Rev. Dr. Samuel Cruz

Senior Pastor

 

Pastor Sam is a native from Brooklyn and considers New York City his home. Although he lives in New Jersey, Dr. Cruz teaches in New York City where he does ministry and develops his academic responsibilities. He was ordained in 1994 and has served churches in the New York metropolitan area. Pastor Cruz expresses and lives out a gospel that addresses real social issues and engages racial, gender, sexual and class oppressions. This kind of ministry is based upon the life and ministry of Jesus that proclaimed good news to the poor and liberation to the oppressed.Dr. Cruz is married to Tania Stanchich, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and life partner. Together they have three daughters – Amber, Jovana and Naome.

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Rev. Cruz has an earned B.A. from the College of New Rochelle (NY), a M.A. (magna cum laude) from New Brunswick Theological Seminary (N.J.), a M. Phil., and a Ph.D. from Drew University (Madison, N.J.,2002). Dr. Cruz’s publications include two books: Masked Africanisms: Puerto Rican Pentecostalism (Kendall Hunt Publishing, 2005) and Christianity and Culture in the City: A Post Colonial Approach(Lexington Books, 2012). He has also authored a number of book chapters and professional journal articles on Latina/o and global Pentecostalism and on the sociology of religion – two principal areas of his research and teaching. Dr. Cruz is Associate Professor of Religion and Society at Union Theological 

Seminary in New York.​

Pastor Sam is trained in interfaith counseling and also is available to participate as a speaker for panels and conferences.