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Barbara Clevenger
Minister |
Faith Bower
President |
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Cody Jones
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Janice Jones
Keeper of the Flame |
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2011 – 2012 UFH Trustees, who have served one or more years on the board:
Barbara Clevenger, Minister
My conscious spiritual journey began in my late 30s when I found myself in a Unity church. I ‘knew’ that Unity would not work with my beliefs, as no church ever had. I was shocked to find that Unity did fit my belief system! I found myself going to church weekly. When I began sponsoring my daughter’s Unity teen group, I experienced Unity as a way of life! A few years later I was shocked once again. This time I discovered I was called to Unity ministry!
The year my daughter went to college, I began ministerial school at Unity Village. After graduation I began serving as an associate minister at what is now called Renaissance Unity in the Detroit area. In 1997 I founded Unity of Farmington Hills. My purpose in life is to teach, love and inspire people, and to provide a space, literally and figuratively, for people to experience God’s love. I enjoy teaching people to ‘experience themselves as the presence of God’.
Faith Brower, President
… was born and raised on the East side of Detroit. She attended University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and then went on to get her Bachelors degree in English from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Faith lost both her mother at age 9 and her father at 12 years old. Serving children has become her passion.
After graduation, Faith moved to Chicago and eventually found Unity of Chicago led by Mike and Sarah Matoin. Faith taught for a couple of years at Unity of Chicago, and was asked to become the Director of the Children’s Program. She was married at Unity of Chicago, had her only son, Grant, baptized in their garden, and had her husband’s memorial service at this church.
While living in Chicago, Faith worked for Merrill Lynch, and then Occhipinti Productions, a theatre and music production company, and finally landed at Kemper Financial Services working her way up to Facilities Operations Buyer. She stayed there for 11 years working with various vendors, tradesmen, and in-house designers. But figuring there had to be more to life, she got her Masters in Early Childhood from the University of Illinois in Chicago, and became a Director of a private preschool for 15 years.
After moving to a suburb of Chicago, Faith attended Unity of Oak Park with Richard Billings (who came to UFH to dedicate our new church building) and Helice Greene. What an abundant atmosphere-in many ways. Prayer and community were the foundation for their established success and happiness.
Since moving back to Michigan, Faith has been attending UFH for about 5 years. She has taught in the Children’s Church, sung in the choir for special occasions, been a Steward, and volunteered at Movie Nights, Concerts, as a reader for the holiday readings, and in the gardens. She is excited to continue serving you and your family at UFH!
Mary B. Rich, Vice President
nominated for UFH Trustee, election Sun. Nov 14, 11:15. She is now serving remaining 1-month of a former Trustee term.
I was raised in a marvelously spiritual home of acceptance and love. I was born and raised in NW Detroit, grew up in the very supportive environment of Redford Presbyterian Church, a church where all the kids in the area attended regardless of religious belief. I was active as a child and adult in choir, youth group-both as a youth and leader, married couples group vice president, community activism, and co-led Sunday School with my then-husband.
My grandmother and mother studied Unity teachings and taught us how to incorporate Unity teachings into our daily lives. My family has continued with the tradition of reading Daily Word, practicing the basic tenets of the Unity teachings with Spirit as the center and guide of life and living the love based teachings of Christ. My children and I spent most Sunday mornings watching Church of Today before going to church. I attended classes and activities in Warren when time allowed but it was too far to become involved on a regular basis, especially with kids, baseball, school, etc. I became involved with COTW when heading to church one Sunday and passing by a sign saying COTW at Village Oaks- I had found a like minded spiritual place to hang my hat.
I was active in the Christmas Choirs, welcome table, helped out as a teacher when we moved to Meadowbrook School, volunteered as a prayer chaplain, volunteered to teach a parenting/relationship class, and continued to be an usher at our present building.
I have three grown sons and one living grandson, 15 y.o. I love spending time with them and my daughters’ in law and family is very important to me. I attended Wayne State U -Monteith College (if you know that college, you know how old I am!), returned to school while I was raising my children and attended Madonna College and UofM. Presently I work full time with Rehab Inst of MI Novi Center with neuro/TBI/SCI clients and families as a clinical social worker and rehab case manager; work part time at Botsford as a medical/ER social worker, and have a private practice as a psychotherapist/life coach. I am also a CISD, providing support services for traumatic events and crises in the community. I love reading, travel, hiking, always take a week to hit the desert or mountains for God time, and when I can’t get away, I just throw a hump of clay onto my potter’s wheel and become centered both literally and spiritually.
Cody Jones, Secretary
…received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University and owns Commerce Animal Hospital. He authored a Unity best-seller Super Powers of the Mind and The Complete Guide to the Book of Proverbs. He is an Eagle Scout. His first hospital in Rochester, Michigan was named Hospital of the Year in Veterinary Economics Magazine. Cody has played on the USA Table Tennis team in international competition. He has run 20 marathons including Boston 3 times. He has been Michigan Senior Chess champion and is an amateur astronomer and birder. Cody’s wife Janice Jones is UFH Youth Director and the Board’s Keeper of the Flame. They went on a cruise to China with Jack Boland and helped Barbara pioneer our church 14 years ago.
Jim Chandra, Treasurer
Geography – I was born in Calcutta, India. I came to the US in 1983 to go to college at University of Iowa. I moved to the metro Detroit area in 1985. We are residents of Farmington Hills since 1995.
Family- I am married to Sherri for 18 years and we have three children; Anjali (14), Kayley (11) and Dustin (6). Our children attend UFH with us and they love the youth and kids programs.
Spiritual Journey - I was born and raised in a Hindu family and went to catholic schools in India. I was exposed to many religions at a very early age. I started going to Unity church since 1998 and have been a member of COTW and UFH since 1999. Unity principles of modern spiritual Christianity just fits me like a glove. UFH has been my spiritual home for the last 12 years.
My vision and commitment to UFH – To have an energetic, diverse and thriving church community that provides spiritual growth opportunity to its members. UFH continues to grow and attract new members and take them all on this wonderful spiritual journey.
Interests – I work for General Motors and am involved in future product planning, marketing and sales. My other interests include health and exercise, multi-ethnic gourmet cooking and helping my kids with their education.
Candace K. Spaulding, Trustee
Born in Minnesota, raised in Wisconsin, and having lived her adult life in Michigan, Spaulding is a true mid-westerner. Her parents were hardy Lutheran German-English stock. Divorced and the mother of one daughter (Kate who is married to Ben), she is the proud grandparent of five – Eric, Ashley, Skye, Ben and Kendall.
Her consulting work, begun in 1989, has provided an added perspective on the needs of many types of non-profits and relates well to assisting her clientele in underwriting their enthusiasm and dreams. Spaulding honed her administrative skills while working on a doctorate in human services administration, in leadership of non-profit Boards, and from administrative positions. Candace leads Spaulding & Associates, a sixteen year old consulting firm in the business of raising major gifts and conducting capital campaigns for area non-profits. She and her associates, specialists in the related fields of management, marketing, public relations, human resources, and finance, focus on small to medium campaigns (up to $10m) and have raised over $50m to date.
Church of Today was Candace’s first Unity church home. She and her grandson Ben immediately knew Unity of Farmington Hills would be their new church in January of 2011, after “shopping around” for the right spiritual home. As a steward, Candace helps count UFH monies. Spaulding and Pat Hatfield have worked with Barbara and the Board on fund raising. She enjoys the classes and workshops and finds such sessions great for personal and spiritual development.
Candace delights in meeting and getting to know UFH members and guests. She would be honored to be a Trustee and looks forward to an ever- deeper faith-filled future.
Newly appointed, by the six voting Trustees, to serve the board, in a non-voting capacity, by holding spiritual space:
Janice Jones, Board Keeper of the Flame
…serves the board of trustees in prayer as Keeper of the Flame. In this capacity, she prays and holds the high watch for all board meetings as a non-voting member. Janice also holds a weekly prayer meeting for the church at 8:30 am Sunday.
Janice Jones was born and raised in SE Michigan. She obtained her RN and worked as a pediatric nurse for 11 years. In 1984, Janice began a private practice in healing, meditation classes, and holistic health. Janice and Cody started in Unity in 1983 at the Church of Today in Warren. Both of them are founding members of UFH. In 1996, Jesus began appearing to Janice and mentoring her on a daily basis. Jesus facilitates, through Janice, group meditation classes via conference calls and private sessions with clients. These provide support for developing personal relationship with God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit; development in prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit; and deep personal healing and transformation at every level.
Janice has been in youth ministry 26 years, and serves UHF as youth director and teaches the children, grades 5 and under. Cody and Janice Jones have been married 38 years. Janice enjoys nature, hiking, golf, travel, gardening, and crafts.
Trustee Terms for 2011-2012 Faith Brower- first year of a 4-year term. Mary B. Rich- second year of a 4-year term. Cody Jones- third of a 4-year term. Jim Chandra- first year of a 2-year term. Candace K. Spaulding- first year of a 3-year term. Trustee Teams Finance Team is Jim Chandra and Paul Riethmeier. Communications Team is Faith Brower and Mary Rich. Stewardship Team is Candace Spaulding and Pat Hatfield.
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