Garrett-Evangelical News

Meet M.Div. Student Fernando Rivera

Hometown
El Paso, TX

Age
23

Home Church & Denomination
Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Oklahoma City, OK 

Degrees
B.A. in Religion and a minor in Business Entrepreneurship from Oklahoma City University

Garrett-Evangelical Degree Program/Year
Masters of Divinity, 2^nd year

Background Information
I was born and raised in El Paso, TX, which borders Las Cruzes, NM and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. You could say that I grew up in multiple cultures! The beauty was that I never knew it. Both my parents were born and raised in Mexico and they passed down the Hispanic culture to me. I would spend holidays and vacation time with family in Mexico. This helped me appreciate my Hispanic roots and opened my eyes to the difficulties of living in a third world country.

At the same time, being raised in Texas, I had the opportunity to live in a primarily Anglo community.  Going through the public school systems, living in mostly white neighborhoods, and worshiping in a church where I was the minority, helped me quickly understand that my skin color and heritage did not and should not hold me back. It is because of these two experiences that I have come to understand and believe that it is not my skin color that defines who I am but rather a culmination of experiences and the use of the gifts God has given me.

Calling
I am currently on track to become an Elder in the Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church. I also have a strong passion for music. For years now I have been writing music, producing, and leading contemporary worship services. I truly feel that contemporary music is a part of my calling as I want to help our churches find ways to incorporate contemporary worship in our services.

Attraction to Garrett-Evangelical
Garrett-Evangelical is a place where I can me be. I can go into a classroom or a professor’s office full of questions and doubts and speak honestly with them. It is a place where I can grow and gain confidence as I prepare for ministry. It is an authentic environment where people honestly care about me and honestly care about helping me reach my fullest potential so that I can effectively serve the local church.

Career Plans
After graduation I plan on returning to the Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church to serve as an Elder.