Staff

Ministerial Staff

Larry Reimer, Minister

Larry’s ministry is one of creative preaching, humorous surprises, a variety of musical gifts, plus pastoral care, spiritual direction, and a commitment to social justice. A graduate of Yale Divinity School, Larry has seen UCG through many transitions from a church of seventy five members to its current six hundred members.   He is the author of three books: Living at the Edge of Faith; The Hospital Handbook with James T. Wagner; and The Retreat Handbook with Sandy Reimer.  

Larry takes the important questions of faith and justice and explores them through the lens of new biblical discoveries, current films and books, humor, and personal experience.  The informal motto of UCG, cross stitched and framed in the church foyer, “It’s Not Like This Every Sunday,” challenges Larry to find fresh approaches to life’s questions. He plays trumpet with “The Hogtown Strutters” and often accompanies hymns on his guitar.

Larry has visited Death Row and worked to abolish the death penalty for many years. He was a member of the founding board of Planned Parenthood in Gainesville. He was the Moderator of the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ from 2002 to 2004. His work for racial justice and human rights for people of all sexual orientations won him the 1992 ACLU Annual Civil Liberties award for championing fundamental human rights.

Larry’s joy at UCG is working with a church that embraces a search for an inclusive faith in the Judeo Christian tradition, recognizing always that God is still speaking.

Sandy Reimer, Minister

Sandy Reimer grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.  Her childhood spiritual home was St. Luke Lutheran Church.  Sandy graduated from Gettysburg College and spent her early professional years teaching English at West Haven High School in Connecticut.  She is married to Larry Reimer; they have two grown sons and daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren.

Sandy began her work at UCG as its youth minister. Her ministry now focuses on spiritual nurture and practice, worship leadership and preaching, programs for adults and children, retreat leadership, planning and organizational process, and staff oversight.  Sandy creates our annual Advent and Lenten Reflection booklets, coordinates the Labyrinth and the Lenten Taize services, and leads Contemplative Prayer.  Her ministerial education has included Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, The Institute for Creation Spirituality in Oakland, and the Alban Institute.  She is the co-author, with Larry Reimer, of The Retreat Handbook.

What Sandy loves about the United Church of Gainesville is the acceptance of a diversity of people and ages, the openness to creativity and new ideas, and the grounding this church has in spirituality and in outreach to others.  She also loves the opportunities she has at UCG to be involved in three of her lifelong passions: dancing, poetry and music. 

Andy Bachmann, Associate Minister

Andy has served UCG since the fall of 2002. Originally from Western Springs, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), Andy was encouraged into ministry by the church he grew up in, the First Congregational Church of Western Springs, also a United Church of Christ. Andy attended the Chicago Theological Seminary on Chicago’s southside, and upon graduation, pursued ordination in the United Church of Christ. In the summer of 2002, Andy was called to serve as the Associate Minister of the United Church of Gainesville.

Here at UCG, Andy oversees our youth programs, focusing primarily on MSG, YU and pH, our middle, high and post-high school youth groups. He also oversees the Compassion in Action Committee, as well as our Adult Mission Trips Committee. In worship, Andy preaches on a regular basis, but can also be found behind a guitar or a mandolin, or even a computer screen, bringing a variety of multimedia arts to our worshiping experience. He’s a founding member of our bluegrass ensemble, the Hogtown Pickers, and also runs and coordinates our monthly 6:15 Service.

During the summer months, Andy heads off to northern Wisconsin, where he is an owner and the co-director of Camp Highlands for Boys; one of the oldest private boys camps in the country. Andy is married to Tracy Atwater Bachmann, and together they have two children, a son who is 5 years old and a daughter who is 3.

Administrative Staff

Lisa Goldstein, Office Administrator

Lisa is responsible for the daily management of office operations and staff.  She  oversees the church database, calendar and computer network, prepares business reports, and manages building rentals and the office operations budget.  Lisa sees her work as a form of ministry and outreach; she says she loves working with such wonderful people.  Lisa is married to Steve Goldstein; they are the proud parents of a son who is graduating from high school this year.  

Alyson McElwain, Administrative Assistant

Alyson works at the front desk of the church office.  She answers phone calls, greets and assists people as they come in, and prepares the church for various events and programs, including Sunday worship services.  Alyson enjoys meeting the diverse group of UCG members and working with a great staff.  Alyson is married to Greg McElwain, who is a PhD student at the University of Florida.

 Jill Cunningham, Church Accountant  

Jill keeps track of all pledges, contributions and other income, pays the day-to-day bills, processes payroll and the related tax forms, and reviews the church’s bank accounts.  She also prepares monthly financial statements for the Board of Business.  Jill says she “loves being at UCG because there is no such thing as a bad day around here.  There may be a busy, tiring, hectic or even frantic day, but there is never a bad day.  It is just not part of the UCG vocabulary!”  Jill is married to Ron Cunningham; they have a son and a daughter, both in college.

Ken Bradley, Custodian

Ken has worked here at UCG for 28 years.  He takes care of our buildings doing all kinds of work like hanging banners, moving chairs and tables, cleaning rooms, whatever is needed to prepare the building for our programs and to keep things in good shape.  Ken’s family has lived in the Gainesville area for several generations.   His son and daughter-in-law and his two grandchildren are special joys in Ken’s life.

Program Staff

Heidi Stein, Coordinator of Children’s Programs

Heidi says that she has the pleasure of creating enjoyable religious education that is often linked to the church worship themes and Sunday worship services.  Heidi writes the curriculum for our church school so that it is engaging and experiential for the children and promotes family discussions about values and spiritual beliefs. She is impressed by the way every member of this church shares their gifts with the children’s program and is pleased all of the children, including her own, have the benefit of being around all of these amazing people. Heidi is married to Taylor Stein; they have two daughters, 8 and 3 years old.

Salina Briseno Kiker, Preschool Coordinator

Salina oversees the Preschool and Nursery portion of UCG’s church school.  She writes the preschool lesson plans for the teachers to implement and supervises the nursery director.  Her favorite thing about UCG is the kind, loving nature of the people that make up this community. Salina is married to Doug Kiker; they have a son in elementary school and a daughter in preschool.

 Cam Parker, Childcare Director for K-5th grade

Cam directs our Elementary School Activity Time, which follows our church school sessions, on a weekly basis.  He also coordinates childcare for special services and events and directs children's activities on the annual retreat.  Cam’s joy in being with children and his commitment to a safe and happy environment have nurtured our children for eight years now. Cam says, “My favorite part about working for the church is feeling like I'm part of a family where I am appreciated and cared for while being able to show that same care to the families and children I work with.” 

Shay Hudleston, Childcare Director for the Nursery and Preschool

Shay directs the program and staff for our nursery care with babies and toddlers on Sunday mornings as well as the Activity Time for our preschoolers, following their church school classes.  Shay’s loving care of these small children has been a gift to us for the past eight years.  Her own son is now in middle school.

Kathy Funke, Lively Arts Coordinator

Kathy coordinates the visual and performing arts within our church community. This includes facilitating piano and/or instrumental accompaniment for all of our worship services. The coordination extends to the adult choir, children's choir, youth choir, soloists or vocal ensembles, and liturgical dance. Additional responsibilities include selection of coordinators for the visual art displays in the UCG library and for brass ensembles.  Kathy says that one of the most rewarding aspects of her work at UCG is her direct contact with our amazingly talented church members and friends.  She finds it energizing to be able to interact with them on a weekly basis in finding creative outlets for their talents and gifts.  Kathy is married to Michael Pellett; they share two daughters and two sons, all in high school or college. 

Judy Parsons, Adult Choir Director 

Judy is the new director of our Adult Choir as of January 2008, when our former director, Rick Johnson, retired.  She is looking forward to building on the rich traditions of this wonderful choir, including the fun this group has preparing music for our worship services.