Who Does What at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church

--> See our office Telephone Directory. <--

Our Ministers, Roger Fritts, Senior Minister, Susan Archer, Minister of Religious Education, and Heather Janules, Assistant Minister, Minister for Pastoral Care, are available to church members. They each have training and experience in talking with people struggling with personal difficulties. There is never a charge. Contact anyone of them for an appointment. Ministerial counseling is generally short term. We are fortunate to have many trained professional counselors in this area to whom the ministers are able to refer church members if necessary.

Learn more about our ministers: Roger, Susan and Heather.

In addition to counseling, and their obvious focus on providing quality Sunday worship, the ministers are available routinely in a variety of areas. Our assistant minister, Heather Janules, has primary responsibility for pastoral care and supervises our lay Pastoral Associates program but Roger and Susan also make home visits. All the ministers are available to church members for Weddings, Funerals and Memorial Services, and Child Dedications. They keep their own calendars so contact them directly to check availability for specific dates.

Dr. Leslie Westbrook, our endorsed community minister in pastoral counseling, offers counseling and therapy for individuals and couples. The counseling can be brief or long term. She also serves as a consultant to social workers, counselors, ministerial students, and ministers. Leslie has a doctorate in clinical social work and she is a licensed clinical professional counselor. Her services are available to non-members on a fee for service basis.

Religious Education of children and youth is much more than something that takes place on Sunday mornings. We are, year round, occupied with teacher training, teacher recruitment, and curriculum development. While our Religious Education Council develops and implements policy, general inquiries regarding the program, registration, and scheduling may be directed to the Religious Education Administrator, Glenis Bellais. Glenis is assisted by Gale Guenther Luce. The Rev. Susan Archer, Minister of Religious Education, provides leadership in this area, and of course, is also available for specific concerns and consultation.

Our senior high youth group is led by the Youth Coordinator, Archene Turner, who helps the group plan events. The junior high group is led by volunteer John Daniel.

Our Adult Program offerings are among the most extensive of churches in this area. The Adult Programs Committee is always interested in new ideas for programs and individuals who can teach or facilitate them. Glenis Bellais supports these programs in the area of registration, scheduling, and preparation of the program booklets. You may contact her with inquiries.

Our Music Program at the church is currently in transition following the retirement of our longtime Director of Music Ministry, Dick Darne. Cedar Lane has an adult choir of 50+ singers, a children's choir and bellringer choir. We are recruiting for an Interim Director of Music and an Organist. Inquiries about these positions should be directed to Sara Deshler.

The Church Administrator is Sara Deshler. Sara has the overall responsibility under the direction of the Senior Minister, Roger Fritts, of managing the daily functioning of the church office and coordinating all the administrative and financial activities of the church. Sara supervises the Buildings and Grounds Manager, the Administrative Assistant, the Database-Membership Assistant, the Bookkeeper and the Membership Coordinator. Sara is happy to be available to assist in answering questions or responding to concerns of the congregation in the administrative and financial area.

Money in all its wonderful and various forms and purposes passes over the desk of and is tracked and recorded by Bruce Marquette, the Bookkeeper. Bruce sends out the monthly statements on pledge commitments. Questions regarding pledges, payments, discrepancies, etc., should be directed to Bruce. If the Bookkeeper is unable to resolve your question you may always call upon Sara Deshler, or Cathy Knapper, the 2007-2008 Treasurer of the church.

The Order of Service is prepared by Chaula Butterworth, our Administrative Assistant. The Order of Service has the primary purpose of guiding us through the Sunday Service and indicating the names of the individuals who help to make it happen. Other announcements as space permits will be included with priority to the most current.

The Church Database and Mailing Lists (including the newsletter, church mailings, RE mailings, Adult Programs, committee lists and others) are maintained by Lucy Dubinsky, the Database-Membership Assistant. If your address or phone number changes, or if you�re going away for an extended period of time, let Lucy know. She will see to it that your mail follows you or you don�t have newsletters piling up on the porch. Lucy can also supply you with mailing list labels for a church-sponsored mailing. In conjunction with these activities, Lucy performs many related tasks including preparing name badges and mailing information packets about the church to people who request them. If you want a name badge or your current one is missing or worn out, drop Lucy a note and she will arrange for one to appear in the name badge rack.

Our Membership Coordinator, Kristin Grassel, works with our Member Services Committee to help make sure newcomers feel welcome and, eventually, are comfortable enough to join and become a truly integrated part of the church community. Kristin works with the Welcome Newcomers talks after each service, the Getting Started classes for folks new to Cedar Lane and the New Member Welcome service.

Mickey Sigsbee is our Buildings and Grounds Manager, reporting to Sara Deshler. He is responsible for the coordination of the maintenance of the church facility and grounds. Mickey supervises the custodian, Pedro Diaz.

The Church Calendar is kept by Chaula Butterworth. Green scheduling sheets are kept in the calendar notebook at the receptionist desk. To place an event on the calendar complete one and give it to or leave it for Chaula. You can also call or e-mail Chaula at the church office with scheduling requests or questions, ext. 202 or Chaula Butterworth.

All weddings whether for a member or a non-member are scheduled with Chaula Butterworth. Members who are planning to be married at the church and wish the services of one of our ministers should contact the minister directly.

Contact Sara Deshler to schedule a memorial services whether for a member or non-member. All three ministers perform member memorial services.

The church newsletter, Cedar Lane News, is published bi-weekly from September through June and monthly in July and August. The deadline for submissions is noon on Wednesday. The newsletter editors, Nancy Derr, Robin Larkin, and Fred Peters, appreciate submissions on computer disk in WordPerfect format or in Word or WordPerfect via e-mail to newsletter@cedarlane.org. Questions about the newsletter may be directed to Chaula Butterworth at the church office.

The Receptionists are all volunteers. They are coordinated by church member Jeanne Pearson. They strive to be aware of scheduled events and can answer routine questions. If you are not sure whom you need to speak with, the receptionists will be able to refer you to the right person. They take messages for the ministers and the staff and provide a warm and welcoming impression of our church to first time callers.