With God’s help and to the best of our abilities, we will identify a Head Pastor who believes in and will support the UCLB mission of respect and acceptance, serve others with love and compassion, and lead the future growth of the church.
News from the Pastoral Transition Team
RSVP for Pastoral Transition Conversations
The meetings are scheduled for 9/29, 10/20, and 11/17 immediately following church. Your engagement in all three meetings is greatly welcomed and appreciated!
Meet the Team
Tanya Huang (Team Chair)
Tanya and her husband, Dan Jasica, have been members of UCLB since 1998. They have three grown children, Addie, Evan, and Jonathan, who were all confirmed at UCLB. Within the church, Tanya has served on the Board of Elders in several roles, including the Chair of Elders, the Chair of Outreach, and currently the Co-Chair of Hospitality. Tanya is a board-certified OB/GYN at a practice in Lake Forest and Grayslake. At church, she most appreciates the connections and service that we provide, both internally and externally. Within this new role as the Chair of the Transition Team, she is excited, anxious, grateful, and humbled by the opportunity to serve UCLB in this role.
Tom Hart
Tom, his wife, Sandy, and their three teenage children, Emily, Katie, and Tommy, have been attending UCLB for the past 14 years. He and his family think UCLB is a great place to attend church, and they appreciate the extended church family. Tom works as a Marketing Director. Within the church, Tom has served on the Board of Trustees as the Finance Chair, along with serving on the Marketing committee, volunteering as a Sunday School teacher, and participating in the first UCLB Rib Fest.
Emily McBean
For the past 12 years, Emily and her family have been members of UCLB. She and her husband, Colin, and teenage daughters, Kenna and Lila, all love that UCLB truly feels like a church family, and they are very grateful for the supportive and loving congregation. Emily has served on the Board of Elders as the Chair of Christian Education and as the Clerk of the church, and she has volunteered as a Sunday School teacher. She currently works as a 5th grade teacher in Skokie. She is honored to serve in this new capacity on the Transition Team, and she looks forward to this being a unifying process for the congregation.
Jim Moss
Jim and his family became members of UCLB in 2001. He and his wife, Leigh, have three grown children, Katie, Charlie, and Alex. Jim retired from Fitch Ratings in 2021, where he primarily headed up the bank and finance team. Within UCLB, Jim has served as the Chair of Trustees, Endowment Chair, Trustee At-Large/Special Events, Financial Secretary, and Chair of the Capital Campaign. He appreciates that UCLB makes him think, without telling him what to think, while also caring more broadly without reservation. He is incredibly honored to be part of such a thoughtful and caring transition team.
Robert Payton
For the past 28 years, Bob and his wife, Pam, have been members of UCLB. They have two grown children, Brooke and Miles. Within the church, Bob has served on the Board of Trustees, he sings in the choir, and he has served the church in a variety of other ways as well. Professionally, Bob is a Senior Director of Chemistry, Biocompatibility, Toxicology; Transfusion and Cell Therapies for Fresenius Kabi USA. At UCLB, Bob most appreciates the leadership and members within the church.
Karen Royer
After first attending UCLB from 1968-1983, Karen and her husband, Greg, returned in 2015. Their family includes grown children, Nicole, Sean, and Erik, their spouses, and eight grandsons. Being part of their grandsons’ lives brings them total joy! Karen is a retired secondary education French teacher, and she has taught in Deerfield, Lake Bluff, and Mundelein. Within UCLB, Karen has served on the Board of Trustees, the Membership Committee, and the Native Garden group, and she has also volunteered as a Sunday School teacher. When reflecting on UCLB, Karen most loves that everyone is welcome as they are with all of their perfect imperfections and wherever they are in their spiritual journey.
Cheri Spath
Since 2005, Cheri, her husband, Wayne, and their daughter, Grace, have been attending UCLB. She loves the “Come as you are,” non-judgmental feeling of the Union Church and its purposeful service focus on the community. Over the years, she has served on the Board of Elders as the Chair of Outreach, volunteered as a Sunday School teacher, and continuously participated in the prayer shawl ministry. She is a pharmacist by training and is currently retired after 28 years in the pharmaceutical industry, primarily at Abbott/AbbVie.
Shane Tytenicz
Shane and his wife, Luciana, joined UCLB two years ago, and they are both active members of the choir. After 20-plus years in finance, Shane transitioned to becoming a psychotherapist, and he currently provides counseling through his solo practice in Lake Bluff. Shane has a very strong interest in contemplative Christian practices like centering prayers and Ignatian spirituality. He appreciates UCLB because it is a great place to meet with neighbors and feel more connected to Lake Bluff, and he also loves the church’s theological breadth and flexibility.
Farrah Watson
For the past 10 years, Farrah, her husband, Richard, and their children, Nyah and Marshall, have been attending UCLB. Farrah works as a Director Finance Analyst at Gartner, where she advises executive finance leaders across the globe. Within the church, Farrah has served on the Board of Trustees as the Chair of Personnel. Farrah most loves the people at UCLB, from the pastors to the congregation members, and she appreciates the beautifully warm and welcoming environment. Farrah appreciates how the congregation celebrates each other’s joys and supports each other through life’s challenges, and she declares that you simply will not meet a better group of people!
Have a question for The pastoral Transition Team?
Feel free to reach out to any team member, or use the form below to submit a question or comment.