Biography
The Rev. Edwin Pérez Jr. is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC). Beginning in the Pentecostal tradition, he began licensed ministry in 2015 and has served in the United Church of Christ (UCC) since 2017, in various capacities. He has written published devotionals and blogs, founded and coached new church plants/revitalizations, served in UCC national leadership as well as on the founding Board of Directors of the Southern New England Conference UCC. Rev. Pérez has coached pastors and churches across the country and served as the inaugural President & Moderator of the Colectivo UCC Latinx (lah-TEE-necks) Ministries. He has worked ecumenically and with interfaith partners, traveling the country and Latin America to preach and embody the Gospel of liberation for the marginalized and the oppressed. Rev. Pérez also has ordained standing in The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries (TFAM), recently served the Congregational Church of Naugatuck CT as Transitional Senior Minister—leading them into becoming Open and (LGBTQ+) Affirming, and most recently served as a healthcare chaplain for Griffin Health and Trinity Health. He continues to mentor Latine local pastors and volunteer as part-time General Pastor of Manantial de Gracia (“Spring of Grace”)—an LGBTQ+ affirming and Spanish-speaking congregation—in addition to serving as settled Senior Minister of the historic Immanuel Congregational Church UCC of Hartford, CT. Rev. Pérez also teaches social ethics as adjunct professor at Berkeley School of Theology (CA).
Rev. Pérez has worked in public service in New Haven, CT, in administrative & managerial capacities; as a K-8 educator; academic specialist/tutor in higher education; and as Advisory Board Member for Progreso Latino Fund of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. His work has included local and state level justice and policy advocacy especially benefiting BIPOC, LGBTQ, and migrant people domestically and internationally.
He holds an Associate of Arts degree from CT State Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Southern Connecticut State University–receiving the Forrest Peterson Award for Excellence in Philosophy in 2021—a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University, a Diploma in Congregational Ministry from Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School—receiving the 2024 Jonathan Edwards Prize for Excellence in Theology and Ministry—and is currently a Doctor of Ministry student in Transformational Leadership at Boston University School of Theology.
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