Our Leadership

Rev. Lorenzo R. Small, Sr. was born on June 5, 1974 to Ms. Evon Small and Mr. Lorenzo Smith in Norfolk, VA. He is the oldest of four children.  He attended the public schools of Dunn, NC and attended North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC where he studied finance and graduated in May 1998 with highest honors.  Rev. Small left North Carolina after graduation to accept a position with 3M Corporation in St. Paul, MN. Following a short stint with 3M, he worked for several years as a pharmaceutical sales representative with Eli Lilly & Company.  Rev. Small ended his professional career with Carolinas Healthcare System in 2014, where he spent 5 years in various positions, most recent as the Director- West Region Urgent Care Services.

Shortly after moving to Minnesota, Rev. Small joined Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church (MBC) where he served as a Deacon, Chair of Deacon Board, Sunday School Superintendent, Chair of Building Fund Committee and Chair of Finance Committee. He was called to the ministry and licensed in February 2005 and was ordained in April 2006, by Rev. Steve Daniels, Jr., Pastor of Shiloh MBC.

Led by God’s spirit, Rev. Small enrolled in seminary training and pursued that commitment when he and his wife returned to NC in 2006. He joined First Fellowship Ministries of Charlotte, where he served as Associate Pastor. In January 2011, he was invited to preach at Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church in Lancaster, SC. He graduated from Union Presbyterian Seminary in April 2013 with a Master of Divinity degree.  Rev. Small was ordained as a PCUSA Teaching Elder and installed as the full-time pastor of Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church on June 8, 2014, where he served for 6.5 years.  He accepted the call to Pastor First United Presbyterian Church in Charlotte NC in May 2017 and preached his first sermon on June 18, 2017.

Rev. Small is happily married to Alexis Rembert Small and has been so for 20 years.  They are the proud parents of three sons: Antray, Lorenzo Jr., and Alexander.