There is one thing Nathan Lopez made sure to bring with him from the church he worked at in Omaha, Neb., the mini-basketball hoop from his tiny office. The hoop now hangs in his more spacious office at the Lighthouse Assembly of God, other items in the room include handcrafted Native flutes and a baby grand piano.

Lopez is the new pastor for the church, but he is no stranger to Petersburg. He grew up playing basketball here and left the community after graduating high school in 1997 to begin his career with the church and ministry. Lopez previously spent time as a youth pastor in Angoon, wo...