[quote=@Skelm]
[@Sugar and Spite] [@Moon Child] [@SalemFlame] Getting in right under the wire. I haven't been feeling well over the past few days, so it was a bit tense for a while.

[hider=Pastor Matthew Pierce][center][h2][color=#6494ed][b]Matthew Pierce[/b][/color][/h2]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/BK54j9Sh/tumblr-397efa14c44c38e15b32b8f4c9b18f6f-636f13c8-540.gif[/img]
[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Faceclaim: Lewis Pullman // Color Code: #6494ed[/b][/color][/sub]
[color=#6494ed]_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________[/color][/center]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Full Name:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Matthew Coltrane Pierce[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Nickname(s):[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Pastor Matt, Matty[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Age:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]31[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Gender:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Male[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Sexuality:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Straight[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Occupation:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Youth & Outreach Pastor at Pines Holler Baptist Church; occasionally volunteers as a counselor for those in emotional distress, despite no proper psychiatric training [/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Place of Residence:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]He has taken up residence in the small ‘shack’ previously used by the cemetery caretaker behind the church. While he insists it is only a temporary solution, he has occupied the space for the past three years. [/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Family and Close Connections:[/b][/color][/sub]
[list][*]Father Waylon Shaw – the head pastor of Pines Holler Baptist Church; serves as both Matt’s boss and mentor. After his biological father left at a young age, he views him almost like the father he never had. He is poised to succeed him as the head pastor after BLANK steps down, retires, or passes.
[*]Lorraine Pierce – Mother and former bartender, she now resides in a nursing home a few towns over in Marion. Matt rarely speaks about her and has shown no inclination to visit her, even with her declining health.
[*]Tessa Reeves – Ex-girlfriend who left for Knoxville. With rumors swirling about her engagement, Matt claims he’s happy for her, though he seldom elaborates on the subject and prefers not to talk about their past. [/list]

[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/Ldxch2kK/tumblr-0e0f32b2281753cb8e9aecdb2fcd3588-fa8e6039-540.gif[/img][/center]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Appearance:[/b][/color][/sub]
[list][*][color=#6494ed]Height:[/color] 6’0”
[*][color=#6494ed]Hair:[/color] Brown hair, usually unkempt and kept a little too long; light stubble on his chin that he trims to look accidental
[*][color=#6494ed]Eyes:[/color] Blue
[*][color=#6494ed]Body Type:[/color] Ruggedly handsome, conceals a trim body beneath his more conservative choice of clothes
[*][color=#6494ed]Clothing Style:[/color] Clean shirts that are usually rolled up at the sleeves and wrinkled, khaki or jeans, casual shoes, typically a pair of worn sneakers, a silver chain around his neck with a cross, and leather bracelets from some youth event he never talks about  
[*][color=#6494ed]Body Markings:[/color] N/A
[/list]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Personality:[/b][/color][/sub]
[list][*]Awkwardly charming
[*]Soft-spoken, but firm when pushed
[*]Compassionate to a fault; he can be far too trusting sometimes
[*]Self-loathing in private/lonely
[*]Secretly volatile
[*]Faithful but constantly tempted
[*]Empathetic
[*]Romantic in theory; reckless in practice
[*]Idealistic
[*]Afraid of wasting his life[/list]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]History:[/b][/color][/sub]
[indent]Matthew is a man of faith, though he did not start on the path to glory. As a child, he was far from the sanctity of the church. While his mother worked at the bar, Matt typically frequented pool halls and gas stations, associating with those who would rather remain in the shadows due to their shady practices. That’s why his conversion to Christianity at nineteen was both sudden and dramatic. Some called it a miracle while others suspected it was desperation disguised as revelation. Either way, the church folks loved a revival story, and as far as they were concerned, Matt was a textbook example.

However, when he went off to attend seminary, it did not last. Rumors swirled about the reasons, ranging from illness to insubordination; some even speculated that there was an inappropriate relationship involved. Despite the circumstances, the outcome remained the same: Matt returned to Pines Holler early, seeking fulfilling work that would satisfy his faith.

Fortunately, Pines Holler Baptist Church took him in. Pastor Waylon Shaw—older, patient, and sharp enough to see both potential and danger in the young man—became a kind of mentor and father figure. Under Shaw’s wing, Matt found his purpose. As the congregation’s youth and outreach pastor, he wrangled teens on Wednesday nights, handled funerals on short notice, and even stepped into the role of unofficial counselor and confidante for anyone in town who needed someone to talk to.

Nevertheless, his transformation never felt complete. While his faith and love are real, he still experiences certain temptations from his past that he hasn’t quite managed to drown in baptism.[/indent]

[sub][color=#6494ed][b]Extra Facts // Headcannons:[/b][/color][/sub]
[list][*]REQUIRED: How does your character feel about the expansion/growth of Pines Holler?
This is a complicated issue for Matt. On one hand, he wants to save Pines Holler from decay, feeling a deep connection to the place as his hometown, but on the other, he has an innate desire to escape and find his own path.
 
[*]Smokes in his truck to calm his nerves, but never in front of church members.
[*]Keeps liquor in a water bottle under the hymnals in the back of the church, untouched for weeks, and then gone overnight.
[*]Writes letters to his mother, but never sends them or visits her.
[*]Drives an ancient Toyota Tacoma that he routinely takes up to the overlook outside town to pray, curse, or simply sit and listen to music.
[*]At least two households in Pines Holler blame him for breaking up their daughters.
[*]Once tried to host a youth canoe trip that ended with two sprained ankles and a missing paddle. It’s still a running joke to this day.
[*]Says, “God will sort it out” when what he really means is, “I don’t know how to.”
[*]He believes the Holy Spirit speaks in shame and longing, but he isn’t sure which is louder.[/list][/hider]

[/quote]

Approved ~