We are part of the Presbyterian Church in America, a Presbyterian denomination remaining faithful to Biblical teaching and standards found in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, historic statements of belief from the time of the Reformation.

Senior Pastor, Dr. Jim Urish

Our senior pastor was born in Northern Illinois and attended K-12 schools there. He received an undergraduate degree in economics from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN (1969). From there he attended the University of Arizona where he received an MBA (1972) -- and most importantly, received Christ in his final semester of that program. A year later he was at a Christian study center in Switzerland by the name of L'Abri, founded by Dr Francis Schaeffer. There he met his future wife, Anne, in the Spring of 1973. When he returned to the States, he entered Covenant Seminary (in the fall of 1975). Jim graduated with a M. Div degree in May, 1979. Jim and Anne were married in March, 1977, when Jim took some time off from Covenant before completing that degree. Upon graduation, he entered the ministry and took a pastorate in Lander, Wyoming. There he remained for nearly 22 years (Aug, 1979 to Feb, 2001). In 1994, he completed a Doctor of Ministry degree (also from Covenant Seminary).

Anne and Jim have three children. Luke, the oldest, is a 2000 United States Air Force Academy grad and now a captain in the Air Force, piloting KC-10's out of McGuire AFB in New Jersey. Mimi is a Speech Therapist at Children's Hospital in Denver. Mimi has her Master's in Speech Pathology, and a second Master's in Neuroscience. Abbie is the youngest. She has a B.S. from Michigan State University and taught in Harrison District #2 in Colorado Springs for two years, completing a Master's Degree in Bilingual Education during that time. Abbie is currently enrolled in Medical School at the Michigan State.

Jim became the pastor of Forestgate in February, 2001. He is active in bible study ministry to the cadets at the Air Force Academy with Dr. Jimmy Covey, also a teaching elder in the PCA, in addition to his pastoral duties at Forestgate. Jim and Anne, having been Academy parents themselves, are uniquely aware of the needs of cadets. They frequently have cadets to their home and Jim is involved with the Wyoming parent group for USAFA cadets. Pastor Urish has a heart for ministering to those in the military, including the many military families, both Air Force and Army, active duty and retired, within the Forestgate congregation.

With the proximity of the Air Force Academy and the residential and commercial growth around the church property, Pastor Urish looks forward to Forestgate reaching out to this ever expanding community!  He has enjoyed watching Forestgate grow and share the love of Christ with the community around them in unique ways.

One of the more creative outreach activities of the Forestgate Church Family is their love of drama and Theater production. This love has given birth to the Forestgate Community Theater. Read more about Forestgate Community Theater and the most recent ministry, Firelight, via the links on the left.