Meet the Candidates! Vote June 1st!

Carol Richey
President, Board of Trustees

Shortly after joining UUCM in 2020 I was invited to join the finance committee. I continue to serve in that role and also serve on the Board as vice president since December 2024. I help out on stewardship, strategic planning, facilitate a soul matters circle, do yard work with the grounds crew and used to serve with the lay pastoral care team.

As your president, I hope to live into our mission, demonstrate our values and listen deeply to the many voices in our congregation. It’s the balance of accountability and the support that comes from building meaningful relationships that nurtures my spiritual growth and motivates me to serve.

Jeff Gold
Vice President, Board of Trustees

I joined UUCM in 2022, and this community has become very important in my life, providing opportunities for personal growth, for being of service, and founding new relationships. In 2023 I joined the Board of Trustees as a member-at-large, and have enjoyed this collaborative experience in providing support for our programs and governance. During the last two years, I have served on the Facilities Exploration Committee, the Stewardship Group, the Strategic Planning Committee, and recently joined the Leadership Development Committee.

I welcome the opportunity to continue to serve on the Board, and to step into the Vice-President position. I look forward to the additional responsibilities of this role, and to become more engaged with Ministry Council as a representative of the Board. I am inspired by the thoughtful commitment of members I have worked with, and by our shared Mission, Covenant, and values.

Gwen Eymann

I have served UUCM on the Parish Care Team, serving as the chairperson since 2012. I joined the Lay Pastoral Care Team soon after it began. I have served on the Ministry Council representing the Care Team. I have been a greeter/usher for years. I have worked on the building and grounds team since 2009. I have led book study groups for Challenging White Privilege. I served as a member of the Safety Team in 2023, working to establish safety guidelines for UUCM.

Having been a member of UUCM since 2004, I have a working knowledge of the history of this community. Also, having been in the role of greeter and care team member, I have have a close connection with the congregation. I hope to serve as a trusted liaison between the BOT and our greater UUCM community.

Mark Grove

From the first time I entered UUCM more than 2 years ago and was greeted with an amazing, welcoming energy and love in our sanctuary, I have sung in the Choir, participated in Soul Matters, been in the Men’s Group, served on the Arts & Aesthetics Committee, and performed at many Sunday services. I have and continue to cherish the people and the place SO very much

Bringing a new(ish) set of eyes and ears to the service of the Board and our congregation, my greatest hope is to further build on the experience that is UUCM. I would simply want to give back what has been so freely given to me. That is, to nurture and extend our community to each and every person that walks through our doors.

Keith Johnson

As a member of UUCM since 1997, I served on the Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2013. I have been actively involved with the Justice and Stewardship teams for many years. Currently I serve as the chair of the Justice team, co-chair of the Fundraising team, member of the Stewardship team, and a coordinator of the Bending the Arc task force. My accomplishments include serving on the Ministerial Search committees that selected Rev. Meghan Cefalu and Rev. Kevin Tarsa, developing the task force process for the Justice team, and helping design the Endowment Fund policy.

I hope to help UUCM succeed in our mission to create a world more sustainable and just. Everything we do should be evaluated in terms of how our actions enhance our mission. If we do that we will become known for the quality of our programs. I would like to promote two programs in particular — Justice and Religious Education. I see spiritual development as a necessary means to mission fulfillment. Our spiritual strength should benefit us and the outside world. Then we will become not only a community of like- minded people but a beloved community for all.

Jim Perkins

I have been a member of UUCM for 9 years.  I served 4 years on the Board of Directors, including one year as President.  I’m an active member of the Bending the Arc Toward Justice task force, and prior to Covid led several discussion groups on white privilege and institutional racism.  I’m on the Endowment Committee, and I’m a member of the Men’s Circle [of Trust, a Soul Matters Circle that has been meeting for several years facilitated by George Dunstan].

I have no family in the area, and UUCM is my primary community and spiritual home.  I want to play a leadership role in supporting the growth and financial stability of this community.  We are a liberal religion and play an active  role in social justice issues in the Nevada County community.  I want to enhance that role and reputation.  I am encouraged by the recent increase in participation and attendance, and see the challenges and opportunities facing us as great.  This is a significant time for UUCM and I want to contribute my leadership skills to realizing those opportunities.  I love our mission statement and want to play my part in creating a world more compassionate, sustainable and just.

Gene Gilligan

I have served on the Life Safety committee, I’ve been a Soul Matters Circle Facilitator for a few years and have helped coordinate and organize Soul Matters Sharing Circles at UUCM for the past two years.

I look forward to learning more about the Board and Committee Members responsibility, then working with the Nominating committee members to find needed replacements within the UUCM Membership.