Chesapeake Conference Says Goodbye to Carl Rodriguez

Story by Evan Knott/ Image by Melvin Donadelle

Carl Rodriguez is leaving Chesapeake Conference after serving as the youth director for nearly 20 years. 

Rodriguez recently accepted a call to the New Jersey Conference, where he will begin serving as the new youth director on Oct. 1.

“For 20 years, thousands of Chesapeake youth, young adults, pastors and lay leaders have been positively influenced under Carl’s effective leadership,” says Jerry Lutz, Chesapeake Conference president. “His dedication and commitment to leading young people to Jesus and training them for His service has been a great blessing to our conference.”

Rodriguez began serving as the youth director for Chesapeake Conference in 2003. During his tenure, Rodriguez created or further developed 13 conference-wide ministries and cultivated a team of more than 120 lay leaders that help coordinate conference events. 

One major highlight for Rodriguez has been growing the conference’s Pathfinder TLT (teen leadership training) program. Rodriguez says it has been rewarding to see teens complete the TLT curriculum and go on to become youth and young adult leaders in their local churches and serve as regional coordinators. 

“When you see young people and their love for Christ grow, that is rewarding,” Rodriguez says.