Rev. Jim from UUFF alongside other clergy standing in solidarity, prayer, and action with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and the water protectors, Nov 3, 2016.
Minster: Reverend Jim Parrish
Rev. Jim Parrish has been the Minister at UUFF since August 2014.
He grew up in the Flint Hills of Kansas, where he found his love for technology, philosophy and religion. He graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in engineering technology in 1983 and worked in aerospace engineering for over 25 years, while exploring his religious values as a Unitarian Universalist lay person.
Jim retired from engineering in 2007 to obtain a Master of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, graduating in May 2011 with the Faculty Prize for Religious Leadership. Jim was ordained in October of 2012, and subsequently served a two year Interim ministry for the UU Fellowship of Topeka, Kansas.
Jim enjoys gardening, reading, running, cooking, bicycling and movies. He is married to Theresa, and between them have five adult children and six grandchildren.
Administrator: Fawn Smith
Childcare Coordinator: Taylor Hogue
Nursery Caregivers: Helen Hoerman,
Choir Director: Renée Janski
Renée Janski can not remember life without singing and music. She began playing piano at the age of four, and joined her school orchestra in sixth grade. She has been in love with music her entire life.
She earned her degree in Opera from UCA. Janski has performed operatic and oratorio pieces internationally and played nationally with various rock, bluegrass and jazz ensembles, like Big Bad Gina. Her Rollicking Solo shows are hilarious and thoughtful and keep her audiences thoroughly entertained! Janski has owned her own music studio for 25 years. She teaches piano, bass, fiddle, and voice, and has had many students that have gone on to have major musical careers. Janski loves teaching and hopes to keep doing so for many years.
Janski, a Unitarian Universalist Pagan, has an active spiritual life and believes that it has a huge influence on her work and music. She directs the choir at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville and enjoys every second of it!!
She resides in Fayetteville with her wife, RJ. Renée and RJ have 5 grown children and one beautiful grandbaby, Annabelle – who are so supportive and the loves of their lives!
Piano Accompanist: Brenda Parker
Religious Education Coordinator: Teresa Honey Youngblood
Teresa Honey Youngblood has been the religious education coordinator since 2011. She has two master’s degrees, one in American Studies and one in Education. She has been a classroom teacher in public and private schools, has worked for the Florida Department of Education, and has directed an after-school program. She is currently enrolled in the UUA’s religious education credentialing program. She likes counting birds and frogs as a citizen scientist, discovering and sharing great picture books, knitting in bright colors, running slow but for a long time, writing poems, and growing food.
