Dear Church Member,
We invite you to mark your calendar and make plans to attend UCOH’s annual congregational meeting on Sunday, November 8th at 1pm via zoom. At this important meeting, we will be electing three new board members to serve and guide the operations of the UCOH community 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:
Ellen Fannin • Lisa Landry • Sheree Ross
The nominations are the result of a process that began in late August, and the team met weekly to consider and vet potential candidates. Throughout the process, the team’s guiding intention was to create a balanced board with a broad range of complementary skill sets and leadership experience.
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 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 through the transitions and developments ahead.
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 nominees before us. We thank you in advance for your attention and attendance at this important annual congregational meeting.
Love and Blessings,
UCOH Board Nomination Team
The Nominating Team,
Tim Wright, Team Lead
Team Members:
Shawnda Birch, Art Carter, Joni Lorraine, Beth Middlebrooks
Sheree Ross
Sheree Ross, and her partner Miramar Dichoso, came to UCOH for A Course in Miracles class that was being offered in 2010. They became members soon after, and Sheree immediately jumped on board to become a Pew Fairy. She was the May 2017 Volunteer of the Month and served on the Ministerial Magnet Team, the Board Nominating Team, the Rainbow Ministry, the Music Ministry, as well as serving on the Technical, Landscape, and Ambassador Teams. She also serves as Production Stage Manager for the Holiday Extravaganza and the Annual Music Ministry Concert fundraiser, and has been the art director for both CDs done by Celebration. Sheree is an award-winning screenwriter, director and author. She is currently the founder of WFOCmedia – a growing and popular aggregate news website and twitter platform for and about women filmmakers of color. She has served on the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) Dallas Style Council – an organization that raises funds for organizations that aid in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and on the Boards of Scriptworks – a playwright-driven service organization and theatrical producing company, and The Higher Power Foundation – serving spiritual education and growth. Sheree is currently Board Chair of Torch Literary Arts, working to cultivate a network that supports the work of black women and girls through creative writing.
Lisa Landry
Lisa Landry visited Unity Church of the Hills in early June 2013. Right away, she knew that she had found her new Spiritual Home. She took the Path Class and became a member that same year. When Reverend Steve Bolen asked her to help set up the Endowment (along with Bob Withrow and Henry Novak) in 2015, Lisa became immersed in the research, planning and writing process. She later served on the Endowment Board from 2017-2018 and continues to serve on the UCOH Budget and Finance Team. Lisa has also volunteered in and around the church in various ways, usually on an impromptu basis. This includes as an Usher, as a Hospitality Hostess on Father’s Day, as a gopher during Hands on Housing and as an edge brush-wielder when painting our sheds. She has attended Spirit Circles since they began and is now facilitating the Creative Adventures group on Thursdays. By day, Lisa works from home for an airline software company and by night, she spends time with her children. If Lisa misses a Sunday, it usually means she is at a Lacrosse game or Art competition (with Silvia, age 15), a Gymnastics meet (with Diego, age 13), a Dance/Piano recital (with Martina, age 13) or visiting their extended family.
Ellen Fannin
Ellen Fannin discovered the Unity message in 1984 when a friend invited her to attend the small Unity Church in El Paso, Texas. The daughter of a minister, Ellen had always had church as a part of her life, but Unity’s message of love and forgiveness was a refreshing and welcome one.
She joined Unity Church of the Hills in 2001 and was offered the position of Volunteer Coordinator with the church in 2002. In her years of serving on staff, she saw the church grow from 300 to 1200 members. She was responsible for scheduling and coordinating classes, events and speakers. She also created, wrote, planned and produced churchwide events such as the Ladies’ High Tea, the Holiday Extravaganza and various Special Services held at the Church. She also coordinated and planned Sunday Worship Services.
In June 2019, she retired after 17 of serving our spiritual community.
Ellen believes that service to others in not a duty, but a privilege and an honor, and is humbled by her election to the Board.