Because I believe pastoral gifts are essential for ministers to exhibit, I am impressed by Carson's ability to STOP and LISTEN to those who approach her. Carson is able to connect to the congregant who needs attention/compassion with ease and love. During Carson's time with our congregation, I was able to observe her pastoral, caring reactions to folks, many times.
Carson's ability to share, openly, her beliefs and experiences is also helpful because it makes her REAL. Pastors need to be genuine in working with congregations, and Carson has given the folks at Desert Heritage Church her true self. Carson is a person we can trust.
Mary Whitlock, Elder at Desert Heritage Church UCC/DOC
As a member of First Church UCC of Phoenix for the past 8 years, I have had the rewarding experience of getting to know Carson and hearing of her journey into a new faith through our congregation’s understanding of Christ’s purpose for us. As I came to know Carson and her story, I learned of her experiences with rejection by other church communities as she attempted to live authentically into who she is. If openness to surprises of the Holy Spirit is a desired leadership skill in the UCC then Carson is an outstanding example of this trait. She has shared her experiences with finding acceptance, love and support at Phoenix UCC, which allowed her to reawaken to Christ’s power and to renew a faith she had come to doubt. I have been privileged to share this journey with her, and to participate in her witnessing to this transformation for the benefit of others. Given the type of ministry practiced at First UCC of Phoenix Carson is a part of a highly diverse congregation, where she has also demonstrated ample capacity to work collaboratively with all members of our community, and to lead by example.
Mark Hardin, Member of First Church Local Church Discernment Committee (LCDC)
As a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Phoenix, I have had a chance to participate in several classes/workshops that Carson has led. Our groups were diverse in religious background and often easily digressed into related but different topics; while allowing flexibility in the flow of the discussion and acknowledging the interests and curiosity of the group, Carson gently and successfully guided our focus back to the main topic of the evening and through to each of the sessions in the workshop – a challenging task for any leader of our group! As we as a group explored each of our spiritual journeys and wrote our spiritual autobiographies, she served as an effective leader by retaining boundaries yet joining us in our vulnerability, sharing both the challenging and uplifting parts of her own story with us, thereby inspiring us to find courage to do the same within ourselves. She encouraged us to decide for ourselves how much, if any of our own stories, to share with the group. She exhibited tolerance, acceptance, respect, and belief in each of us.
Beth Duvall - Member of First Church UCC - Phoenix
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