Judy Payne

Currently: Choir, Music Committee, Coordinate Sanctuary Flowers, Reception Desk Volunteer, Homeless Shelter Volunteer.

Recent Past: Buildings and Grounds Committee, Ministerial Relations Committee, Ordination Committee.

Past: Board Moderator, SCW President, Music Committee Chair, Music Director Search Committee, Personnel Committee Chair, RE Committee Chair, Church School Teacher, Coming Of Age Mentor, DRE Committee, Newsletter Editor, Intern Committee, Open Hand Driver, Art Committee.

Personal: Retired school counselor and family therapist. Married to Silas Payne, also a former board moderator. Mother of 3 sons who live in San Francisco, 2 public middle school teachers, one SF Paramedic-Firefighter, products of our church school. Grandmother to Georgia (2 1/2) and Elliott (5) who keep me busy at least 4 days a week.

PERSONAL STRENGTHS

The most satisfying aspects of church life for me are the friendships and sense of community. The choir is a spiritual experience for me as we sing (mostly) beautiful music together - something I could not do alone. Cooking for the shelter and meeting the men we serve, getting to know our outstanding professional staff while working at the reception desk, planting bulbs in the courtyard with a friend, arranging flowers in the sanctuary while Reiko practices on the organ.
Looking down from the balcony on Sunday mornings at so many familiar people I love - and new ones I look forward to knowing. I enjoy committee work for the process of listening to each other and building consensus, if possible, and understanding. I also love our beautiful building and its setting and the place we have in the larger community.

I believe that our Sunday morning worship service is the heart of the Church from which we gather inspiration and strength to live our UU principles. A successful ministerial search and a thriving church community will come from knowing ourselves and our limitations, learning from past mistakes and emphasizing our many strengths and
successes. I have been an active member, involved in many aspects of church life, for more than 35 years. I am excited to be able to bring my experience to the search process.

I believe in the future of this church and look forward to getting to know and love yet another minister(s) who will lead us in the directions we choose to go. So much is possible if we live our mission and UU principles together in loving community.