Meet your Ministerial Search Team

At the April 7, 2019 Congregational Meeting, the congregation voted to approve four nominees for the Search Committee.  On April 8, the Board voted three additional individuals to complete the slate.  The Search Team is charged with the task of selecting another minister to join Rev. John Crestwell to complete the Ministry Team at UUCA.  The Search Process begins with the formation of the team, and is completed after candidating week, held sometime in late April or May 2020.  We give thanks in advance for this team and give them our full support throughout this process. 

Jan Bird

I came to UUCA in 1984 when my husband, Scott Eden and I moved to Annapolis and wanted to find a new religion that we could believe in for our family.  I grew up in the Methodist church and as an adult realized I didn’t buy into some of the doctrines I had memorized as a child.  Here I discovered a diverse community of spiritual explorers also interested in social justice.  I became a member in the next few years.   I have been involved in our Religious Exploration as a teacher and COA mentor.  I served on the Board of Trustees as the Nominating Committee Chair.  I am a founding co-chair of the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland and continue on its Board.  I have received so much from our beloved community.

I am willing to be a part of the Ministerial Selection Committee because I think I can help facilitate our congregation a really important process and decision.  We are in the midst of evaluating all we do here and why.  It’s stressful.  There is a process outlined to provide guidance for the selection of our next minister that needs to be transparent and inclusive.  I enjoy talking to folks – listening to their stories, facilitating discussions and trying to come to a consensus.  My recent retirement from my medical practice should allow me time to devote to this committee.

Shauntee V. Daniels

I am a UUCA trained facilitator, I’ve been active with Coming to the Table and on the Nomination Committee. I have been on the Worship Lay Leaders team since 2014. This opportunity has allowed me to be a part of a very special group. Representing the congregation during the Chalice lighting and being a part of the group that plans and leads service is the most rewarding experience for me as a woman of color to preserve and represent my identity in the congregation.

As a member of a welcoming church, I think it is important that we identify a minister that can give a voice for all UUCA membership.  I believe we need a strong minister that is willing lead our congregation as we grow and adopt BLM initiatives through the 8th Principal.  Annapolis is a unique congregation based on geography and its history in the state of Maryland.  I want to help select a minister that can understand these complexities with compassion and empathy.  We need a minister who can grow our congregation by making it diverse in racial and spiritual composition. I think my voice will support finding a minister with the soul and talent.  I’m passionate about creating a space for spiritual growth for all people. 

Thornell Jones

I have been a UU since mid-1960s, and have grown in the last 4 years since I came to UUCA. I am home here and feel that I have skills that could be helpful in our search. I spent 32 years at IBM where I did research, development, manufacturing, market development, marketing and consulting. I managed a process engineering group, a laboratory, and a marketing unit. I have experience in searching for new employees and in hiring them. The process can be exciting and it is bound to be interesting. But most of all, it is serious because you have to live with your selection. I am interested in helping our church grow through good, forward-thinking leadership.

Karen Murphy-Keddell

I have been an active member of UUCA for close to 10 years serving on: Search and Support Committees for our Ministerial Interns, the Governance Team, the BBC (Building Beloved Community) Team, and Reverend Fred’s Retirement Committee.  I have been a Sunday Greeter, served as Co-Chair of the Membership Team and as a Facilitator for the Women’s Covenant Group and Soul Matters Small Group Ministry. I participate in the Unconscious Bias Monthly Book Group and have attended:  presentations by Phyllis Braxton on Intercultural Competence, Robin DiAngelo’s book, “What Does It Mean to be White” and the BBC on the 8th Principle.

I care deeply about UUCA and its future direction; this church is my spiritual home.  The selection of our next called minister is a very important step in the life of this congregation.  I have found being on the Ministerial Intern Committees a deeply rewarding learning experience and believe I can make a positive contribution to this process.  I am very excited about the possibility of serving UUCA in this capacity.

I am dedicated to our congregation’s commitment to becoming a truly welcoming, inclusive congregation. To support this goal, the Ministerial Search Committee must actively engage the entire congregation in a conversation about their wishes for the future ministry of our church. One of my greatest strengths is my ability to deeply listen to others and make sure all viewpoints are heard.  I have extensive experience facilitating group discussions and helping teams reach consensus. 

Gwendolyn Schindler

I am interested in serving on the ministerial search committee because I wish to contribute to the selection of a leader who will help us to put our principles into action. In particular, I am interested in action that helps us live in right relationship with one another based upon our individual and communal commitments to the seven UU principles and our resolution to uphold the 8th principle in all our affairs.

I have been a member of the UUCA for over 24 ½ years. During my time as a member I have served in the following roles: Welcoming Congregation Committee member, Welcoming Congregation trainer, RE teacher for grades K – 5, Worship Lay Minister, Assistant Minister’s Support Committee member, All-Church Retreat Committee member, All-Church Retreat Co-Chair, COA Mentor, Visioning Team Member, and Building the Beloved Community Committee member.

I have 25 years of experience working for the State of Maryland in human resources. My core experience (20 years) is in the field of recruitment and selection, where I have been responsible for the development and validation of employee selection procedures and/or for management of the recruitment and selection function. For the past 5 years, I have worked as the Director of Human Resources for the MD Department of Natural Resources. I welcome questions about my experience, education and perspectives, and look forward to serving the UUCA for many years to come. 

Michael J. Wanhatalo

After having been raised in a fairly strict Catholic family (we went to mass *every* week- even on vacation), I thought I was pretty much done with organized religion.  But, shortly after the election my wife, Candi, told me that she wanted to join a church.  I don’t know if I visibly rolled my eyes, but I certainly mentally rolled my eyes.  I told her I would support her but I didn’t see myself being very active.  I asked her if she had a particular church in mind to which she responded Unitarian Universalist.  The first Google autosearch turned-up “Is Unitarian Universalist a cult?” but then I came to the 7 Principles and it was perfectly in tune with my beliefs and ethics. 

We first visited UUCA on January 15, 2017.  After one visit we joined the Inquirers series and became members in the minimum amount of time possible.  We became members on March 25, 2017.  Our lives at UUCA really shifted in action when we went to the retreat that year.   I believe, and have demonstrated, that being active in the church makes it more fulfilling for me.  Not just that, but that I believe in the sweat equity that work brings me.  Being a member of UUCA has enriched my life, so the work I put in is a way to earn that enrichment.  Most importantly, I plan to be a part of the church for quite a long time.  It would be nice to have some impact on the direction of the church.

I believe one distinctive, if not unique, thing about me compared to much of the church is my blue-collar trade background.  I am a Project Manager for a construction company specializing in tunnels.  It seems to me that there are plenty of scientists, academics, doctors and the like in our church.  I feel like the difference in work environments will allow me to offer a different perspective on the committee.  

Craig Beyler

I am interested in representing all members of the UUCA community in the search process and putting our church on a great path forward. I had served on a Ministerial Search Committee at a previous UU Church, and I found the experience to be very positive and highly engaging. The most important aspect of the Search Committee’s work is talking with the congregation to understand the needs and desires of the congregation.

I see the ability to listen to be the most important skill in this endeavor; listening to the congregation to understand our needs and desires, and listening to understand what Ministers bring to their work and to understand their needs as well. The second most important skill is the ability to ask probing questions to elicit full and meaningful answers from candidates. Finally, it is important to be able to communicate with prospective Ministers about the UUCA community and the broader community we serve.

I have been a member of the choir since Judy and I joined UUCA six years ago. I have served on both the Building Expansion Exploratory Committee (BEEC) and BEEC2 committees, the Governance Committee, and I have served on the Board of Trustees (BOT). I have served as both the Economic Justice task force leader and VP of UU Legislative Ministry. At my prior UU Church, I served as Treasurer and as a member of the BOT. I have been a UU since 1990. In recent years I have attended GA regularly to both learn and deepen my spiritual foundations. I have extensive experience in hiring senior level individuals in my former professional life as a business owner.

I am excited at the prospect of working with fellow UUCA members, exploring our congregation’s needs, evaluating candidates, and selecting the best candidate for our congregation.

Craig