Rev. Dr. Carter Lester

Carter retired in June 2022 as co-pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Pottstown, where he served for 28 years with his wife, Rev. Kerry Pidcock-Lester. Earlier, Carter served as Associate Pastor at Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia for 4 years, and as an attorney in Baltimore for five years. He has degrees from Duke University, University of Virginia Law School, Union Presbyterian Seminary (M.Div.), and McCormick Theological Seminary (D. Min.). Pastor Carter has been teaching elective courses in McCormick Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program for about 20 years. Away from work, Carter enjoys traveling, reading, gardening, walking, and bicycling. After a bad knee made him give up first basketball and then tennis, he is now discovering pickleball. Carter and Kerry have three adult daughters: Kate is a Presbyterian Minister serving on the Duke Chapel staff, Molly is an architectural historian and preservation planner living in Philadelphia, and Elizabeth is an attorney living in Bucks County. Carter and Kerry also have two sons-in-law, one of whom is also a Presbyterian minister, and one of whom is equally beloved despite being a Carolina Tarheel fan, and they have two very adorable grandchildren, age 6 and 4.