There are many Ministry Teams and a rich variety of talents are needed. In accepting a Ministry Team appointment, you are agreeing to commit time and resources in order to attend the meetings of the Ministry Team (some meet once a year, others more often) and to do the work of the team between meetings. If you feel you can contribute, please complete and submit a form.
This sign-up form is in Adobe Acrobat. You will need Acrobat Reader (free from http://www.adobe.com/) to open the document. You can print it out and complete by hand. Then send it back by e-mail to Joann Landreth at dpe@unity.org or FAX to 816-525-4020 or mail to PO Box 610, Lee's Summit, MO 64063.
Note: We are no longer listing every member of a ministry team. Please use the appropriate staff representative contacts below.
More About Ministry Teams
MINISTRY TEAM STRUCTURE 2009
- STANDING TEAMS
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CREATIVE TEAMS
- Purpose Statement: This ministry team assumes responsibility for the evaluation of ministerial candidate applications and interviewing applicants for entrance into the Unity Institute Ministry Path.
- Chair:* Sandra Hymel and Sky St. John
- Staff Rep: Margie Brach
- Board Rep:
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- Purpose Statement: To facilitate the development, support, and networking of innovative models of Unity ministry, and expanding our forms of spiritual practice.
- Chair: Warren Blackford
- Staff Rep: Joann Landreth
- Board Rep:
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Benefits Ministry Team**
- Purpose Statement: Assumes responsibility for annual review of competitive health and pension plans.
- Chair: Allen Moss
- Staff Rep: Young Bae
- Board Rep:
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Bylaws Ministry Team**
- Purpose Statement:
- We create recommended bylaws and structural documents that describe agreements among ministry leaders, board and church membership about how they will make decisions, use church resources, and fulfill the mission of the church.
- Our recommended bylaws and related documents provide the framework for healthy, growing, thriving ministries to accomplish their goals.
- We review and make recommended changes to the bylaws of the Association of Unity Churches International that support the fulfillment of the vision, mission and values it holds.
- Our team interacts in collegial warmth, integrity and freedom; to share differing viewpoints and ideas in a climate of respect.
- Chair: Karen Tudor
- Staff Rep: Carl Osier, Cathy Christy
- Board Rep:
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- Purpose Statement: The purpose of our annual convention and other conferences is to provide the inspirational forums for our Association to further our mission to create and support vibrant, diverse spiritual leaders and communities that foster transformation and inspire people to make a positive difference in our world.
- Chair: John Strickland
- Staff Rep: Debbie Ball, Kim Shawd
- Board Rep: Julie Montague, David McArthur
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Council of Ministry Team Chairs
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Purpose Statement: Responsible for coordinating activities between ministry teams and the Board of Trustees to insure open dialogues between the board, each ministry team and team chairs.
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Staff Rep: Carl Osier
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Purpose Statement: The Credentialed Leader/Ministry Review System [CLMRS] will provide compassionate peer adjudication of complaints of ethical and/or sexual misconduct by Unity credentialed leaders and/or ethical violations of Unity ministries as needed to aid in the healthy transformation of credentialed Unity leaders and affiliated ministries. The intent behind the CLMRS is to foster a greater expression of our ethical standards in our credentialed leaders and affiliated ministries. A secondary purpose is to support spiritual and professional growth in our credentialed leaders and ministries through a process that helps them understand our ethical standards and how adhering to them will bring better and more successful results in their lives and in their ministry.
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Chair:
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Staff Rep: Carl Osier
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- Purpose Statement: When a decision of a Required Plan of Action, suspension or reclassification has been upheld by an audit, only the reviewee(s) may request an appeal to the CLMR Appeals Team.
- Chair: Alden Studebaker
- Staff Rep: Carl Osier
- Board Rep: David McArthur
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Purpose Statement: Out of our desire for thriving, diverse credentialed leaders, the purpose of our Credentialing Team is to build bridges and collaborate with teams and schools to identify clear standards for our credentialing process and to ensure that candidates are equipped to meet those standards and to function as effective credentialed leaders.
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Chair: Pat Bessey
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Staff Rep: Margie Brach
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Purpose Statement: To evaluate applications and make recommendations to the Board on admissions to the International Ministerial Program and approval or disapproval for credentialing as licensed teacher, licensed minister, or ordained minister.
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Chair: Pat Brown
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Purpose Statement: To evaluate applications and make recommendations to the Board on admissions to International Ministerial Program and approval or disapproval for credentialing as licensed teacher, licensed minister, or ordained minister.
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Chair: Maya Brandenberger
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- Purpose Statement: This ministry team provides a program for achieving recognition as a licensed and eventually ordained Unity minister for those persons who are currently employed as spiritual leaders of recognized Unity ministries or are employed as associates or assistants to ministers in member ministries, when their absence to attend the residency Ministerial Education Program would adversely affect the ministry.
- Chair: Maya Brandenberger
- Staff Rep: Xiomara Malagon
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Finance and Budget Ministry Team**
- Purpose Statement: This ministry team assumes responsibility to review, recommend and monitor the fiscal affairs of the Association to ensure good fiscal management of all funds.
- Chair: Cherie Larkin
- Staff Rep: Young Bae
- Board Rep: Julie Armour
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Future Trends Ministry Team**
- Purpose Statement: To research and identify the innovative, create and outrageous ideas that have relevance to the strategic plan and future direction of the Association of Unity Churches International that when applied will create the fastest growing spiritual educational movement in the world.
- Chair: Donna Johnson, Sandy Diamond
- Staff Rep:
- Board Rep:
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- Purpose Statement: This ministry team assumes the responsibility for evaluating the progress and readiness of candidates for licensing and or ordination.
- Chair: Paul Tenaglia
- Staff Rep: Margie Brach
- Board Rep: Julie Armour
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Leadership Recruitment and Development Ministry Team [LRDT]**
- Purpose Statement: The purpose of this ministry team is to search out active leaders who are committed to the mission, vision, goals, values and beliefs of the Association of Unity Churches. This ministry team is empowered by the Association Bylaws to select candidates as described above for election to the Board of Trustees and for election to the Leadership Recruitment and Development Team.
- Chair: Mavis Stephenson
- Staff Rep: Bets Kirby
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- Purpose Statement: The ministry team is commissioned to promote the development of a variety of high-quality music resources and educational materials appropriate for use in New Thought ministries and to increase and enhance the availability of such resources and materials to New Thought ministries through: a) a monthly e-newsletter, b) yearly music conference, c) joint Web site, and d) by partnering with the Association development teams to coordinate music program growth and resource awareness.
- Chair: Susan Kroupa Riley
- Staff Rep: Richard Mekdeci
- Board Rep:
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Next Generation of Unity Ministry Team [NGU]
- Purpose Statement: To be the Web of connection for the creation of 100+ Next Generation of Unity [NGU] groups and ministries that further our mission to create and support vibrant, diverse spiritual leaders and communities that foster transformation and inspire people to make a positive difference in our world.
- Chair: Jennifer Holder, Russell Heiland
- Staff Rep: Rachel Simpson
- Board Rep:
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Pioneering Support Ministry Team
- Purpose Statement: To oversee the approval, funding and logistical process of new ministries as they form, grow and mature to full status. This aids our Association in furthering our mission – to create and support vibrant, diverse spiritual leaders and communities that foster transformation and inspire people to make a positive difference in our world.
- Chair: David Florence, Pat Ball
- Staff Rep: Robin Ferguson
- Board Rep:
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Prosperity and Development Ministry Team
- Purpose Statement: To expand and strengthen the financial base of our Association of Unity Churches International through creative processes and strategies whose purpose is the raising of prosperity consciousness of those in the Thriving Ministry Model.
- Chair: Alice Anderson
- Staff Rep: Debbie Allen
- Board Rep: Jim Lee
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Standards Ministry Team**
- Purpose Statement: To assure standards of professional excellence for our Association to further our mission to create and support vibrant, diverse, spiritual leaders and communities that foster transformation and inspire people to make a positive difference in our world.
- Act as a vehicle for feedback for the Association Board of Trustees regarding the impact and implementation of Association policies and procedures in the field ministries.
- Review and/or develop and recommend policies and procedures.
- Evaluate the professional qualification and competence of ministers and others who apply for “other paths” leading to ordination that are referred to the Standards Ministry Team.
- Review and make decisions for ministers or ministries requesting restoration.
- Act as a resource for the Future Trends Ministry Team, providing them with a regional perspective.
- Chair: Pat Bessey
- Staff Rep: Carl Osier
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Transitional Ministry Specialist Team
- Purpose Statement: The purpose of the Transitional Ministry Program is to honor the sacredness of transitions in ministerial leadership. Transitional Ministry Specialists provide a comprehensive and transformational program that accomplishes the following objectives:
- Assist congregations to move effectively through the transitional period between permanent ministers.
- Help congregations discover and heal any lingering difficulties from their past.
- Assist congregations in defining themselves and identifying the direction of their future.
- Educate congregations and leaders in attaining the highest degree of competence possible.
- Enhance the ministry relationship with the International Association of Unity Churches.
- Chair: Marylou Palmer
- Staff Rep: Stephanie Seigh
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CREATIVE TEAMS
Thriving Ministries/Enlightened Leaders Ministry Team
- Purpose Statement: To create a clear and concise method for supporting people in moving from initial connection to authentic spiritual leadership.
- Chair: Janet Rhodes
- Staff Rep: Deborah Frownfelter
- Board Rep: Bonny Gilbert Ashe
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Spiritual Social Action Ministry Team
- Purpose Statement: We joyfully serve an awakening world by modeling peace, sustainability and compassionate action, engaging and inspiring others to join in co-creating a world that works for all.
- Chair: Kelly Isola, Deborah Olive
- Staff Rep: Carl Osier
- Board Rep: Eileen Goor
- Subteams of Spiritual Social Action –
- Celebration Team – Purpose Statement: To recognize and highlight ongoing spiritual social action occurring within the Unity Movement.
- Compassionate Action Team – Purpose Statement: a) Invite regional representation in order to develop a compassionate action program for local ministries; b) encourage Unity ministries to be engaged in humanitarian compassionate action; c) explore and promote resources and training opportunities; and d) establish website networking.
- EarthCare Team – Purpose Statement: Support the AUCI in fostering the awareness of our spiritual oneness with our Earth home and promote active care of creation.
- Peace Team – Purpose Statement: Committed to bringing forth a consciousness of peace at all levels in our lives and throughout the world. We take action that promotes, inspires, supports and co-creates sustainable worldwide peace.
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Visionary Spiritual Education, Development, & Support Ministry Team
- Purpose Statement: This ministry team serves to generate ideas, and to provide guidance, support, and services for the continual expansion for quality spiritual education to Unity ministries of children, teens, adults, and families.
- Chair: Toni Fish
- Staff Rep: Deborah Frownfelter
- Board Rep: Lei Lani Burt
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- Purpose Statement: We serve the dynamic and expanding international Unity movement to support the co-creation of a world that works for all.
- Chair: Kristen Powell, Mindy Lawrence
- Staff Rep: Susan Beck, Xiomara Malagon
- Board Rep: David McArthur
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* Chairs, Board Representatives, and Staff Representatives accurate as of January 2009
**Ministry Teams that report directly to the Association Board of Trustees
