La Feria FUMC Welcomes New Pastor

LA FERIA – First United Methodist Church of La Feria welcomes Federico “Fred” Pérez Jr. to serve as the new pastor. He was appointed June 1st.

Valley native Pastor Pérez moved from his home-town church San Pablo in Alamo, Texas to La Feria with his wife of 21 years Maricruz, and his children Tracy, 30, Thalia, 27, Freddy, 20, and Jose, 17.

After working for the City of McAllen for 20 years, Pérez could no longer ignore his calling to ministry. He describes it as a four-year battle as he continually helped with leadership in local churches, preached to his home-town church, and prayed about the next step in his life.

“I felt this calling and it was something I talked to my pastor about,” Pérez said. “He encouraged me to just take this journey with Christ and just be in prayer, so I did. Every time I asked God if He was sure this is what He wanted me to do, He would show me by bringing me situations and people to minister to.”

After receiving full support from congregations and the leadership, Pérez was convinced. He wrote his letter of intention and received a local pastor license at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.

He has been an official pastor for seven years and has preached in Donna, Elsa, Weslaco, San Juan, Alamo, and is looking forward to the new experience of teaching in La Feria.

“I am excited for a totally different, but exciting experience during a new time in my life to serve in this church where I never expected to be,” Pérez said. “Even though it’s close to my home town in the valley, it’s so, so different from what I’ve experienced before having a congregation that predominantly speaks English. I know god has sent me here for a reason to even help more of our congregation unite with the community, unite more with each other spiritually, and also just in brotherly and sisterly love.”

One way Pérez plans to unite members and expand outreach is by incorporating a multi-language service.

“I’m bilingual, which I believe is part of the reason I was chosen to come here,” Pérez said. “I hope to do outreach for the Hispanic community and be able to preach to them in their language. My goal within the next six months a year I hope to either incorporate a Spanish service or a bilingual service in which the services offered here to enrich the services here offered in La Feria.”

For more information, call La Feria FUMC at 956-797-1393. Services are Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.