The new year will bring some changes to the staff of First Unitarian. Judi Unger is stepping down as our Music Director at the end of this month. In January, William Miller will begin an expanded role as our new Music Director. And Christina Strong’s work with our ministry to children and families is evolving. Read on for details.
Best Wishes to Judi Unger
A special reception will be held for Judi Unger, at coffee hour on December 22 – her last Sunday as Music Director. You can join us then to thank Judi for her contributions to our music program. We will also hear her musical gifts at the 6pm Christmas Eve service.
We wish Judi well as she meets her goal of achieving a better work-life balance. She continues her day job as a public school teacher, as well as performing with various organizations, like Opera Omaha.
This will not be the end of Judi’s association with First Unitarian. You can expect to see her as an occasional guest on Sundays. She will also revert to serving as our Summer Music Director, as she has for many years.
William Miller’s Role Grows
William Miller takes the title of Music Director for First Unitarian starting in January. He will continue to direct the Sanctuary Singers, our choir, as well as scheduling guest musicians (members or paid), ensuring accompaniment and service music are in place for non-choir Sundays, and otherwise overseeing and growing our music programs.
William has already dug in enthusiastically, including identifying organists who can play our special Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. If you are interested in sharing your musical talents with the congregation, you can reach William at musicdirector@firstuuomaha.org.
Wondering about The OffBeats, the contemporary music group that Judi Unger directed in recent years? While musicians haven’t had the bandwidth to maintain a regular schedule of monthly performances this church year, occasional pick-up performances can continue. Mary Kay Peters has agreed to convene the group periodically. Other music shared in our spaces can also help to meet our goal of offering a diversity of musical styles.
A RE-fresh for R.E.
The shape of our staffing in religious education will be shifting in the new year too. As the Board of Trustees promised last May at the congregational meeting, when members adopted a budget, we have trimmed several areas of the budget in order to bring our income and expenses more into alignment.
One of those changes is a reduction of staff support in religious education, from the 3/4 time position that Christina Strong has served in since 2019, to a 1/2 time position.
A Religious Education Transition Team worked with me to redesign the position in light of the congregation’s current needs and resources. A big THANK YOU to Jessica Eman, Sarah Copeland, Harold Cruz-Sanchez, Jessie Stallings, and Mike McAtee for contributing their time and wisdom to this effort.
Along with the change in work hours, the position now has a new title: Coordinator of Children & Family Programs. Christina Strong will continue bringing her passion for religious education, and her many years of experience working with children, youth and families, to First Unitarian through this restructured position.
As the name Coordinator implies, much of her focus will be on empowering and supporting the volunteers who are the lifeblood of a vibrant R.E. program. Volunteer support will be key to a successful RE-freshing and sustaining of our ministry to children and families.
There are opportunities to serve as a regular, occasional, or sub teaching assistant, co-teacher, or youth advisor, with ample training and support; to volunteer in the nursery with our sweet youngest children; to plan special outings and programs; to help bring to life engaging all-ages worship; and to support the vision and development of our program through the R.E. Team.
Wonderful things are already in the works – including a Spirit Play training this winter – and new energy is always welcome. Working with our young people is a way to share in their development, their humor, and their quirky conversations. Many who teach have shared that they get as much inspiration from the young people as they give.
Curious how you might get involved? Christina will be delighted to talk with you (dre@firstuuomaha.org). If you share my conviction that religious education is one of our most vital ministries – that the children are not only our future, but a critical part of our present – please consider how you might help to REnew our commitment to them!
Learning and enrichment programs for adults remain important, too. Adult RE will no longer be part of Christina’s portfolio, so if you have an idea for a program you’d like to offer, please reach out to me (minister@firstuuomaha.org) or veteran adult RE leader Mike McAtee.
In community,
- Rev. Shari Woodbury
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