Ministers
Rev. Marcus Liefert
Settled Minister
Our minister, Rev. Marcus Liefert, is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist who grew up here in Berkeley, CA. He served UU congregations in Rochester, NY, Vancouver, BC, and across the Bay in San Rafael, CA, before being called to serve as UUCB’s settled minister in 2023.
The easiest way to schedule time for a phone call or meeting is by visiting calendly.com/revmarcus
Rev. Marcus typically books meetings Tuesday-Thursday.
Fridays and Saturdays are set aside for study, writing and service preparation, as well as for memorials and other events. Monday he keeps as a sabbath from church work.
Rev. Marcus is always available for pastoral emergencies. His office number forwards to his cell phone and he will reply as soon as possible to messages received there.
Send Rev. Marcus an email
(510) 525-0302 ext. 303
Emails may take up to a week to receive a response. Please call if an immediate response is needed.
Rev. Dr. Kathryn Jay
Minister of Congregational Life
Kathryn Jay graduated from Starr King School for the Ministry in 2020 with a MDiv. While at SKSM, she helped to create a new Chalice Camp curriculum focused on environmental justice.
She is excited to help families find a sense of intergenerational warmth and opportunity for spiritual growth in the coming years. She hopes UUCB’s Family Ministry Program will be a community of radical belonging, a place where everyone can feel comfortable enough to stretch and grow into the fullness of themselves.
Minister’s Schedule
Kathryn has in person office hours during business hours on Tuesday and Thursday, and via appointment on Wednesday and Friday.
Administrative Staff
I grew up the in the central valley of California, and moved to the bay area in 2005.
I have a strong desire to be of service, and if there is anything I can be of assistance with, I am here to help. I hope that I can use my 20+ years of professional experience to facilitate smooth operations behind the scenes at UUCB, so the focus can be on coming together and building community through worship and the programs that support what this congregation is passionate about. UUCB is such a warm and giving community and I am continually excited and grateful to be a part of it.
I am in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I work remotely on Wednesday and Friday. You can also find me on some Sundays in my office, or in a pew next to you.
Hola! I am originally from Caracas, Venezuela, and have lived in Florida, Arizona, D.C., Virginia, and now California. Spanish is my native language, and I pronounce my name CHAD-ees (rhymes with PATTIES).
Through my work in communications and as a yoga teacher, I strive to cultivate a world where curiosity yields connection and stewardship among us, recognizing the oneness of humanity. I possess a holy curiosity, and fully embrace independent investigation of truth and the divine. I believe in human rights for all, banishing prejudice of every kind, the harmony of science and religion, the abolition of extreme wealth and poverty, and accessible education for all.
I hope my work will enhance and amplify the amazing efforts of UUCB. You can find me at the welcome table most Sundays, or running around the church.
Peter is originally from Minnesota, graduated in the culinary arts, and worked in some of the Twin Cities’ well known open kitchen restaurants leading to a 13 year career and passion as a glassblower, owning and operating his own studios and galleries. In 2013 he made the big leap to California landing in beautiful Santa Barbara working as the lead art preparator at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Since then, Peter has lived up and down the coast from Tahoe to Santa Cruz, settling down into Berkeley life. This handyman/artist at heart has found a great home in the welcoming community of UUCB.
Eliza is originally from the East Bay and has spent most of her life in arts communities in the broader Bay Area. She brings ten years of professional experience ranging from the Arts Nonprofit Sector to bread-making, as well as an educational background in Music Performance and Software Engineering. Eliza is excited to create spaces for honest expression, mutual understanding, and community support bridging cultures and backgrounds, and is grateful to be a part of UUCB.
Eliza is in the office Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-4pm, and additional hours as-needed.
Music Staff
Director of Music, Dr. Bryan Baker
Send Bryan an email
Phone: (510) 525-0302, ext. 309.
Dr. Bryan Baker is an active Bay Area conductor, pianist and voice teacher. He has directed Luminescence, the UUCB adult choir, and coordinated the strong music program at the church since 2003. During this time, he has led many fundraising activities, including reinstating a Sing-Along Messiah, and organized numerous joint events with other congregations. Bryan is also Artistic Director and Conductor of Masterworks Chorale, Assistant Conductor of the San Francisco Choral Society, and directs the chamber choir Serenade. Having earned his doctoral degrees in music, Dr. Baker also serves on the faculty of the College of San Mateo. He formerly taught at San Francisco State University, Foothill College, Truman University in Missouri, and Arizona State University. He maintains a busy private studio, and his students have won competitions and appeared in concerts and opera productions in the Bay Area and across the country.
As a pianist, Bryan has performed across the United States and in Europe. Locally he has performed in Davies Symphony Hall, Herbst Theater, at the Stern Grove Festival, and on the Old First Concert Series. During recent seasons, he performed with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra, the California Chamber Symphony, the New Millennium Strings, and the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra in concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, and Shostakovich.
Dr. Baker has won prizes in numerous competitions, including first place in the Klatzkin Contemporary Keyboard Competition and the Bay Area Keyboard Arts Competition, Living Composers category. He received a grant for performances of chamber music and has performed a wide range of unusual works for small ensembles.
Bryan finds great joy in the theater. He has directed and acted in several music and drama productions at UUCB.
Principal Organist, Katya Kolesnikova
Katya was born in Russia, where she began her musical studies at the age of seven. She decided to make music her profession, eventually graduating from musical School, College and Conservatory in Russia, earning advanced degrees in piano, chamber music, organ and musical science. She was then awarded a scholarship to the Ecumenical Institute of Church Music at Hochschule der Künste in Berlin, Germany, where she received yet another degree in organ performance and started working as a church organist. Returning to Russia, she married Alex, a physician, with whom she eventually moved to the U.S.
They came to America first living in Chicago, where Katya worked as a church organist, piano and organ teacher and performer. She continues doing so, now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She plays primarily for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley in Sunday services and at special concerts such as the Messiah Sing Along held in late December.
Community Ministers
UUCB has three affiliated community ministers: Rev. Theresa Hardy, Rev. Sue Magidson, and Rev. Dr. Jane Ramsey. Each is an ordained UU minister whose primary ministry is in the larger community outside our congregation. Out in the world, they serve as professional hospice and hospital chaplains and spiritual directors. At UUCB, they serve in membership, workshop facilitation, pastoral care, teaching, and preaching. With few exceptions, their service at UUCB is unpaid. The word “affiliated” means that they each have a formal relationship with UUCB, voted on by the Board, and summarized in a written covenant.
Rev. Sue Magidson, Rev. Cathleen Cox (retired), Rev. Dr. Jane Ramsey, and Rev. Theresa Hardy
Rev. Theresa Hardy
Rev. Theresa Hardy works as a Chaplain with VITAS Innovative Hospice Care in Fairfield, providing spiritual care to patients and families in home and facility settings. She received her Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry and has been working as a Chaplain for several years in different settings. She is a member of the UUCB Chaplains and active in the Coming of Age and Our Whole Lives youth programs.
Rev. Sue Magidson
Rev. Sue Magidson serves as Spiritual Care Coordinator and Chaplain at San Leandro Hospital where she ministers to patients, their loved ones, and staff members. Sue is grateful for the opportunity to connect deeply with people from many different walks of life and religious traditions and to learn from them about life, love, faith, and meaning.
A lifelong UU and longtime member of UUCB, Sue received her Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry and completed her chaplaincy training at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley and Oakland. She also earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Education from UC Berkeley. She serves as a part of the chaplain team at UUCB, and also enjoys preaching, teaching, and officiating at weddings and memorial services. She refreshes her spirit through singing, painting, swimming, long walks, dear friends, and Berkeley’s amazing Farmers Markets.
Rev. Jane Ramsey
Rev. Jane is a retired hospice nurse and hospice chaplain. She specializes in aging and end-of-life issues, holding certification in Thanatology: Death, Dying and Bereavement through the Association for Death, Education and Counseling. Dr. Ramsey has a B.S. in Nursing, M. Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry and is a certified Spiritual Director. She currently has a private practice in Spiritual Direction and Chaplaincy and facilitates the Chaplaincy Service after service here at UUCB. Rev. Jane, along with Anne Greenwood also facilitates the Aging With Grace” group which meets twice a month here at UUCB.
Visit Jane’s personal site at Spirit Within.
Ministers Emeriti
UUCB is also blessed with several other ministers who are not formally affiliated community ministers but still add to the power of community with their pastoral, spiritual or justice-seeking presence.
Barbara and Bill Hamilton-Holway served as UUCB’s co-ministers from 1996 until their retirement in 2014. During this time, they also played leadership roles in Unitarian Universalism nationally. They retired as of June 1, 2014, and the congregation voted to bestow emeritus status on them at the May 18, 2014, Congregational Meeting.
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