Dear church members and congregants,
We invite you to mark your calendar and make plans to attend UCOH’s annual congregational meeting on Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 1pm. 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.
UCOH members who are unable to attend the meeting may submit an absentee ballot. You can obtain the absentee ballot by emailing front.office@unityhills.org, or pick one up in the UCOH office These ballots are available October 29, 2023. They must be returned to UCOH no later than November 10th to be counted for the election.
After careful and prayerful deliberations, the Nominating Team has nominated the following candidates and, if elected, they have each agreed to serve:
Joni Lorraine
Courtney Poole
Greg Sedlock
Gary Sellergren
Dan Stasiak
The nominations are the result of a process that began in August with a request for nominations from the congregation. The team carefully confirmed a potential nominee’s eligibility and commitment to UCOH. The team worked with the nominees to provide information to the congregation to gain a sense of how each one viewed the vital role of a Board Member. Each candidate was afforded the opportunity to express to the congregation 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
Team Chairman – Jack Frick trailhound1@gmail.com;
Team member – Pam Neill pam.neill@gm.com;
Team member – Thelene Scarborough thelenescarborough@yahoo.com;
Board representative – Neil Feiereisel NeilUnity@feiereisel.com;
Rev Cynthia Vermillion-Foster Rev.Cynthia@unityhills.org
Joni Lorraine
I have been a member of Unity Church of the Hills since 2001. I have served in various capacities within the church, including the usher team, the announcement team, the theatre ministry, the garden team, served for 14 years as a chaplain, including several of those on chaplain leadership, and have chronicled our history as a photographer for many years. I also occasionally deliver the messages both here at UCOH and at Unity Heart of Austin.
After recently earning a Masters in Spiritual Formation, I was hired to serve as the Program Coordinator for Unity Worldwide Ministries brand new Spiritual Direction Certificate Program, where I am entrusted with managing everything from marketing to hiring. I belong to the Austin Area Spiritual Directors Community and am a member of Spiritual Director’s International. Prior to being a God geek, I was a theatre geek. I directed and acted in numerous productions in the Austin area and served for several years on boards and committees within the theatre community, including my own award winning theatre company.
I desire to serve the board and our church by listening deeply, exploring what God wants us to release, and discovering who and what God wants us to be going forward. My experience as a spiritual director grounds me in effective listening, lovingly challenging others, and being curious. As a spiritual director who works with ministers, a spouse of a former staff church member, and a church congregant, I can sit at the intersection of understanding the unique needs of each of these groups. I am joyful, creative, naturally collaborative, and I easily see the forest and the trees. My vision for UCoH is to wholeheartedly remain centered in the movement and calling of God, and let what we create together spring forth from there. Putting God first in all our decisions, and caring for each other as the Christ is at the heart of our success toward leaving a lasting legacy, and I’m excited about this opportunity to serve the congregation as we move forward. View my video.
Courtney Poole
I am so honored to be considered for the UCOH Board of Trustees. I have been a member since 2002 when Ron Scott gave a message on the law of attraction. It resonated so deeply with me that I knew this was my spiritual home. Since that time, I met my husband and we married at the church in 2009. Following that, all three of my children were christened and attended Unity Church of the Hills. My mother, Ellen Fannin, also worked on the church staff for seventeen years. So, I became very familiar with the inner workings of the church through her. Over the years I have volunteered in many facets of the church, most recently and consistently I have been a part of the Video and Production Team that handles the Projection, Live stream Video, and Sound for Sunday services.
In my work life, I have been in the insurance industry for 25 years, in multiple aspects of the administrative and service sectors. I was an operations manager for a large multinational brokerage firm, but now I work for a small general agency handling Auto Liability, Physical Damage, and Cargo for shipping companies operating in Texas. Because of this experience I’m well versed in risk management, operational strategies, budgeting, and performance evaluation. These are skills that I would bring to my interactions on the board if elected.
My vision for UCOH is to focus on bringing in and supporting young families in their personal spiritual growth. I would love to see more family centric events that include all members of the family, while also providing support like childcare for the more adult centered events so that parents with children can feel free to attend without having to struggle with the concern of who can watch the children. I would also love to see a full and supported staff, with clear job roles and goals, to enable the church to operate smoothly.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. Peace be with you all. View my video.
Greg Sedlock
My wife, Loretta, and I joined UCOH in 2015 after a long search for a new spiritual home. I immediately felt the love within this congregation, which helped me express love more easily to my friends and family.
Currently, I serve on the Board of Trustees at UCOH assisting Lisa Landry, our treasurer, with the finances. I am also on the Finance Committee, the counting team and am a member of the Men’s Fellowship Network. I have been a Prayer Chaplain and worked on the garden team, hands-on UCOH, ladies’ high tea, and as night manager.
Regarding board experience, I have served over 12 years on non-profit boards. I have been a church treasurer, as well as vice president and president of the River Place Homeowner’s Association (a community of 1,100 homes in NW Austin), and president of my current Condo Association.
I am retired from a long and successful career in software development and technology management. Education-wise, I have an MBA from the Wharton School, a BS in computer science from Penn State, and a certificate in website development from ACC. I put all this education and experience together to work part-time on a team that developed a website for search engine optimization.
I have two adult children and three granddaughters.
Loretta and I love to travel and are fans of blues music.
I look forward to continuing to serve on the Board should you elect me. View my video.
Gary Sellergren
Dear Members of Unity Church of the Hills,
I am deeply honored to be considered for a position on the Unity Church of the Hills Board. It is with great enthusiasm and a profound sense of purpose that I offer my background, abilities, contributions, and vision to serve this beloved spiritual community that has become my spiritual home.
Allow me to share a bit about my journey, which has shaped my dedication to Unity and my desire to contribute to its continued growth and flourishing.
I hail from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and over a decade ago, I made the wonderful decision to call Austin, Texas, my home—a place I’ve come to cherish deeply. My path in life encountered early challenges when, at the age of 13, my family faced the difficulties of my father’s departure and the subsequent bankruptcy of his business. These experiences taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.
My pursuit of higher education was made possible through a combination of a baseball scholarship and student loans, ultimately leading to a Bachelor of Science in Finance. However, my journey didn’t stop there. I harbored a strong desire to further my education, and I was determined to overcome any obstacles in my path.
To make graduate school a reality, I secured work as a research assistant in the Finance Department at Loyola University of Chicago. This involved a daily commute by train from my suburban home to downtown Chicago. My days often began at 6 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m., with full-time work followed by evening classes. This experience instilled in me a profound work ethic and a commitment to lifelong learning. My efforts resulted in an MBA degree with a concentration in Finance, graduating in the top 20% of my class.
Over the course of 35 years, I have dedicated my career to the realm of decision support and executive decision-making. I have held positions as both a Chief Financial Officer and a Chief Operating Officer, where I’ve honed my skills in utilizing decision-making tools and techniques to guide organizations through complexity and change.
My journey with Unity Church of the Hills began in late 2019 during a crucial time, serving as a consultant during a period of transition right after the departure of the Grandons. I collaborated closely with Mary Spangberg and the Board to navigate the challenges and restore trust within the Unity community. It was during this transformative process that I fell in love with the principles and teachings of Unity. During this time I was able to meet with Unity leaders regarding their love and desires for Unity, having profound conversations with people like Susan Heinrichs and Lance Lein (right before his passing).
My official journey as a Unity member commenced with my membership invocation on March 13, 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic, which shifted our gatherings to virtual spaces. Since then, I have had the privilege of currently serving on various committees, including the Finance Committee for the past year, the Youth Program for the past two years, and the Transition Team. I am prepared to step down from the Transition Team, as recommended, to offer my candidacy for the Board.
In addition to my professional experiences, I have assumed leadership roles in diverse settings, including running Board retreats and facilitating Board meetings, even in the face of challenging dynamics. I have also served as President of a 200-unit condominium association in downtown Chicago, gaining valuable insights into community dynamics and governance.
My vision for Unity Church of the Hills is one of boundless potential. I believe that this community is truly unique, offering a sanctuary of love and non-judgment that is unparalleled. It is my fervent belief that Unity can be a refuge for all, with the capacity to expand its outreach on a global scale. Our message of acceptance and love has the potential to resonate worldwide, especially with those who have become disheartened by the discord and hypocrisy in their religious institutions.
Through connection, compassion, and love, Unity Church of the Hills can illuminate a path forward—a path of unity and acceptance that can be carried beyond our walls to improve the lives of individuals and the broader world. I am committed to contributing my skills, dedication, and vision to help manifest this vision of a beloved and unified community.
Thank you for considering my nomination for the Unity Church of the Hills Board. It is a privilege to be a part of this extraordinary spiritual family, and I eagerly look forward to the opportunity to serve and co-create a brighter future together. View my video.
In Unity and with heartfelt gratitude,
Gary Sellergren
Dr. Dan Stasiak DC
I started attending Unity Church of the Hills in 2001 right before we moved into the 9905 Anderson Mill Road location.
I moved from Minnesota for IBM on a temporary assignment than ended up being a permanent move to Austin. UCOH was one of the reasons I stayed.
When I attended service in the strip Mall before moving here and saw the energy of the church, it taught me church is the people and not the place.
I volunteered right away as usher, waiter at High Tea, singer in Choirs and Musicals and now run the streaming for Facebook and Youtube upstairs.
I remember attending Family retreats and Men’s renewals where I got to know more people in the church.
I think Unity’s Principle and message is the best kept secret and have trouble understanding why Unity Churches all over the world are not huge.
You may know, I teach a “Learn to Meditate” class every 2nd Tuesday of the month here at UCOH. I was reading a book this week that explained the ancient yoga teaching and was shocked when I read the Unity Principles. The Unity Principles are 1000s of years old and are absolutely the truth.
I want to serve as board member to help this Church support the members using the Unity Principles. View my video.