Hello! My name is James T. LaRue but I go by JT and I am the Youth Director here at FUMC Pittsburg.

My wife and I moved to the area from Houston in March of 2021. Clarissa and I have been married since 2014 and we have 3 dogs and 3 cats! I am also a Pastor at Perryville United Methodist Church, just right down the road on SH 852. I have been in Pastoral Ministry for the last 2 Years and Youth and Family Ministries for the last 6 years.

I am a 1997 graduate of Atlanta High School and later joined the US Air-Force where my specialty was in Metrology and Test Measurement Equipment.  I have through the years worked for various Civil Service including, the National Weather Service, the National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service, The US Army, and the US Air-Force. At a young age I had felt the call to ministry but kept putting it off and it wasn’t until I had moved to Houston after a lengthy first career that I finally was able to answer that call into full time ministry. I am so glad to be here at FUMC Pittsburg and I am so glad that I get to be a part of the Church’s witness to God’s Love and the Love that FUMC Pittsburg has for its youth, tweens and the community that they live in.

Hobbies include: Automotive and Racing Enthusiast, Fishing, PC Gaming, Console Gaming, I am a tech nerd and geek! I also play the acoustic guitar and have been known to lead a contemporary worship service every now and again. My wife Clarissa, likes to crochet, plays the Bass Guitar, and is a crafting and baking extraordinaire.

Our dogs names are Annabelle (The Oldest), Amos Moses, Cooper. With the cats having us call them Skye, Sir Winston, and Ash.