Dear Church Member,
We invite you to mark your calendar and make plans to attend UCOH’s annual congregational meeting on Sunday, November 13th, 2022, immediately following the 11:25 am Service. The meeting will be held in the Sanctuary and will also be live-streamed. At this important meeting, we will be electing our new board members to serve and guide the direction of UCOH in the coming years.
After careful and prayerful deliberations, the Nominating Team has nominated the following candidates and, if elected, they have each agreed to serve:
Neil Feiereisel
Kelly Glover
Patti Kiernan
Laura McIntyre
T. Renee Schwartz
Greg Sedlock
John Sheldon
Dan Stasiak
Tim Wright
The nominations are the result of a process that began in July with a request for nominations from the congregation. The team carefully considered a potential nominee’s commitment to UCOH, their understanding and support of UCOH’s Mission & Vision Statements, and their participation in active volunteer capacities and leadership roles. Likewise, the team also thoughtfully deliberated on the expertise and experience demonstrated by the candidates in their professional and secular lives.
Additionally, the team carefully considered a potential nominee’s commitment to UCOH, as well as their understanding and support of UCOH’s Mission & Vision Statements, along with their participation in active volunteer capacities and potential leadership roles. Likewise, the team also thoughtfully deliberated on the expertise and experience demonstrated by the candidates in their professional and secular lives.
The Nominating Team interviewed each candidate using a standardized set of questions. This process allowed the team an opportunity to not only get to know each candidate better, but also to gain a sense of how each one viewed the vital role of a Board Member. Each candidate was afforded the opportunity to express how they could contribute to the success of the Board in guiding our beloved spiritual community into the next chapter of our development.
The Nominating Team feels confident that the nominees offered for consideration to the congregation represent a dynamic balance of skills, experience, expertise, and temperament. Each of the nominees has demonstrated their commitment to UCOH, and a willingness to serve on the Board of Trustees here at UCOH.
It has been our privilege and honor to serve the UCOH community in this process, and we invite each of you to attend this important congregational meeting to lend your voices and hearts in support of the election process. We thank you in advance for your attention and attendance at this important annual congregational meeting.
Love and Blessings,
UCOH Board Nominating Team
Neil Feiereisel
In the fall of 1995, my wife Jennifer and I walked into UCOH’s very first service as newcomers. Youth Education volunteers lovingly received our 2-year-old daughter Amy and infant son Evan. The spiritual message and music resonated deeply in our hearts, and we knew we had found our spiritual home. Over these 27 years, our little family has been blessed by a mix of receiving, learning, growing, and serving in any way we could.
I have served on or led the following teams: Family Ministry, Sunday School teacher, Uniteen Event Coordinator, YFM Director Search Team (2x), Church Design (2x), Wee Wisdom Advisory Committee, “Save the Trees” Team during 2011 drought, Ministerial Search Team (2x), Nominating Team (3x), Bylaws Team (2x), Vision Team, [Covid] Reopening Team, and the Board. At National Instruments, where I worked for 30 years, I often led cross-department working groups and initiatives.
I thrive on teamwork and am always delighted by the experience and wisdom of the team. I have taught classes on prayer, facilitated ACIM study groups, and spoken dozens of times at UCOH and other Central Texas Unity churches.
I am deeply grateful to those who served in volunteer and leadership positions when my family and I started attending UCOH, and I feel called to share my time, talents, and treasure with all those that currently attend UCOH and all those that will be walking through our doors for the first time in the coming years.
Kelley Glover
Kelley Glover has been a Unity Church of the Hills member since 2003. She served as a music team member for 17 years, led the youth choir, and co-designed and taught summer youth camps at UCOH for 15 years. She works as a doctoral research assistant at Texas State University, where she is in her third year of working on her Ph.D. in School Improvement.
She is the creator of a culturally responsive music education cartoon and game app called “U BETTER Sing!” Her company also mentored youth interested in having careers in the arts. “U BETTER Sing!” was featured on the PBS show “Blackademics” where she discussed how Western colonialism affects music education. Her company’s products were also sent overseas to work with young Nigerian girls affected by the Boko Haram crisis in an initiative to educate and heal students through music.
She recently became a published scholar in the International Journal of Leadership in Education. Ms. Glover’s research agenda focuses on a praxis of spirituality, radical love, and critical theory in PK-12 schooling and institutions of higher learning.
Patti Kiernan
Before attending Unity Church of the Hills for the first time in 2006, I was a member of several other Unity churches. I was a Unity church member for six years in Taos New Mexico, for a year in Kailua-Kona Hawaii and in Albuquerque before that. I actually looked at other churches but nothing else had the warmth of feeling, the kind heartedness, the lack of judgement and all-inclusiveness of Unity. The beautiful outdoor setting we have here at UCOH is particularly reflective of the welcoming beauty inside. This church has heart!
Since becoming a member at UCOH I have volunteered as a door greeter and team captain, helped with Christmas decorations, participated in Hands on Housing, been in several Extravaganzas, helped with Silent Auctions, been in Spirit Groups and sung for years in the Fun Singers and Inspiration choirs, also in the recently formed Higher Ground choir. I also have been attending Course in Miracles groups at the church since I star attending Unity in 2006. I’ve found the best way to develop community in the church is through participation in the many, many activities this church offers. We are so lucky with that.
A little background: I have 2 grown sons, one is a geologist in California, the other just bought his first house in Bastrop. I graduated with a BSN in nursing from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque in 1981 and am currently working part time as an RN consultant with a law firm in Austin. I was a nurse manager for many years in Albuquerque, requiring collaboration with medical staffs and with hospital administration, and with managing the staff of a busy Woman’s Services area.
Unity Church of the Hills is extremely important to me as my spiritual home and I would like the opportunity to be in its service, to help it continue to grow and thrive.
Laura McIntyre
Laura has attended Unity churches since the late 80’s and became a Course in Miracles student after reading Marianne Williamson’s book “Return to Love”.
Around 2005, Laura was blown away by the energy, joy and sense of connection she felt at UCOH, (especially after hearing Celebration sing), and wanted to join the mission. Having a loving Spiritual Community is a huge blessing and she’s committed to helping Unity thrive as a strong and vibrant Spiritual Center, offering love, acceptance, friendship and support to the local community.
She became involved with the Rainbow Ministry, hosted one of their first events and met her partner, Stephanie at Unity. She started volunteering at the Newcomer’s table, served on the Board and is currently the leader of the counting team and still loves meeting new people at the Welcome table.
As Laura has incorporated spiritual principals into her life, the results have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that ~ they work! Equally convincing are the self-inflicted disasters that can occur when not practicing the principals.
She loves technology and has worked for 5 publicly traded companies, as well as private ones, in the computer industry, custom software engineering and localization, smart process apps and intellectual property analysis software, having great success and fun.
“We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others”
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.”
– Helen Keller
T. Renee Schwartz
I was guided by God to UCOH over 15 years ago. I began attending UCOH periodically in 2008, while living in another city. I loved it so much that I set my intention to move to Austin and made that heart and soul desire my reality in 2011. I attended the very first Path Class to Membership with Rev. Steve and Mary. I have been a “Whole Heart and Soul” member for many, many years, and acted on the grace of God’s Guidance and Love to assist wherever possible.
My vision for UCOH is one of helping people together to heal from the inside out, allow graceful change to keep in step with our ever-changing world, BRINGING in NEW MEMBERS looking to establish and / or improve their relationship with God, Source, their Creator and last but not least, to spread LOVE! Plus, we are Infinite Divine Beings and to share the truth of the Divine Oneness of ALL!
Greg Sedlock
Greg Sedlock, along with his wife Loretta, joined UCOH in 2015 after a long search for a new spiritual home. He immediately felt the love from the congregation, which helped him express love more easily to his friends and family.
He currently serves on the Finance Committee and the counting team and is a member of the Men’s Fellowship Network. He has been a Prayer Chaplain and worked on the garden team, hands-on UCOH, ladies’ high tea, and as night manager. He is retired from a long and successful career in software development and technology management.
Greg has an MBA from the Wharton School, a BS in computer science, and recently got a certificate in website development from ACC. He has two adult children and three granddaughters. He loves to travel with Loretta and is a fan of the blues.
John Sheldon
Currently serving as Board Vice President of Unity Church of the Hills, John Sheldon first began attending UCOH in 2017 and immediately fell in love with what he calls, “a wonderful community of positive energy and welcoming smiles.” Prior to moving to Austin, John attended Unity on Greenville in Dallas. John’s favorite hobbies include gardening or hiking while listening to the beautiful music of Celebration and Inspiration playing on his headphones.
A former CFO of a large global company and currently President of Excel Global Partners, John is an experienced leader whose background includes leading companies through complex restructurings, carve-outs and mergers & acquisitions. He is also special advisor and trusted coach to a number of CEOs and executives and is especially skilled at leading positive change in workplace culture and wellness. Known as joyful to everyone he meets, John attributes much of his personal happiness and career success to striving to consistently apply Unity principles in his work, volunteering, and family life. John has been with his husband, James Nowlin, for nearly two decades. They are proud fur baby parents of a very high-energy rescue dog named CJ and an extremely laid-back rescue cat named Conrad.
Dan Stasiak
Dan Stasiak visited Unity Church of the Hills the first weekend he moved to Austin in 2001. Right away, he signed up for a Men’s Renewal and got to know a good group of the men from the church. He felt at home and signed up as usher.
Over the years, Dan participated in the Guys & Dolls Muscial, Jubilation and Inspiration groups and filled other volunteer positions. Dan left Austin for 3 years to become a Chiropractor but knew he would move back because of his UCOH home.
Dan married Lindy 3 years ago at UCOH by Rev. Kristen Grandon. Dan was always thankful for the people on the Board that have made this such a wonderful place. He has decided it is time for him to take his turn and help the church as a board member.
Tim Wright
Tim Wright has attended Unity Church of the Hills since 2006. He remembers clearly that a friend invited him to come hear Joe Vitale speak about his new book, Zero Limits. Tim remembers that Joe’s speech was fine, but what brought him back was the energy and the openness he felt tangibly from the “full house”. That brought him back for 18 consecutive Sundays, led to Tim’s enrolling in SEE classes and becoming a Prayer Chaplain almost as quickly as he became a member of the church.
During his 16 years, he’s served as a Prayer Chaplain, a member of the Prayer Chaplain Leadership Team, and has served as leader of that team. Tim was invited to fill an empty seat on the Board of Trustees in April of this year and gladly said yes. Hearing what Tim has learned spiritually, socially and about UCOH as a member of the Board is more than fits here, yet he’s glad to tell you about it and how much he has gained personally from the few months’ service.
As background, Tim has lived his life in education of one sort or another. He taught middle school for 13 years before going into corporate learning and development for the 37 years since then. He currently works for Dell Technologies…in Education Services. He has served on 3 other not-for-profit boards and has volunteered in a number of ways, including child advocacy, food bank, Meals on Wheels, community support centers.
Living in Sun City in Georgetown, Tim shares a house with purple walls and Cindy, who is a retired Unity Minister and loves everything purple. They have Rumi, a cat, and Sadi, a Havanese puppy. Neither of them is purple.