Our annual Awards, Canvass and Election Congregational Meeting will be held in the sanctuary after the 11:15 worship service on February 12, 2017. This meeting should be over by 1:15 pm.
According to our bylaws, this meeting is intended “to honor members for outstanding service to the Church, to review the canvass pledge goal for the coming year, and to elect and install the new members of the Board of Trustees.”
Please see the Candidate Statements below.
Contact: Deborah Schmidt
(510) 206-2183, deborahbschmidt@gmail.com
Candidate Statements:
Lee Helena Lawrence
I’m interested in helping implement some of the top priorities emerging from our congregational Cafe Conversations: increasing our diversity and outreach, increasing UUCB’s public presence and voice in the community and at Cal Berkeley, and increasing member engagement at UUCB. I support our participation with CCISCO, the multi-racial, multi-cultural congregation based community organizing group we may vote to join this February. I hope we can provide opportunities for member engagement and growth at UUCB and in the community, empowering us to deepen and transform ourselves and others in the spirit of our UU values. I hope our style of governance and coordination can be consistent with our UU principles and covenant.
A life-long UU, I joined UUCB in 2001, founding the UUCB snack table and convening it for 8 years. I also founded Humanist Connections in 2003, which meets weekly for engaged discussions with 30-35 people, and participated in many social justice activities, bringing the No on Prop 8 phone bank, and noted speakers (George Lakoff, etc.) to our church. I was a founding board member of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry, served on the board of the Starr King School, the board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and the board of the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley, where I currently serve as Co-President. I’m a retired clinical psychologist and former faculty member at Harvard University.
Cynthia Maxim
My name is Cynthia (Cindy) Maxim, and I am submitting my name to join the UUCB Board of Trustees. My partner, Jean Hyams, and I became members of UUCB in Fall, 2013. We came to UUCB seeking a community of like-minded people, and have felt held closely by our beloved community ever since. In addition to participating in several singular events – celebrations, a Harmony Walk, concerts, community suppers and the like – I have been a member of three chalice circles (including two as a co-facilitator.) I feel I’ve gotten so much from UUCB, and I’d like to give back by serving on the Board. It’s a role I saw my parents play; they were active participants in the life of our church as we were growing up and held many positions there, including each serving terms as Board President.
I’ve spent my career in healthcare, working in various positions including the clinical laboratory, the operating room, and quality assurance. I’m now a public health consultant for a small company. Our work focuses on helping local organizations get the funding and tools to help those in our community most in need, including those with HIV, trans people, and low income families. We also have a subspecialty in disaster planning for governments. Many of the tools that serve me in my work will serve me on the Board. It’s a job that requires strong organizational skills, good listening, and an ability to think creatively – skills that I will bring to my role on the Board of Trustees. While I don’t anticipate being Board President, I know that I can make a difference at UUCB and look forward to serving you on our Board.
Virginia Silver-Rimbach
My family and I joined UUCB in 2009. Since then we have both served in many ways, starting with the Family Greeting Table, the RE Committee and as RE Support on Sunday mornings. I have served on the RE Committee as Co-Chair, leaving that to become a member of the Board of Trustees in 2013.
This will be my second term, and after being a BOT member during a time of tremendous upheaval and change with our longtime ministers retiring and two years with an Interim Minister, I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to serve as we start our journey with our new Called Ministers.
In non-church life I work as a Vice President at Union Bank, leading our Third Party Regulatory Compliance team. My strengths are consensus building and problem resolution, which are an excellent fit for the Board of Trustees at UUCB.
I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue in service to our congregation.
