Fine. Stay there and rot. Gates and his ilk will bend you over till you die.
I never understood why someone would glue themselves to a geographical region and mindlessly cling to it as though it was a religion or something.
I left Kansas because it was boring. I left Arizona cause there was more money to be made in California and I left there when it went irretrievably Left.
Texas is nice but I would never call myself a Texan. I'm an American.
This makes it all clear. I strongly suggest you stay out of the pastoral professions -- you're exhibiting a psychological deficiency that shows you're clearly not cut out for them.