Church of the Nazarene pastor returns to roots

The Rev. Joshua Fite seems to be the ideal bridge between the past and future for Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene officials.

In its 75-year history, the church has gone through many changes.

It opened its doors in the 1930s and witnessed a steady growth in the first 20 years. Recently, though, the church has struggled to attract new members.

Fite’s extended family is from Fort Mill and those family ties date back seven generations. His grandmother, Ruth Fite, was the first family member to attend Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene in 1949, 11 years after it opened. Ruth Fite was also among the first members to lay the foundation for what it stands for today.

“My grandmother came during the time in the church where there was an influx in membership and had its first real growth spurt,” Rev. Fite said.

“My father, my uncle and aunts all grew up coming to church here. My father was called into the ministry from this church and I have family ties that started and founded the church. They weren’t lineal family, but we’ve been involved here for a really long time, so it is kind of like coming home.”

Fite was born in Fort Mill and his wife, Michelle, is from Rock Hill. As a pastor’s kid, his family moved all over the state. He graduated from Fort Dorchester High in Summerville, but Fort Mill always had a special place in his heart, he said.

Fite last served as pastor at Lookout Valley Church in Chattanooga, Tenn. He got a call was from his regional supervisor who wanted to know if he’d think about and pray about becoming the next leader at the Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene.

“I took that to heart, I prayed about it and everything just fell into place,” Fite said. “I have always called this area home and to be the leader of the church where my father was called into the ministry is a big deal and something I take very seriously.”

Fite moved to Fort Mill in June with his wife and four children – Trinity, Lily, Kaiyah and Waylon. He said one of the challenges he faces is raising the church’s profile in a town with more than a dozen places of worship.

“Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene has always been a big part of the Fort Mill community,” he said. “For various reasons it has sort of lost some of its allure within the community. One of my main goals is to accept who we are, own our tradition and own our place in the Fort Mill community. I want this church to be so embedded in (what) Fort Mill is and what Fort Mill is becoming. Oftentimes churches define themselves with what they are against, but I’m trying to get my people to define what we are for, and one of the biggest things we’re for is Fort Mill. I think we can take the essence of that and use it to lead us into the next 75 years.”

Because he didn’t grow up with the church’s members, the pastor said he feels he needs to somewhat re-establish his ties to Fort Mill. Not that he considers that a disadvantage.

“I’m excited to be here and to lead my people,” he said. “This is my hometown, it’s where I’m from going back six or seven generations, but I didn’t grow up here. I didn’t have that connection with the people I’m leading now so that makes it a little easier for me. I’ve told them that even with all the familial ties I have within the church, they don’t owe me anything so we’ll start from there.”

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 6:49 PM with the headline "Church of the Nazarene pastor returns to roots."