12/29/2015
3:30 pm Saturday, April 30 speaker: The Rev. Felix Carrion "Value, Vision, Voice" (based on the story in John 9).
The Rev. Felix Carrion is presently serving as the Interim Minister at Hough’s Neck Congregational Church in Quincy, MA. He is also serving as a consultant, preacher and keynoter. Rev. Carrion brings to his work a commitment to the empowerment of clergy and lay for effective ministry and witness in Church and society. In his work,
Rev. Carrion weaves together faith and justice, spirituality and mission, and head and heart.
For five years the Rev. Felix Carrion served as the Coordinator of the Stillspeaking Ministry of the United Church of Christ (UCC). In this capacity, Rev. Carrion directed the “God is still speaking” national marketing and identity campaign of the United Church of Christ. His efforts were guided by a close collaboration with the Local Churches, Conferences and Covenanted Ministries of the UCC.
Prior to this call, the Rev. Carrion served as Pastor of the Euclid Avenue Congregational Church (EACC) in Cleveland, Ohio where he was active in ecumenical and interfaith communities and partnerships promoting understanding, dialogue and justice commitments. Before arriving at EACC, Carrion was the Interim Minister at Faith, UCC, in Richmond Heights, Ohio where he served from 2001-2003.
From 1990 to 1994, Carrion was with the UCC’s Office for Church Life and Leadership, where he served as minister for the Middle Atlantic Region and for the ministry of laity. Based in Collegeville, Pa. he implemented church-wide leadership development programs in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition, Carrion also oversaw the production of an award-winning video, “With These Gifts,” which features the ministry of United Church of Christ lay members in their churches, work places, and communities.
Between the years of 1994 through 2000 he was with the United Church of Christ’s Office for Church in Society and Commission for Racial Justice. As associate for multiracial and multicultural church empowerment, Carrion provided support and training for the UCC’s Public Witness and Racial Justice Ministries to conferences, association, and local churches. Rev. Carrion offered critical leadership as staff and spokesperson for the United Church of Christ’s pronouncement and proposal for action on being a multiracial and multicultural church.
In addition, Carrion helped articulate the United Church of Christ’s biblical mandate in relation to emerging social issues and served as liaison between the Commission for Racial Justice and the UCC’s Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries.
In April 1994, Carrion spearheaded and served as the administrator of the five-day Latino/Latina Summit, a first ever gathering of Hispanic leaders from throughout the denomination. The 165 participants developed empowerment strategies and more than 100 recommendations for the church. At the conclusion of the summit, Carrion directed the production of “Cumbre, the Latino and Latina Leadership Summit,” a 35 minute video.
Carrion has served as a trustee of Chicago Theological Seminary and Andover Newton Theological School, two UCC-related seminaries.
Throughout his calling Rev. Carrion has keynoted in numerous conferences and forums of the United Church of Church and the ecumenical community and has served as guest preacher in many local churches throughout the country. His speaking, preaching and lecturing gifts were honed in the Assemblies of God where his early call and leadership, as a teenager, were already affirmed and encouraged.
Recognized for his lifelong passion for learning, Carrion is an avid reader with expansive interests. He communicates a deep commitment to the application of theory to applied strategies and plans of action. Carrion inspires audiences while drawing from them, in workshops and seminars, insights rooted in common life and personal experience. He believes that “genius is in community”.
Rev. Carrion has written a number of published articles. Among them are “The Challenges of the Church and A Strategy of Engagement,” which appeared in the Andover Newton Review (Newton Centre, Mass.) in 1990, “Witness to the Power of the Holy Spirit,” in Good News In Growing Churches, published by Pilgrim Press (1990), “Work of God in Scriptures,” in the United Church of Christ Journey into the Future, Worship Program Book (1988-89), and “Telling the Story: The Hispanic/Latino Family in the United States
Born in New York City, Carrion earned a B.A. degree (1982) in biblical studies from King’s College in Briarcliffe Manor, N.Y., and a Masters of Divinity degree (1986) from Andover Newton Theological School where he graduated valedictorian of his class. He also has studied in several seminars at Oxford (England) University and in Seminaries in Managua, Nicaragua and San Jose, Costa Rica.
Carrion is married to Dannette Costas-Carrion. His two sons are Lucas and Aaron.
