Pastor Belkis Fernández
Woodbridge Hispanic Church
She is a graduate of a Doctorate in Ministry. Since her adolescence, she has been passionate about announcing the gospel of Jesus Christ and exercising a compassion ministry.
In May 2021, in the midst of a pandemic, Belkis graduated with a Doctorate of Ministry degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS). Her final research paper was titled: “Domestic Violence: Focus and treatment of leadership in the church and the social context.” She also graduated with a Master's in Pastoral Ministry from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, United States. In addition to this, she has a degree in Social Work from the University Católica Madre y Maestra, in her native country. Belkis completed her COTN MDC 24 modular courses and completed her third year in Masters of Divinity at the Indiana Wesley Seminar.
She also obtained a Postgraduate studies in Human Rights and is a graduate of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo with a Master's Degree in Higher Education, certified in Social Sciences. This degree was validated at York University, Toronto, Canada. She is a certified Teacher of Arts.
In the Dominican Republic, she worked for the National Evangelical University, with international Christian agencies such as: World Vision and Food for the Hungry, where she established a link with Toronto, Canada. She also worked as a consultant in the development of community projects with international agencies. In addition to missionary and associate pastor for 12 years in the City of Toronto, Belkis traveled throughout Central and South America as part of her job for World Vision and Food for the Hungry International.
Belkis is an ordained Pastor and the principal founder of the Spanish Church of Woodbridge and El Manantial Community Neighbourhood Centre. Along with her husband and family, she is very committed to preaching and teaching the Word of God in the Hispanic Nazarene Churches in Toronto and Woodbridge.
Belkis has supported her husband, Pedro Julio, in pastoral ministry in Toronto since 1996. Belkis has worked with women victims of domestic violence and dysfunctional families in Toronto, where she has been able to pursue her pastoral and Social Work career. Throughout these 25 years she has received continuous professional training.
In Belkis' ministerial life, the year 2008 represented a confirmation of her vocation, when the Church of the Nazarene ordained her on June 11th as a minister/pastor of the Gospel of Christ. This has been one of the most significant events in her life. The church leaders of the church prayed for her and dedicated her to serving the work of Christ. This, after being examined year after year by the credentials committee.