Minister & Staff

WUU’s minister is called by the congregation. Our minister leads WUU in living its mission and commitments.

Our core staff moves WUU forward, coordinating & supporting the diverse activities and business of this busy community with congregation volunteers. Here’s how to reach staff whenever you need help.

Learn more about our staff below.

Rev. Dr. Michelle Collins
Interim Minister
Profile Email

Austen Petersen
Director of Religious Education
Profile  Email

Kim Ness
Music Director
Profile  Email

Heidi Souza
Pianist & Accompanist
Profile

Rachel McCabe
Administrative & Communications Assistant
Profile  Email

Felicity Montgomery
Financial Assistant
Profile Email

Joe Cross
Facilities Manager
Profile  Email

Madeline Farris
Childcare Coordinator
Profile  Email

 

How to Connect with WUU Office Staff


Staff office hours at WUU:

  • Rev. Michelle Collins (minister@wuu.org), Interim Minister: Tuesday meetings via SignUpGenius or other times by appointment
  • Austen Petersen (austen@wuu.org), Director of Religious Education: Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 am-1:00 pm
  • Rachel McCabe (office@wuu.org), Administrative and Communications Assistant: Tuesday and Thursday 11:00 am-3:00 pm or by appointment
  • Felicity Montgomery (accounting@wuu.org), Financial Assistant: Monday-Thursday 10:30 am-2:30 pm; on days when there is no school, Felicity works from home.
  • Joe Cross (joe.cross@wuu.org), Facilities Manager: Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons or by appointment

How to reach staff:

  • Email staff at the addresses above. They are all on email regularly and do their best to respond to messages promptly.
  • Call staff: Call the main office number (757-220-6830) and follow the prompts to reach anyone on staff. Even if members of staff are not on campus when you call, your message will show up promptly in email as an audio file, so staff will get your message no matter where they are. In an emergency, press 9 and you’ll be connected immediately to Rev. Michelle.
  • Most staff work from home at least some of the time. If you’d like to meet up in person, our staff is happy to do that too. Please take a look at the office hours above, or call or email to set up a time to meet, whether in person, on Zoom, or by phone. The WUU staff looks forward to connecting soon.