Profiles

Luz E. Maldonado is an ordained elder of The United Methodist Church and has been a pastor for thirty-eight years, and she is also currently serving in the Florida Annual Conference of the UMC at New Covenant United Methodist Church in Sebring, Florida. Rev. Dr. Maldonado was born in Puerto Rico, where she began her ministry in 1985. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and associate degrees in mathematics and chemistry from the Interamerican University–Metropolitan Campus in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has a Master of Divinity degree from the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University’s School of Theology in Madison, New Jersey.

In 2000, Rev. Dr. Maldonado received her appointment in Florida, where she has been serving for the last 23 years in Highland County (Central Florida). She has numerous trainings and credentials under her belt, and she has been certified as a Church Planter by the Georgia Annual Conference, UMC. Under her leadership, San Andrés Methodist Church in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, where she pastored for ten years, was built. Also under her leadership, New Covenant United Methodist Church in Sebring, Florida, was born in 2012.

Rev. Dr. Maldonado is a member of the Administrative Committee of the Southwest District of the Florida Annual Conference. She is also a member of the District Operational Team (DOT) and a member of the District Committee of Ordained Ministry of the Southwest District, where she mentors ministry candidates. She holds certification from the General Board of Global Ministry of the UMC to be a facilitator, mentor, and teacher of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries. She has been a professor at the Hispanic-Latino Academy and a professor at the Hispanic/Latino Theological Institute of the United Methodist Church of Florida. Rev. Dr. Maldonado has a great passion for ministry in Christian education, discipleship, and worship. Rev. Dr. Maldonado has been married for thirty-three years to her husband, Juan. Together they have two adult children, Juan Jr. and Michelle. When she is not tending to her church and community, Rev. Dr. Maldonado enjoys crafting and sewing.