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Who's who |
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Our Minister
Reverend Jennifer Gray
Minister
Jenn grew up in Topeka, Kansas; went to school in Boston, Massachusetts; and has done ministerial internships in Napa, California and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She came to Unitarian Universalism as an adult, as a result of a sermon on racism the Topeka UU fellowship was having in 2006, and she found her spiritual home there.
She decided in 2008 to become a minister, and graduated from seminary in 2012. Before becoming a minister, she's worked with developmentally-disabled persons, in domestic violence shelters, received suicide-prevention training, and taught English-as-a-second-language classes.
When asked what she considers to be a spiritual or meaningful sermon, she responded: "I like to remember that it is likely that someone in the church will be experiencing a really big joy and someone else is going to be feeling sorrow or grief. You need to keep that kind of range in mind when you design a sermon or service. You want something that appeals to both head and heart, and there needs to be some sort of takeaway. People want to hear about how the message relates to us as UUs; how we can use it in our lives; and that it affirms who we are.
Coordinator of Religious Exploration
Sarah Montminy
"I have been attending Unitarian Universalist churches for 9 years. My Unitarian journey began as at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, where I felt immediately at home. I am currently a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis where I am a parent of three children in the RE program and a member of the Racial Justice Committee. My professional experience includes serving as a special education teacher for students with autism spectrum disorders, emotional/behavioral disorders, and low-incidence disabilities. I am currently an officer on the Board of Directors at Adoptions of Indiana. My husband, Brian, and I live in Avon with our three children, Hudson, Lauer, and Josephine. I enjoy the outdoors, traveling, cooking, trying new restaurants, and DIY projects."
The UUCC Board of Directors
President: Pat Pollack
Pat is a lifelong Unitarian, having grown up in UU churches on the East and West coasts. She has been a member of UUCC for fourteen years. Throughout her years at UUCC, she has been active with the Christmas Dinner Delivery, various fundraisers and volunteering in RE. Pat is married to Mark Auberry. They have two grown children, three granddaughters and three cats. She is semi-retired from corporate America, having worked many years as a customer service manager. She currently works part-time at FedEx. Pat is excited to see UUCC continue to evolve and enlarge its presence in the community.
Vice President: Christian Axsiom
Christian Axsiom has been a member of UUCC Hendricks County since 2005. He has previously served as chair of the Religious Education Committee, an RE teacher, a member of the Worship Committee and Worship Associate, and a 7th-9th-grade Our Whole Lives facilitator. He can also be found playing bass and percussion (and even occasionally singing) with the Faith and Reason Praise Band and other UUCC musicians. Christian has been an English teacher at Brownsburg High School for more than a decade. He lives just across White River from the Indianapolis Museum of Art and has two children, Kira and Riley, currently in the RE classes. He enjoys a vast variety of music, sci-fi and Scandinavian crime fiction, almost anything British, and would really like to live in a castle.
Secretary: Melissa Buller
I have been a Unitarian Universalist for 14 years. My Unitarian journey began as a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis for six years before coming to UUCCHC. I served as a co-advisor for the UUI youth group for three years. I assist with RE and greeting at UUCCHC and am a co-chair for the Building on the Side of Love Campaign. My professional experience includes higher education marketing, student recruitment, and small business administration experience. I am currently an associate director of The Fund Raising School, a program of the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. My husband, Chuck, nephew Theo, and sister Cindy live as a family in Danville. I enjoy the outdoors, exploring music and Zumba.
Treasurer: Jim Ferrell
Jim Ferrell and his wife Faye have been members of UUCC since its inception in 1996. Throughout this time period Jim has been on and off the UUCC Board of Directors several times and has served in the role of Treasurer on multiple occasions. Jim has three grown kids that are now out on their own. Jim has BS in Electrical Engineering, but gained a fascination of computers while attending Purdue University. Jim has always worked in the Information Technology field and contrary to popular belief, does not have a background in accounting.
John McCoy
John McCoy has been a UU for 41 years, at All Soul's in Indianapolis and First UU in Cincinnati, as well as a member of UUCC for thirteen years. (In an aside, he and Marti were Presbyterians from birth and eventually in this very building here in Danville where he served as an Elder and Sunday School Superintendent.) At UUCC he has served as a past Board member, long time building and grounds committee member, and most recently chaired the Space Task Force. He also spearheaded the church brick renovation in 2004. He spent 45 years in the construction industry ending in construction management positions at both Eli Lilly and Proctor and Gamble campuses. He also oversaw the work for the start-up, and bridge renovation/installation at another UUCC related love -- McCloud Park.
J.D. Nesbitt
I have been attending UUCCHC for about a year and a half. Along with my husband, Dave, I am currently a mentor for the WICKS youth group and am on the RE committee. Additionally, I serve on the Facilities Task Force.
We reside in Brownsburg. I am the co-founder and lead interior designer of Aesthete Designs and the co-founder and creative director of the Hendricks County Home Magazine.