Meet Our Staff
Seeking:
Admin Assistant
The Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo are looking for a creative, open-hearted, detail-oriented person to complete their staff of two part-time office managers. We’re a friendly congregation located in the North Central San Mateo neighborhood, within walking distance of CalTrain and downtown San Mateo. Come join us! Be part of and help shape our growing, evolving community. You’ll work with volunteers and our remote office administrator help take care of the many tasks that keep our congregation humming, such as: • answering the phone, and answering the door for folks who stop by • monitoring office inventory and ordering supplies • tallying checks and cash donations and depositing them in the bank • helping to manage and update our social media • maintaining files, including records for equipment and vendor contracts and software platforms • supporting our professional staff and volunteer leaders • organizing our office space We’re looking for someone who is deeply trustworthy, responsible, warm-hearted and: • communicates well in English, both writing and speaking; • works well on a team—you’ll be the in-person complement to our remote office administrator! • is organized and careful with details; • manages time well and meets deadlines; • uses good judgment to set priorities and can pivot quickly when plans or situations change; • protects confidential information reliably; • shows deep integrity and professionalism at all times; and • respects the principles of Unitarian Universalism. Besides the long list of excellent personal qualities above, we would like you to be familiar with most of these platforms: Google Calendar/Docs/Sheets, MS office software, Zoom. It would be a bonus if you also know some Spanish, as we have many Spanish-speaking neighbors around us. In return we offer a friendly working environment, access to public transportation, generous holidays and Paid Time Off. Other details: • This job is part-time, averaging 4 - 6 hours per week. • All work hours are onsite unless San Mateo County requires that we work remotely. Interested? Send your resume to bobbiehowland@gmail.com.
Seeking:
Director of Religious Education
An open-minded and open-hearted congregation, the Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo, seeks a creative, reliable and organized person to serve as Director of Religious Exploration (DRE). Both experienced religious educators and enthusiastic newcomers interested in building an RE program are welcome to apply. This half-time, year-round position includes organizing weekly religious exploration (RE) programs, with both paid staff and congregation volunteers, and small group opportunities for youth (Coming of Age [COA], Our Whole Lives [OWL], etc). Currently, our weekly program includes multi-age activities based on the SoulMatters curriculum and social time for play and conversation. We also currently have a group doing the Coming of Age program. We are looking to reinvigorate and expand our RE offerings as we continue to transition back from challenges due to COVID-19. Historically, we’ve had multiple classes based on age/grade level and have followed a variety of UU curricula. On Sundays, the DRE oversees the RE program and, historically, the DRE works with worship leaders on a multi-sensory service for all ages, as it fits the service schedule. From June-August the weekly Sunday school class is less structured and is based on the talents and interests of a variety of volunteers as well as staff. With committee and worship leader support, the DRE oversees the recruitment, scheduling and support of teachers/volunteers for regular programs, COA, OWL, Bridging, and special events. The DRE supports and promotes participation in upcoming events and maintains the visibility of the RE programs. The DRE also communicates with families via various church media. The DRE supervises our Child Care Providers and leads our congregation volunteers. The DRE has regular meetings with supervisor and volunteer teams. LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association) membership dues included and professional development opportunities available within the RE budget. Compensation depending on experience: $27-32/hour; 20 hours/week; 12 months. Contact us at: searchRE@uusanmateo.org Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo
Tovis Page, Worship Minister
Dr. Tovis Page (she/her) completed her ministerial internship at UUSM in 2018-19 and is thrilled to return as our temporary Sunday worship minister. After graduating from Starr King School for the Ministry in May 2022, Tovis completed a five-month internship in Clinical Pastoral Education at Stanford hospital. She will be ordained this spring. Tovis is called to congregational ministry and to the larger Unitarian Universalist movement that seeks to embody a theology of radically inclusive love, continuous revelation and collective liberation. She envisions a future in which UU congregations are connected nodes of transformation in the wider web of regenerative, life-sustaining change. In addition to her service to UU communities, Tovis is the Program Coordinator of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort, a cohort of religious leaders from diverse traditions working for justice, equity and compassion in San Mateo County. Prior to discerning her call to ministry, Tovis earned a Master’s of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School and a PhD in Religion, Gender and Culture at Harvard University. She has a background in Vipassana meditation practice and completed a yearlong course in Buddhist chaplaincy before starting her UU training. Tovis lives on the Peninsula with her spouse, their two middle-school-aged children and various furry, feathered and scaly critters. Email Tovis at tovis@uusanmateo.org.
Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale, Pastoral Care Minister
Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale has been working closely with UUSM’s Pastoral Care Team since May 2022. In that capacity, limited to 20 hours a month, she has focused on supporting lay leaders during this time of transition, responding to urgent member needs, organizing and leading healing worship services, as well as offering monthly Sharing Circles. Rev. Stefanie has over 20 years of experience serving congregations in the Pacific Central District, and has worked as hospital Chaplain at NYU, UCLA, and Sequoia Hospital. She lives in Redwood City with her beloved, George, and their assortment of animals. She enjoys having her 90 year old mother nearby and being affiliated as a Community Minister with the UU Church of Palo Alto, which allows her to focus on “building spiritual courage, resilience, and joy through private spiritual direction sessions, group retreats and workshops, public speaking, justice work, and art. (To find out more please visit TendingSpirit.com.)
Joel Chapman, Music Director
Joel Chapman is a San Francisco-based conductor, bass-baritone, and songwriter. He sings professionally with Volti, a new-music ensemble that performs and animates completely new works, as well as Endersnight, a choir specializing in Renaissance music. In addition to his many theatrical credits, Joel is a Stanford graduate and holds an M.A. in Music, Science, & Technology and a B.A. in Music. Joel's amazing voice and his approach to ministry through music add much to Sunday morning services. Explore his website at: joelchapmanmusic.com, and email him at music@uusanmateo.org.
Jac Brennan, Connections
Jac Brennan (she/her) oversees radical hospitality to UUSM’s newcomers, members, and friends, and works to connect them to our religious community and assist them in their spiritual growth. Jac has been a UU for more than four decades and has served UU churches in a variety of roles. She has nine children, the youngest five of whom are adopted and have different kinds of disabilities. Advocating for her children led her to become an attorney who focused her practice on civil rights, disability law, and employment law. Jac is ignited by the work of creating connections to and within our beloved community. You can reach Jac at connections@uusanmateo.org.
Kate Wasserman, Office Admin
Kate Wasserman (she/they) lives in the Chicago suburbs and is excited to join the UUSM community from afar as the office administrator. She has worked in a variety of office settings, ranging from a wholesale liquor store to a law firm, and she loves to get nerdy about processes and spreadsheets. Kate is the proud mom to two amazing humans (ages 19 and 16) and two lovable dogs, and when she isn’t working, she loves finding new hobbies to dive into–currently at the top of her list is watercolor painting. You can reach Kate at office@uusanmateo.org.
Paul Zawilski, Pianist
Paul Zawilski provides good music for our Sunday services and Thursday choir rehearsals. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and an uncanny ability to transpose in real-time. When he's not on the piano, Paul slips into the back row of the choir and helps out on baritone or tenor.
Nicholas Soriano Smith, Media Tech
Nicholas Soriano Smith makes sure our audio and visual quality are top-notch for UUSM's services and meetings. Nicholas is a senior at San Francisco State in the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts department, planning to graduate in the summer of 2023. In his spare time Nicholas is a singer, leaning towards R&B and soul.
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Across the distance, the light from within me shines, sending love to all
Across the distance, your light is fuel that warms me
and helps to keep my own light burning
Together, we keep the flame of community burning bright
~ Rev. Laura Thompson