Raymond F. Cannata

Raymond F. Cannata (born 1968) is an American Presbyterian pastor and author.

Early life and education

Cannata is native to Staten Island, NY and Northern New Jersey. He graduated from Pope John XXIII High School of Sparta, NJ in 1986 and Wake Forest University in 1990 (B.A.). He continued his studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, graduating in 1994 with an M.Div. and 1995 with a Th.M. degree. He completed doctoral studies in urban studies at the Westminster Theological Seminary in 2010.

Ministry and Public Life

Pastoral Ministry

Upon graduation from seminary in 1995, Cannata served as interim pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church of Bridgewater NJ; he was then called to serve as senior pastor, a position which he held until 2005.

In 2005, Cannata was called to New Orleans, Louisiana on the heels of Hurricane Katrina to take over the church plant that became Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA), which had begun under the leadership of Rev. Jeffrey Lancaster. Under the care of Cannata, Redeemer grew and became known for its service to the Uptown neighborhood and the city of New Orleans during the rebuilding of the city after the hurricane. Redeemer, where Cannata remains as senior pastor, continues to offer leadership to the area in benevolence and rebuilding. Through his leadership at Redeemer, Cannata has also become known as an authority on the Parish Church model of very localized neighborhood church ministry. as featured in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere.” http://online.wsj.com/articles/naomi-riley-a-church-in-big-easy-walking-distance-1402010973

Cannata is also active in his presbytery and denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, currently serving on the PCA's Standing Judicial Commission. He has also lectured at Covenant Theological Seminary, the PCA's denominational seminary.

Writing

Cannata is the author of one book, Rooted: The Apostles' Creed, co-authored with fellow PCA pastor Joshua D. Reitano and published by Doulos Resources in 2013. He is also the author of an article on the same topic, "Rooting Mission in the Apostles' Creed," which appeared in ByFaith magazine in May 2014.

Film

Cannata is listed in IMDb as an actor and writer, appearing in The Man Who Ate New Orleans (see below), Heaven and Hell in New Orleans (2011), and Runaway Hearts (2014).

Other

Cannata is an active member in a Mardi Gras club known as the Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, a group of Elvis impersonators riding scooters.

Ray Cannata is co host along with Margo Moss of the podcast Midnight Menu +1, self-described as "a food lifestyle show on the podcast network itsneworleans.com."

The Man Who Ate New Orleans

In 2012, Cannata became the focus of an independent documentary film project from director Michael Dunaway and Gasoline Films entitled The Man Who Ate New Orleans. Chronicling Cannata's personal project to eat at every local restaurant in New Orleans (742 of them), the film became a PBS documentary released in 2012. It is available for rent through Seed & Spark.

Publications

Books

• Rooted: The Apostles' Creed (co-author with Joshua D. Reitano). Doulos Resources, 2014.

Articles

• "Rooting Mission in the Apostles' Creed" in byFaith magazine, May 1, 2014.

External links

• Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New Orleans, LA
• Midnight Menu +1
• Rooted homepage
• The Man Who Ate New Orleans
• The Krewe of the Rolling Elvi
• Doulos Resources author bio
• Interview with Anderson Cooper
• ABC News feature on Ray Cannata/The Man Who Ate New Orleans
• Profile of Raymond Cannata in Wake Forest Magazine, October 2011
• Reverend Ray Cannata's New Orleans restaurant list from NOLA.com
• "How Do You Red Bean, Ray Cannata?" interview from Red Beans & Eric
• "Chatting at the BBG with the Man Who Ate New Orleans" interview with Eater New Orleans
• Feature in the Huffington Post about The Man Who Ate New Orleans
• Feature in the New Orleans Times-Picayune about The Man Who Ate New Orleans