Our History

UUCCH History

We celebrated our 60th year anniversary in 2016.

Beginning in 1956, our story is one of energetic, committed and dedicated people working tirelessly to provide a physical and spiritual home for our religious community and for liberal religion in Southern New Jersey.

Read a brief Chronology of the Church.

Church members are invited to view the complete “The Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill: A History” for more detail.

Our Names

  • Unitarian Fellowship of South Jersey, May 25, 1956
  • Unitarian Church in Southern New Jersey, January 18, 1959
  • Unitarian Church in Cherry Hill, February 4, 1979
  • Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill (UUCCH), May 22, 1994
Old Fellowship Hall, burned in 1997

Old Fellowship Hall, burned in 1997

UUCCH Ministerial & Staff Leadership History

See UUCCH Lay Leadership History

See UUCCH UUs of the Year History

UUCCH Ministers

Rev. Edwin Lane (1958-1967)
Rev. Keith Munson (1968-1975)
Rev. Margaret Wallace (1976-1978)
Rev. Alice Blair Wesley (Interim) (1981-1984)
Rev. Dr. Rudolph (Rudy) Nemser (1984-2000)
Rev. Vanessa Southern (Interim) (2000-2001)
Rev. Carol Ann Taylor (Interim) (2001-2002)
Rev. Melanie Morel-Ensminger (2002-2007)
Rev. Walter Braman (Interim) (2007-2009)
Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti (2009-2015)
Revs. Christian & Kristin Schmidt (Interim co-Ministers) (2015-2016)
Rev. Larry Smith (Interim Minister) (2016-July 2018)
Rev. Dr. Margret A. O’Neall August 2019 – Present

UUCCH Intern Ministers

Rev. Jennifer Kelleher (2010-2012)
Rev. Donna Renfro (2012-2014)
Jo Green (2014-2016)

UUCCH Ordained Ministers

Rev. Robert Alton Jones (posthumously, May 15, 1988)
Rev. Susan Veronica Rak (May 5, 1996)
Rev. Paul D. Daniel (April 22, 2001)

UUCCH Directors of Religious Education

Jane Wheeler (1954)
Marge Zaun (1958-1965)
Walt Peterson (1966-1967)
Ruth Ballou (1968-1971)
June Peterson (1971-1972)
Darlene Foust (1972-1974)
Karenne Snow (1974-1980)
June Peterson (1980)
Marion Reigle (1980-1982)
Lin Koenig (1982-1983)
Geoffrey Rimositis (1983-1986)
Holly Crayton (1987-1990)
Susan Rak (1990-1996)
Rick Klimowicz (1996-1997)
Pat Infante (1997-2007)
Bree Donovan (Acting, 2007-2008)
Michelle Mueller (2008-2011)
Rev. Julie-Ann Silberman-Bunn (Asst. Minister, 2011-2014)
Michele Grove (Interim, 2014-2015)
Paula Gribble (2016-present)

UUCCH Choir & Music Ministry Directors

Jean Lilly (1956-1957)
Helen Ware (1957-1959)
Eric Scott (1959-1962)
Bill Shimmin (1962-1980)
Amy Shimmin (1980-2001)
Ken Ewan (2001-2014)
Lauren Canna (2014-2018)
Natasha Gibson Steinmacher (2018- present)

UUCCH Church Secretaries/Administrators

Kathy Wilson (1981-2015)
Lauren Canna (Acting, 2015-2016)
Christina McLean (2016 – 2017)
Mandy Skalski (2017 – Present)