Bob Miess, President of the Board of Directors

I am now completing my last term as President of the First Unitarian Church of San José (Unitarian Universalist). As president I have sought to provide leadership with stability, consistency and openness to change as our congregation develops our shared ministry with our new senior minister, Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones and our long-time Minister of Religious Education, Rev. Geoff Rimositis. I have attended our church services since 1997, have been actively involved as a member and volunteer since 1998, and have enjoyed being a board member as either a director or VP of programs since 2000. I have also been involved as a Worship Associate, leader of the Task Force that established our Small Group Ministry, and member of the Volunteer and Leadership Development Team. As president, I take the title seriously, and primarily preside (rather than decide or implement), leading our congregation and its leadership in continuing to create and sustain our wonderful shared ministry to one another and to our world.

I like thinking of our religious community as a place where I can worship, work and play with others to nurture my spirit and help heal the world. That nurturing really became personally life-sustaining in 2005 when I had a near fatal heart attack. My career, my family life, and my personal life habits were all radically affected. But most important, my faith journey was affirmed and deepened as I was personally held in an outpouring of love and compassion from the members and friends of this congregation. I am forever grateful!