The Ministerial Search Committee has seven members who were elected by our congregation on May 4, 2014, in accordance with our bylaws. Our retreat was facilitated by Rev Marni Harmony on May 16-17. With her assistance, we confirmed our committee roles based on willingness to accept the responsibility and our skills and talents. At our retreat we agreed on our covenant which is one of the standards often used by our church. At our following meeting, we confirmed our charter. We are a dedicated Team, committed to bringing a minister who will serve our beloved UU Church of Tampa. Our future minister will fit us and challenge us both individually and collectively, to live by our Unitarian Universalist Principles
Ed Benedict – Arranger
I was born and raised in a small town in east Texas. My first introduction to Unitarian Universalism (UU) occurred in 1962, while in college. It come from a guest speaker carrying the message of the new union of Unitarians and Universalist and the faith’s seven principals. Four years later, while serving in Vietnam, I finally shed my Christian faith and avowed myself a UU. It was not until 1969 that my first wife and I joined our first UU church, the Arlington Blvd UU Church of Arlington, Virginia. We were also active in the UU Fellowship at Ramstein, Germany, during my service there from 1974 to 1980. After that period, we remained active in the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship until my retirement from the United States Air Force in 1984. For the next 16 years, I taught Junior High and Middle School Social Studies here in Hillsborough County, Florida.
Following the dissolution of my first marriage, I met my present wife, Pat. We came to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa (UUCT) in 1997 looking for a minister to marry us. We liked the congregation and have remained members ever since. During these past 17 years we have been active members of the church. My own church service resumé includes nine years on the UUCT’s Board of Trustees, six of those years as Treasurer and the last two as Board President. I have also served on two Interim Minister Search Committees and chaired the Search Committee for the church’s current Director of Children’s Religious Education. It is my pleasure to now serve on this Ministerial Search Committee.
Mary Francis – Packet
A native of West Virginia, I lived in the DC suburban area for twenty years before moving to Florida in 1992. I graduated from Columbia Union College, Tacoma Park, MD and did post-graduate studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. I am a Verizon retiree, and most recently taught high school for three years before fully retiring. I currently focus on serving the church, craft work involving assorted glass work and sewing, and genealogy.
I have three daughters, one son, and two grandsons. My partner, Ollis Hughes, has two sons who live locally. One of my daughters lives in the Tampa area, but I travel to visit the others. I enjoy “hitting the road” on trips to visit my family or dig up genealogy bones.
Beginning in the 1970s, I visited several UU churches, and in 1996, I was attracted to the UU Church of Tampa by the Full Moon group. I became a member here in 2000. I have been the chair of CUUPs and the Communications Committee. I served on the Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2012, and am now serving on the Ministerial Search Committee.
Earl Harvey – Treasurer/Negotiator
I have been married to a life-long UU for 55 years. Ann and I have three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
At the First UU of Detroit, I held numerous positions, including President and Trustee.
Soon after our arrival in Tampa, Florida, in 2009, we joined UUCT. Since then, I have been actively involved in the building committee of the multipurpose building.
I currently serve on the Finance Committee and am the search committee’s Treasurer, Five-year Planning Committee, and on the Ministerial Search Committee.
Joan Lund – Chair
I have been a member of a UU congregation since the early 1970s, first in Delaware and in Tampa since the early 1980s. I have previously served as the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa congregation Secretary and President, and on church committees too numerous to recount; as a Florida District Board member and President, and the Florida District Annual Program Fund Chair. From 2003 to 2013, I served on the UUA Board of Trustees, the last six years as second Vice-Moderator. Although I am truly connected as a member of the UU Church of Tampa, I am very much an “institutionalist” who long ago realized that our faith cannot be limited to, and within, individual congregation walls.
My husband and I met at UUCT serving together on the UUCT Board of Trustees, and were married by our minister in 1992. I have three adult children; my five grandchildren include four girls and one boy, ranging in age twenty-one to four years. All of us enjoy swimming and kayaking on the lake behind our home.
Marta Pearson – Reference
A Black American, I grew up in northern Indiana. After several years residency in Louisville Kentucky, I attended my first UU service and knew within weeks that I have always been a UU in search of a church. I have previously been a member of three UU churches in Kentucky, Maine, and Washington state. I have served as: Board Member, newsletter editor, greeter/usher, choir director, teacher in children’s/adult RE programs, and committee chair and/or member of committees including, Hospitality, Membership, Grounds, RE, Finance and others.
I joined the UUCT soon after moving to Tampa in 2011. I have never before served on a Ministerial Search Committee, preferring to allow others to oversee that process. I feel fortunate that I have always respected, liked, and enjoyed the ministers of my churches. Because I plan this to be my final relocation and church home, I decided that serving on this committee was important to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
Elise Richardson – Secretary
As a member of three Unitarian Universalist Congregations since the 1980s, I’ve participated in and at times managed many aspects of congregational life. UU has been essential to my personal spiritual growth and well-being and helped me to raise and guide my three now-adult children. I participated in the UUCT community for over a year before officially joining in 2010 after getting to know the people and how things worked, gaining the confidence that something good was going on here. Shortly afterward, I filled in a partial term on the Board of Trustees and served as Secretary; during those experiences I really learned how things work and how great and special this place is. In my “day job” I am an industrial engineer specializing in food processing and production measurement and work for the Manufacturing Division of Publix Super Markets. I try to balance the analytical emphasis of my work with morning walks (often in the dark), singing, watercolor, and culinary arts.
Ara Rogers – Survey
I am a Cuban-American, born in New York City and raised in NY and south Florida. I have lived here since 1989, and I consider Tampa my home. I am an adult educator by profession: I work at the University of South Florida in Continuing Education. Richard, my partner of 37 years, is supportive of my efforts but is not a church member. We have an adult son who lives in Tampa and we are expecting Mia, our first grandchild, in October of 2014.
I joined the UUCT in 1991 and have remained actively involved ever since. I have served as a Board trustee, Vice-President and President. I have been active in several stewardship drives and I co-led our last capital campaign. I have worked on many committees and was a committed RE parent for many years. I currently chair the Planning committee. I helped lead the effort to build the multi-purpose building, which grew out of an Appreciative Inquiry process we used to develop the church’s mission and vision statements.