Staff
Minister:Drew Johnston |
Reverend Drew is a graduate of the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California. He has served at churches in California, Washington, and now Michigan. Drew arrived in Detroit as a short term interim minister, but is staying with First UU of Detroit for the indefinite future as Consulting Senior Minister. |
Music Director:Todd Ballou |
Todd Ballou grew up in Hickory Corners, MI, near Kalamazoo. He earned his Bachelor's of Musical Arts in piano performance from the University of Michigan, and has served as Music Director of the 1st Unitarian-Universalist Church of Detroit since 1997. Todd is also the music director of One Voice, Detroit's LGBT chorus, and owns his own architectural firm. He lives with his partner, Dan, on a small farm in Ypsilanti with a few horses and goats. |
 Minister of Faith Development: Athena Kolbe |
Originally from California, Rev. Kolbe moved to Detroit after completing seminary. She graduated with a Master's degree in Social Work from Wayne State University in 2006. Rev. Kolbe coordinates faith development programming for children, youth and families at First U.U. Detroit. Reverend Kolbe is the author of the acclaimed Bridges program for youth. |
Choir Director:Gwen Foss |
Gwen Foss is a second-generation UU who was raised in the Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington, Michigan. She makes a living buying and selling used nonfiction books and serves on the board of directors of TomFolio.com, a cooperative of independent used book and paper dealers. Ms. Foss is the author-publisher of two general books for UUs: a UU joke book called The Church Where People Laugh, and a biographical compendium called A Who's Who of UUs. She has a special interest in Universalist history and is currently preparing a book on the history of the Farmington congregation, founded in 1838. As a youngster, Ms. Foss served part time as her church's pianist and soloist. At Schoolcraft College she earned high marks in music theory, composition, singing and conducting. She has been honored to be choir director of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit since April 2006. |
AffiliatedCommunity Minister: Lynda Smith |
Lynda Smith joined First UU Church in 1977 and has been an active member in the years since. In the early 2000's, Lynda entered the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit and began a program of study and internship, leading to her ordination as a Unitarian Universalist minister in October 2006. On December 2 2007, Rev. Smith and First UU formally affiliated with Reverend Smith assuming the role of Community Minister. In this role, she has been working with and on behalf of the homeless and impoverished in our community. Lynda is also a member and leader of the nearby Still Point Zen Buddhist Temple of Detroit. |
| Office Administrator: | Wendi Winston |
| Building and Grounds: | Joe Brimmer |
| Sunday Assistant: | Leonard Swint |
Leonard Swint
Sunday Assistant
Officers & Trustees
| President: | Alicia Biggers |
| Vice President: | Glenn Maxwell |
| Past President: | Linda Darga |
| Treasurer: | Dan Wiest |
| Trustee: | Trey Greene |
| Trustee: | David Lingholm |
| Trustee: | Sally Borden |
| Trustee: | Lencha Acker |
Alicia Biggers
Congregational President
Trey Greene
Trustee