Rev. Mel Caraway
Rev. Mel Caraway
Rev. Mel Caraway became pastor of FUMC DeSoto in June 2007. Mel previously served as Pastor, Buckingham UMC, Garland. He’s very familiar with the DeSoto-Lancaster area, having been pastor at Lancaster UMC before moving to Garland.
A native of New Orleans, Mel entered the ministry after careers in higher education and marketing/consulting. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1969 with a B.A. in History and Political Science and received a M.A. in History in 1971 from USM. He moved to Nashville, TN where he pursued a Ph.D. in African Colonial History and Modern British History at Vanderbilt University, finishing all the requirements but the dissertation.
He spent the next nine years working in higher education Administration at Vanderbilt University, Lamar University, and West Georgia College, where his last position was as Director of the Student Center and Director of Student Activities. Marketing and consulting work spanned the years of 1983-88, and he moved to Dallas in 1984.
During that time his volunteer work in humanitarian and social justice arenas expanded. He served as a Volunteer in Mission to Kenya in February 1987 and had extensive volunteer work in the area of low income housing in Dallas, especially West Dallas, 1985-1988. He worked in many areas of Habitat for Humanity, serving as Director of Dallas Habitat for Humanity in 1987 and becoming the first paid staff member for the Dallas affiliate. He also served on the Board of Directors, Grayson County Habitat, 1993-1995 and worked with Rockwall Habitat, 1995-1997.
While attending Perkins School of Theology from 1988-1992, he served Northaven UMC as an intern and on the staff from1989-1990. His pastoral appointments have included:
· Assistant Pastor at Sachse UMC, 1991-1992
· Pastor, FUMC, Tom Bean, 1992-1995
· Pastor, FUMC, Royse City, 1995-1997
· Pastor, Saint Jo & Forestburg UMCs, 1997-2002
· Pastor, FUMC, Lancaster, 2002-2006
· Pastor, Buckingham UMC, Garland, 2006-2007
Mel was Chair of North Texas Conference Commission on Religion and Race, 1993-2001; served as chair, North Texas Conference Church and Society Task Force, 2002-2006 and has been a member of Task Force, 2002-present; and conducts workshops throughout the Annual Conference on the Social Principles.
Mel is married to Robin M. Caraway.
He has one son, Christopher Hayes Caraway. Chris, his wife Sabrina and their children, Judah Hayes (5) and Joy Liora (3) live in Georgia.
