LEADERSHIP

DR. RICK TORRENCE 

Senior Pastor

The Reverend Doctor Rick Torrence 

Dr. Rick Torrence was born in Memphis, TN, the eldest of four children of Ralph and Joyce Torrence. He is married to the former Karon Faye Smith, of Dinwiddle, Virginia. Dr. Torrence is the father of four adult children: Lateefah, Rickey II, Reginald and Ashley, and the grandfather of eight. 

Dr. Torrence received his B. A. Degree from San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, and his Master of Divinity Degree from Howard University, School of Divinity, in Washington, DC.  He furthered his studies towards a Doctor of Ministry Degree at the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.  He received his Doctor of Ministry Degree, from Jacksonville Theological Seminary, in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Dr. Torrence was licensed to Preach in 1986, and ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 1991, by the historic Mt. Olive Baptist Church, of Arlington, VA.  

Dr. Torrence was elected to the position of Assistant Pastor of Mt. Olive in 1996.  From 1999 to 2002, Dr. Torrence served as Interim Pastor of Mt. Olive.  During that time, he led Mt. Olive through a difficult time of transition. As Assistant Pastor and Interim Pastor to Mt. Olive Baptist Church’s 1,000 plus members, Dr. Torrence served with distinction during a volatile period in the church’s history including the bombing of the Pentagon in Arlington, VA on 9/11/2001. Mt. Olive once stood at the Pentagon site in what was known as Freedman’s Village.  Dr. Torrence resumed his role as Assistant Pastor from 2002 to 2005, before locating to Northeast Florida. 

From 2006 to February 2009, Dr. Torrence served as an Associate Pastor at the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church of Palm Coast. 

On March 1, 2009, Dr. Torrence became the Senior Pastor of the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church of Hastings, Florida. In his tenure at Gethsemane, he has proven to be a visionary, a capable administrator, community Leader and loving Shepherd. Since being called to Pastor at Gethsemane, he has been responsible for the installation of an elevator, new men’s and women’s restrooms, new baptismal pool, new pastoral office, a new phone system, two new computers and computerized churches membership and financial records, social media (Facebook & WEB Page).

Dr. Torrence’s Sermon “Indivisible”, was published in a book entitled, “On the Sabbath After; a book of Messages of Hope Delivered on the Sabbath after September 11, 2001”.  The book is a tribute to the victims and families of the 9/11 tragedy. 

Dr. Torrence is a retired Xerox Sales Executive where he served with distinction for 19 years.  

REVEREND KARON TORRENCE

Co. Pastor

Reverend Karon S. Torrence

Reverend Karon Torrence was born at Fort Lee Hospital in Prince George County, Virginia. She is the 3rd of 5 siblings, the fourth sibling being her identical twin Sharon. She is married to Reverend Rick Torrence, Pastor of the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church of Hastings, FL. She is the mother/stepmother of four adult children: Lateefah, Rickey II, Reginald and Ashley, and the grandmother of eight: Rickey Edward Torrence III, Dalia Torrence-Braun, Annabelle Rose Pitter, Logan Amelia Torrence, Avery Winston Pitter, Reid Mason Torrence, Anderson Jude Pitter and Ava Lynne Pitter. 

Reverend Torrence is a graduate of Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA where she received a BS in Accounting.  She is also the recipient of a MBA in Business Administration, from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. 

After graduation from Virginia State University, she held several finance related positions in the Washington DC area, including a position at Gallaudet University, the most well known and prestigious institution of higher education in the world for deaf persons. It was at Gallaudet University that Reverend Torrence became proficient in American Sign Language. 

Prior to moving to Florida, Reverend Torrence served in several ministries at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Arlington, VA where her husband served as the first Assistant Pastor, and later, as Interim Pastor.  Her most rewarding service was the establishment of a Deaf Ministry at Mt. Olive.  During her tenure as director, the ministry trained 7 parishioners to become American Sign Language interpreters, provided beginning through intermediate sign classes to the church and neighboring communities. Upon moving to Florida, Reverend Torrence became an American Sign Language Instructor for the St. Johns Co. School District., 

Reverend Torrence was licensed to the Gospel Ministry on September 24, 2009.   She was ordained to the Gospel Ministry on November 26, 2011.  Reverend Torrence was appointed Co-pastor at Gethsemane in February of 2012.   

Co-Pastor Torrence retired from 35 years’ professional work in Defense Contracting, leaving Lockheed Martin Corporation, Orlando in March 2017.  She now enjoys full-time ministry alongside her husband, to which God has called them, at Gethsemane. They celebrated their 11th Pastoral Anniversary in May 2020.  

Her work in the ministry continues to grow as she strives to be obedient to the high-calling presented to us in Romans 12:1,"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service".