Christina Parrish

Christina’s calling to pastoral ministry began while serving on a mission trip in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and her desire to serve others continues to shape her ministry. She finds her greatest joy in leading the church to grow in love for Christ and for each other, as well as in service to the surrounding community.

Originally from Florida, Christina has called North Carolina “home” since 2012. While she appreciates the Duke-UNC rivalry, she has her own preference when it comes to the best shade of blue. As a University of Florida alum with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering (and minors in Religion and Business), she thinks blue pairs best with orange. Nevertheless, she became a “Blue Devil” for a time when she earned her Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2015.

In her role as the senior pastor of Wakefield UMC, Christina focuses on preaching, planning and leading worship, pastoral care, administering the church’s life and business, presiding over the sacraments of Holy Communion and baptism, and guiding the church in mission to its community.

Christina is married to her college sweetheart, Matt, a civil engineer and business owner. They have two young daughters.  As a family, they enjoy going on adventures, spending time with friends and family, gardening, hiking, playing board games, traveling, and watching college sports.