Happy August, UCG. CMRB Co-chairs here, writing to introduce you to this year’s team. You can expect more on our vision, what we’re up to, and how you can be part of the important work CRMB does in future months, but for now here’s who we are and how you can reach us.
Meet your Co-Chair: Hello UCG! My name is Helda Montero and I have happily been a part of the UCG community since 2007 when, after the birth of our daughter, our young family went in search of a spiritual home. As a lapsed Catholic with a partner who was raised Baptist, it was an interesting search! We knew we had found a home in UCG. Since joining, my partner Andy Frenock and our children Elena, Diego and Carlos have loved our years of worship and growth as our family has moved through the preschool, United Tribes, Middle School Together, Youth United programs and Work Tours. Over the years I have served our church community on various boards such as the Board of Children and Families, Compassion in Action, Adult Seminars, PPP Loan Committee, Women’s Retreat planning committee, Grievance Committee Chair and CMRB. Professionally, I am a trained mental health counselor and professor of student development and leadership at Santa Fe College, where it is a privilege to be a part of people’s journey to success every day. Personally, I enjoy creating through various mediums and am a fierce team mom and education advocate. I have fun playing the ukulele, which I was introduced to via the UCG ukulele small group. I also enjoy gardening and renovating our home, which the kids named Camp Nunya during Covid. It is an honor to serve as co-chair this year alongside RD as our church community embarks on this year of exploration, reaffirmation and creation. I am always available via text/phone call (352-219-0410) or email hmontero@bellsouth.net.
Meet your other Co-Chair: RD Bonnaghan joined UCG formally in 2020, but has been visiting and doing intersectional mission and ministry work with UCG since he moved to Gainesville in 2005. He joined CMRB in May of 2022. RD was raised in a social justice-oriented Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation, served very briefly as a church youth director in Palm Coast, did program coordination in college at the Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ Student Center at UF (RIP both PDCSC and Burrito Brothers, who shared the building), and sat on the Session (governing board) of Highlands Presbyterian Church here in Gainesville for several years. In his professional life, RD’s employed as the executive director at Rebuilding Together North Central Florida, a local nonprofit that serves our low-income neighbors through home repairs to correct health and safety hazards. He’s married to Meaghan, and they live with their son Jaxon and dog Harriet. RD loves music, donuts, UCG, board games, neighborhood walks, and thoughtful conversations. RD has too many favorite UCG memories to recount here, but his recent trip to Appalachia with the youth for work tour ranks very high on his list. He looks forward to a great year with CMRB, and you can reach him at rdbonnaghan@gmail.com.
Current CMRB Members:
Jeremy Archer, Maureen Cox, Andy Ingram,
Barbara Beynon, Fonda Eyler, Lindsey Telg,
Edo Carter, Barb Gibbs, Helen Warren