OUR COUNCIL
Rockville United Church is governed by by-laws and a council elected from the congregation. Each council member chairs a committee whose members manage the ministries of the church. Any member is welcome to stand for election to the council. Nominations are held at the spring congregational meeting and terms can vary from 1 year (to fill a vacancy) to two years. Council members can serve for a maximum of six years before stepping down.
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Fall of 2022, Church Life Sponsored a Wednesdays at 7 series on Meet your Elder. Watch the videos to learn more about them, their committees, and volunteer needs. COMMITTEES 101
Some of the best small groups in our congregation are the working committees. They welcome you to join in their ministries. Meetings begin with personal catching up; some regularly have food, often much laughter, always a refreshing feeling of contribution. Contact the chairs below or Pastor Jennifer with interest or questions.
Council President, Chris Frentrup
Mission: The council is headed by a president, elected from the congregation. The president sets monthly council and congregational meeting agendas, runs meetings and council votes and generally keeps the business of the church moving forward. email Chris
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Worship & Music
Elder
Carol Abrahams
Mission: We work closely with the Pastor to foster meaningful and varied worship services for all. We encourage everyone's participation on Sundays, during our monthly Communions, and for RUC's own cherished celebrations. Through the Music Director, WAM nurtures the presentation of meaningful music from a wide variety of traditions for worship and for the wider community and works to involve all ages in our music program.
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Church in Society
Elder
Donna Perry
Mission: Church in Society reaches out to those in need locally, nationally and globally, sharing God’s love through our works inspired by faith. Church in Society is responsible for organizing a number of annual projects, some exclusive to RUC and some part of a larger mission, as well as continuing to evaluate and recommend new Mission/Outreach opportunities for our congregation.
email Donna
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Faith Formation
Elder
Stacey Hagy
Church Life
​Mission: To help RUC members grow in spirit and faith by providing ways for them to practice enjoying, loving, caring and supporting one another. We nurture those in need of care in many ways and we help celebrate our life together through events and fellowship activities.
Elder
Frances Hockensmith
Congregational Care
​Mission: To care for RUC congregants in time of need by providing support, visiting, helping them keep in touch with their church family and organizing services (meals, transportation etc) as needed. email Phyllis
Elder
Phyllis Windle
Stewardship
Elder
Denise Giacomozzi
​Mission: We seek to cultivate a spirit of abundance within our congregation that leads us to share our time, treasure and talent with each other and with our community--local, national and global. We believe in God's promise to provide and pledge to live our statement of faith through the sharing of our gifts.
Communications & Technology
Mission: Our mission is to provide a coherent, up-to-date, affordable technology infrastructure to support the work of Rockville United Church and to develop and manage outbound communications in support of RUC’s membership, events and accomplishments. email Dan
Elder
Dan Hockensmith
Membership
Elder
Elizabeth Cooper-Martin
​Mission: The Membership Team strives to create a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors to our church as well as to attract new visitors from our community. Membership greets all new and returning visitors before each service and works to guide visitors into membership and integrate new members into the congregation. email Elizabeth
Building
Elder
Buster Hawkins
​Mission: Our mission is to make RUC’s building and grounds a welcoming and safe environment for our congregation, visitors, and the community. Much of the work we do is by volunteers, although we rely on professional services and staff when we must. Working together, we strive to be good stewards of the environment and our church. email Buster
Administration & Personnel
Mission: The committee is responsible for church personnel matters, building use and other administrative concerns important to running the day-to-day operations. email Denise
Elder
Denise Rozell
Secretary
Elder
Elizabeth Cooper-Martin
​Mission: The Council Secretary ensures smooth communication and understanding among Council members, staff and congregation and maintains communications and reporting between RUC and the Presbytery. The Secretary is responsible for compiling accurate notes from each council and congregational meeting and for maintaining accurate records for RUC. email Elizabeth
Finance
​Mission: To ensure that the church creates and lives within budgets acceptable to the Council and congregation. To oversee, monitor and disperse church monies in a fiscally responsible manner. email Bill
Elder
Bill Kirby
Social Justice
Elder
Beth Pattison
​Mission: The Social Justice Committee mission is to educate and mobilize people through the work of Rockville United Church towards action on denominational, global, national, and local social justice issues. Our goals include increasing awareness of key social justice issues, providing educational and training opportunities in political activism and social responsibility, driving the prioritization of, and focus on key issues and mobilizing the RUC congregation and others to act on key issues. We agree that justice is the order God sets in human life for fair and honest dealing and for giving rights to those who have no power to claim rights for themselves.. Social Justice is a life-saving intervention. email Beth
Earthcare
Elder
Sylvia Batzler
​Mission: The RUC Earthcare Committee works to raise awareness, education, and outreach within our congregation and throughout our community, and practices green standards in its care and maintenance of all property outside the church building. email Sylvia
Community Reach of Montgomery County
Mission: RUC founded Community Reach of Montgomery County (formerly know as Community Ministries of Rockville) in 1967 to serve the most vulnerable through advocacy, direct services and education. CMR maintains 2 transitional houses, a robust language outreach program, an elder ministries program and an emergency support program (REAP). In 2010, CMR opened the Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic, providing health care services for the un- and under insured. RUC remains closely affiliated with CMR, providing funds, volunteers and board representation.
​Mission: Faith Formation initiates, directs and supports opportunities for religious education for all ages. RUC is a place where children and youth matter, where they are meant to be seen and heard, where the youth are valued not as the future of the church but the church here and now. We take Christian Education—for adults, youth and children—very seriously while having lots of fun. As a church, we strive to put God first, love others as you love yourself, and participate in God's plan by putting faith into action. email Stacey
Representative
Jan May
