"One UWI, One Alumni Family" 

In Celebration of the UWI’s 75^th Anniversary the UWI Alumni Association New York Chapter hosted a Church Service and Panel Discussion on November 12, 2023. Here are a few snaps form the event and a copy of the superb sermon done by our very own UWI Pelican Rev Patrick G Perrin under the theme “There is a Light” which speaks greatly to the UWI over its 75 years of existence and its contributions to the Caribbean.

REV. PATRICK G. PERRIN

The Rev. Patrick G. Perrin, a native of Spanish Town, Jamaica, W.I. and a graduate of the Spanish Town Primary School and the St. Jago High School, is an Elder (Retired) in the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) and last served as the Pastor of the ST. JOHN’S UMC OF ELMONT (2008-2019), in Valley Stream, N.Y. He is a graduate of The UWI - B.Sc. Econ; B.A. Theol; UTCWI – Dip. Min. Studies; Christian Theological Seminary, (CTS) Indianapolis, Indiana, M. Min. He has subsequently taken continuing education courses at Lancaster Theol. Seminary, PA., Oxford University in England, at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome and at Harvard University Division of Continuing Education. He was Methodist Chaplain to the UWI – St. Augustine campus, Trinidad, and Chaplain Tutor at the Excelsior Education Centre (EXED) in Kingston, Jamaica.

He has pastored churches in Trinidad and Tobago and in Jamaica, and since the 80’s in Brooklyn, New York. - EBENEZER WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH (84-87); ST. MARK’s UMC of BROOKLYN (87-98); and HANSON PLACE CENTRAL UMC. (98-08) For a brief period, he directed the Youth Employment Program (YEP) of the East New York Development Corporation and served as a Psychometrician for the Testing Assessment and Placement (TAP) Center of the East New York Development Corporation.

He has served on the Board of Trustees of the NYAC and the Board of Ordained Ministries of the NYAC and chaired the Conference’s Nominations Committee. He chaired the District Council on Ministries of the Long Island West District and was a member of the District Committee on Ordained Ministries, The Parish Development Committee, the Superintendency Committee, The Brooklyn Methodist Church Home and The Bethany Methodist Home.

The Rev. Mr. Perrin’s ecumenical involvement began during his undergraduate years where he served on National, Regional and International ecumenical bodies, including the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC), the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) and the Theological Ecumenical Fund (TEF) of the World Council of Churches. He directed the Caribbean Ecumenical Youth Seminar at the St. Andrews Theological Seminary in San Fernando Trinidad. He served as the President of the Brooklyn Ecumenical Cooperative (BEC) which included 41 churches, two Parochial Schools and Two Faith-based Hospitals. The BEC through its New Communities (Housing Corporation) provided over 1000 units of housing and started the Brooklyn Ecumenical Federal Credit Union (Now People’s Alliance) and the Community Capital Bank.

Pastor Perrin is married to Pansy Perrin (née McKoy) also a graduate of the St. Jago High School and

the UWI. In addition to their four children: Ayesha, Ayanna, Ayodeji and Ajahni, and five grandchildren: Emery & Teodor (twins), Mason, Ayla and Ember, he enjoys reading, board games (especially Dominoes) watching sports, travel, music (all genres), playing the piano and organ, choral singing and cooking. He produced the Radio Program, “Sunday Evening Praise” 9:00 – 10:00p.m. hosted by Pastor Omar Hall, Maureen Gordon and Yvonne Talbot-Andrews, and heard on IrieJam Radio, FM 93.5 in the New York Tri-State Area for a number of years.

Since retirement Pastor Perrin has served Janes UMC, Brooklyn, and North UMC, Hartford, CT. He resides in Queens, New York.

View his special UWI 75th Anniversary sermon HERE