The Raymond Trust
The Raymond Trust was given to our church in 1883 by Deacon William E. Raymond, a local businessman and committed member of The Congregational Church of New Canaan. The purpose of the gift was to make sure the Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached in underserved communities in Connecticut. In years past, the church would employ a full-time “Raymond Minister” to serve a local congregation in a time of transition or acute pastoral need. Thanks to the efforts of the Trustees of the endowment, “Raymond Fellows” can be preaching at multiple churches on any given week throughout the state. The mission envisioned by Deacon Raymond lives on in a new and dynamic way, that allows seminarians to continue to grow and develop as preachers, while sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ more expansively than ever before.
The Raymond Fellows
The Raymond Trustees offer $12,000 preaching fellowships to several Yale Divinity School students each year. Raymond Fellows commit to a more rigorous study of preaching as a pastoral discipline. Fellows then go out to preach at churches needing pulpit supply in Connecticut, free of charge throughout the academic year.
For more information about this ministry, to apply for a Raymond Preaching Fellowship, or to request a Raymond Fellow to offer pulpit supply at your church, please contact Laurel Carr at laurel@godsacre.org
Ten Rules for Effective Preaching
A good sermon is a work of art, and this brief instructional video will assist both the aspiring and seasoned preacher to further enhance their craft.
Eliana Cañas Parra
M.Div, First Year, Yale Divinity School 2025
Eliana was born and raised in Colombia and moved to the U.S. in 2014. She most recently lived in Vermont, where she earned an M.A. in Latin American and Iberian Literature from Middlebury College. While in Vermont, she taught Spanish at the Addison Central School District and served as Director of Children and Youth Ministries at the Congregational Church of Middlebury, UCC. Eliana recently relocated to New Haven, where she is currently a first-year Master of Divinity student at Yale Divinity School and Andover Newton Seminary. She is also a Member in Discernment (MID) at her home church in Vermont, with a strong interest in pastoral ministry and church leadership.
Marianna Kilbride
Director of Spiritual Formation, The Congregational Church of New Canaan
Marianna is the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Congregational Church of New Canaan. Her areas of responsibility are missions and outreach, adult education, and worship. Originally from North Carolina, Marianna and her family moved to New Canaan, CT, in 1999 and joined The Congregational Church of New Canaan soon thereafter. Her many varied lay leadership roles led to a staff position in 2013. She is happy to add Raymond Fellows to her list of opportunities and looks forward to serving other Connecticut churches in that capacity.
Tony Kiniry
Executive Director of Recovery Community Development
Tony is the Executive Director of Recovery Community Development, a non-profit that creates affordable supportive housing in Bridgeport. He was formerly the Executive Director of Pivot Ministries and served Pivot as a Board member and as Board President. Tony was a 30-year member of The Congregational Church of New Canaan and served as a deacon, missions committee member, and senior minister search committee. He was the Co-Founder of The Lighthouse in New Canaan, CT, which provides and manages sober living and supportive housing for area residents in need. He is a Certified Recovery Advisor with extensive personal, managerial, and operational experience in addiction and recovery.
Tony’s professional background includes 25+ years of financial management experience with Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, and Credit Suisse. He has a BA from the University of Connecticut. Tony lives with his wife and son in Westport, CT, and worships at New Canaan Congregational and Greens Farms Church in Westport. CT.
David Stuart
M.Div, Third Year, Yale Divinity School 2025
Dave recently retired as a partner at the New York City law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he spent most of his 28-year legal career. Upon his retirement from Cravath, he began serving as Special Pro Bono Counsel at the firm overseeing the Incarcerated Survivors’ Initiative – an award-winning program he founded to represent incarcerated survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence, including while imprisoned in matters that include resentencing, parole applications and civil rights violations. He earned his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, where he met his wife (Peggy). He earned his law degree from New York University School of Law. Dave and Peggy have two adult children and live with their dog, Obi, in Fairfield.
Elyon Wells
M.Div, Second Year, Yale Divinity School 2025
Reverend Elyon M. Wells was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on November 25, 1997, to Melvin Wells Sr. and Minister Mona Wells (Lee). He is the youngest of three children, yet has the oldest soul. Reverend Wells was educated in the Bridgeport public school system and has obtained his Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice at Monroe College and a Bachelor’s diploma in Ministry and Theology at Bible University. Reverend Wells has also obtained his MBA from Monroe King Graduate School of Business. He is currently working on his MDiv in Ministry,
Chaplaincy and Community at Yale Divinity School, where he will also receive a certificate from Andover Newton Seminary School. He is the author of “That Lovely Lady,” “Is This What The Disciples Felt”, and “The Negress.”
March 28, 2018, Reverend Wells tied the knot with the beautiful Leatrice Bond Wells; from this union, Reverend Wells is the proud father of Zhuri Reign Wells and Carter King Wells. Reverend Wells has a career in management, youth development, criminal justice, operations management, and clinical supervision. Reverend Wells continues to work with organizations between CT and NYC to better advance low-income communities with high crime rates while providing education and resources to churches within said communities regarding the disparities of healthcare, mental health, and trauma.
