karen had one. These had air conditioning, so they considered it a raise. After four years, the largest of Booth's churches grew big enough to branch out on its own and move to a new home with him leading the way.
The couple were happy; both now lived in the same house, preaching the gospel - and they were five minutes from the ocean.
Booth stayed with the church for 17 years and watched as it evolved. He felt trusted and welcomed and witnessed much success within the church and its congregation.
"I often said that I turned 30 and 40 there, and God was telling me in prayer - 'you're not turning 50 there,'" Booth said.
The couple were willing to leave the east coast and explored their options. They were both very much into art and would often visit the Midwest because of the museums. Booth fell in love with art his senior year in college, while at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. He saw a Monet painting of a foggy morning on a river that was painted in a realistic way.
"My eyes were opened," Booth said. "Art can transport you. It can spark something. It can give you a memory."
After finding the job online, Booth came for an interview in Monroe in January 2008. The couple had never heard of Monroe and the evening they flew in for the interview seven inches of snow blanketed the town.
"Seven inches of snow would have paralyzed the east coast," Booth said, smiling. "I think it was a two-hour delay here."
The snow didn't keep them away. Booth started with the church that July after the retirement of Pastor David Busker. He was happy to come into a church with high attendance. Change can be hard with leadership and a transition period is natural.
"It's a lot harder to start over," he said. "No one knew me at first, and it took time to build trust."
Once that happened, Booth says he was ready to welcome new ideas and some change. Since the church was typically slower in the summer months, Booth increased programs and added ministries.
"God doesn't take the summers off," he said. "So we're not going to either."
Booth now plays guitar and leads the band in one of the three services weekly. He loves music and incorporating it. The active and busy church takes part in Family Promise, vacation bible school, the local fair, Second Harvest and much more.
"I've learned a lot," Booth said. "This is an active church filled with very competent volunteers."
Booth completed his doctorate while in Monroe in 2013. Karen is now retired, and the couple will soon celebrate their 29th wedding anniversary.
Booth has also been active in the Monroe community. He serves on the YMCA Board and is currently the chairman. He also serves on the board for Family Promise. He and Karen love to travel and have done an England art tour and have plans for an Alaskan Cruise. He also loves to ride his bicycle with other pastors as part of the Faster Pastor Club, which he greatly enjoys.
"I think it's important to be involved," he said. "I want to be a prevailing influence in the community."
He still has plenty of goals and aspirations for the church, and Booth says one he's ready to share is helping teens work better together in the community. He also enjoys pastoral care, praying and visiting with people. Monroe, and the Midwest, has felt like home to him.
"This is a good fit for us," he said. "I hope to stay here a good, long time."
He's hoping to leave that same passion behind in the form of being a strong pastor for the Monroe United Methodist Church. Now in his 10th year, he hopes to develop more people into strong leaders, help make them good followers of Christ and be there for the new people who are just beginning their faith journey.
"I want a ministry that's known for passion," Booth said. "I don't want to be a paint-by-number pastor."
He was born in Delaware but lived in Pennsylvania a lot of the time while he was growing up. The family moved often, he recalls, and he often bounced between there and New Jersey. He lived in five states and attended six schools.
His father worked in agriculture, selling growth hormones, and as he got older, his parents went through a divorce. He had two older sisters who eventually were out of the house as well. The tumultuous time is something Booth handled with grace.
"I got used to moving," he said. "I think it makes me adaptable."
Booth says he was an active child who did well in school. He was in the marching band, playing the trumpet and French horn, and played football for two years. He was the state champion in ninth grade fencing. He was active in Boy Scouts and was an Eagle Scout by ninth grade, taking on a recycling project in 1977.
As time went on and as the family kept moving, Booth attended three different high schools. His first year was in northern New Jersey, his second in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then he graduated in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1981 from Middleton High School.
After graduation, Booth knew where he was headed without question.
"I knew I was called to ministry by the time I was a junior in high school," he said. "The one constant - despite all of the different schools - was church."
He was actively involved with a church and its youth group in Lancaster and felt a strong connection there.
"They showed me love and acceptance when things were really chaotic at home," he said.
He learned quickly to be independent and says it might also have been when he learned to become a workaholic.
He graduated from Wofford College, a small Methodist school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, majoring in religion and philosophy. He then attended seminary at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. He says he enjoyed his time there, gaining closure from his childhood while in his old neighborhood.
He also met his wife, Karen, on his second day of seminary - although she didn't remember him until much later.
"I guess I don't make big impressions," he said, laughing.
In 1984, Booth graduated with his master's degree. He was associated with the Methodist churches in South Carolina and said they offered him seven churches in the swamp. Fortunately, through friends, they were able to get churches in Delaware.
When they started, Karen took on four churches in Secretary, Maryland, and Booth had three churches in Bethel, Delaware. They were 23 minutes apart and split the time evenly, living in his Delaware home for six months and her Maryland home through the winters.
They each preached at three different churches on Sunday mornings.
"It was exactly what I was called to do," Booth said. "I love sharing the grace and acceptance I received when life was so chaotic. I want to see other people receive it before they get to the level of chaos that I endured."
They were with the churches and split home for four years when they received word from the district superintendent they would move. They were still in Delaware, where Booth now had three churches and Karen had one. These had air conditioning, so they considered it a raise. After four years, the largest of Booth's churches grew big enough to branch out on its own and move to a new home with him leading the way.
The couple were happy; both now lived in the same house, preaching the gospel - and they were five minutes from the ocean.
Booth stayed with the church for 17 years and watched as it evolved. He felt trusted and welcomed and witnessed much success within the church and its congregation.
"I often said that I turned 30 and 40 there, and God was telling me in prayer - 'you're not turning 50 there,'" Booth said.
The couple were willing to leave the east coast and explored their options. They were both very much into art and would often visit the Midwest because of the museums. Booth fell in love with art his senior year in college, while at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. He saw a Monet painting of a foggy morning on a river that was painted in a realistic way.
"My eyes were opened," Booth said. "Art can transport you. It can spark something. It can give you a memory."
After finding the job online, Booth came for an interview in Monroe in January 2008. The couple had never heard of Monroe and the evening they flew in for the interview seven inches of snow blanketed the town.
"Seven inches of snow would have paralyzed the east coast," Booth said, smiling. "I think it was a two-hour delay here."
The snow didn't keep them away. Booth started with the church that July after the retirement of Pastor David Busker. He was happy to come into a church with high attendance. Change can be hard with leadership and a transition period is natural.
"It's a lot harder to start over," he said. "No one knew me at first, and it took time to build trust."
Once that happened, Booth says he was ready to welcome new ideas and some change. Since the church was typically slower in the summer months, Booth increased programs and added ministries.
"God doesn't take the summers off," he said. "So we're not going to either."
Booth now plays guitar and leads the band in one of the three services weekly. He loves music and incorporating it. The active and busy church takes part in Family Promise, vacation bible school, the local fair, Second Harvest and much more.
"I've learned a lot," Booth said. "This is an active church filled with very competent volunteers."
Booth completed his doctorate while in Monroe in 2013. Karen is now retired, and the couple will soon celebrate their 29th wedding anniversary.
Booth has also been active in the Monroe community. He serves on the YMCA Board and is currently the chairman. He also serves on the board for Family Promise. He and Karen love to travel and have done an England art tour and have plans for an Alaskan Cruise. He also loves to ride his bicycle with other pastors as part of the Faster Pastor Club, which he greatly enjoys.
"I think it's important to be involved," he said. "I want to be a prevailing influence in the community."
He still has plenty of goals and aspirations for the church, and Booth says one he's ready to share is helping teens work better together in the community. He also enjoys pastoral care, praying and visiting with people. Monroe, and the Midwest, has felt like home to him.
"This is a good fit for us," he said. "I hope to stay here a good, long time."