It’s a bit unusual to have someone of this caliber land in a small town like Ukiah. The Rt. Rev. Capt. David Rodriguez is Pastor at First Presbyterian Church-Ukiah. His credentials spread deep and wide.
Rodriguez graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1980 with a B.A. in Psychology. He also graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1984 with a Master of Divinity and an emphasis in Family Pastoral Care and Counseling. In addition, he graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1990 with a Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree with an emphasis in Preaching and Worship.
He is also a Chaplain in the US Navy with the rank of Captain and is currently the Deputy Fleet Chaplain for the U.S Pacific Fleet, serving as a Chaplain for units in the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, as well as the United States Navy.
In 2005 he was mobilized and deployed to Iraq with the Second Marine Air Wing. From 2007-2008 he was mobilized and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq with the US Navy Warrior Transition Program. From 2017-2018 he was mobilized and deployed to Djibouti where he served as the Director of Religious Affairs for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
His personal awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), the Meritorious Service Medal (2), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer Badge.
He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1984. He has served churches in Fontana, CA, Hollister, CA, and Pacific Grove, CA.
As Rodriguez tells of his religious background, he said, “I was born into the Presbyterian Church and was baptized as an infant at the First Presbyterian Church of Hayward, CA. When I was 13 years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I became a member and I was later ordained as a Ruling Elder there.
“I was later ordained as a Teaching Elder in that same church (July 15, 1984) where I was under the care of the San Francisco Presbytery. I served as the Pastor of the Fontana Presbyterian Church in the Riverside Presbytery from August 1984 to March 1991. I then served as the Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollister in the San Jose Presbytery from March 1991 to November 2008. From December 2008 to August 2015 I served as the Pastor of the Mayflower Presbyterian Church in Pacific Grove. In September 2015 I started serving at the First Presbyterian Church of Ukiah in the Redwoods Presbytery.” Note: While he was on deployment to Djibouti (2017-2018), the Ukiah church had different interim Pastors serving in the pulpit.
Additionally, his service in the Riverside Presbytery included serving as the Chairperson of the Racial Ethnic Ministries Committee; Member of the Presbytery Council, New Church Development Committee, Synod Commissioner, and Member of the Synod Council.
In the San Jose Presbytery, Rodriguez served as Moderator, Minister Delegate to the General Assembly, Overture Advocate to the General Assembly, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, Member of the Permanent Judicial Commission, the Presbytery Council, the Committee on Ministry, and the New Church Development Committee.
His hobbies include: Sailing, backpacking, playing the guitar and the bass. He also plays the bass professionally with a Johnny Cash tribute band and “I almost like the music,” he quipped impishly.
In 2014, Rodriguez and his wife were pilgrims from Saint Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
He has been married to his wife, Cathy, for 37 years and the couple has two sons: Andrew (33) and Daniel (28). Andrew is married to Julia and they have a son, Wendell, age 3.
