Friday, March 7, 2025
Dear UUSM Community,
We are thrilled to share that Alfie Wilkerson joined our congregation’s professional staff as our new Congregational Administrator on Monday, March 3rd. He is currently training with our Church Administrator, Nurit Gordon, as she prepares to transition to retired life later this month. She has expressed that she feels relieved to know she’s leaving the office in good hands.
Alfie comes to UUSM with an extensive background working as a Manager of Finance and Human Resources, Studio Manager, and Operations Manager in a diversity of small businesses.
He has received a number of awards for his management and leadership skills, and he brings the relational grounding and inspirational spirit that we believe will serve our congregation well.
Our interviewing team was comprised of President Eileen McCormack, Vice President Vilma Ortiz, Treasurer Rebecca Crawford, Church Administrator Nurit Gordon, Personnel Committee members Dan Nannini and Gar Allen, and me, Rev. Jeremiah. We were very impressed with Alfie’s background, passion, and skills and was enthusiastic in offering Alfie the opportunity to join us for this next chapter in the life of our community. We are also grateful for the interviewing team’s commitment to this important process.
I hope you will take the opportunity to stop by the office in the weeks and months ahead to welcome him to our community. Nurit is retiring after almost 15 years with us, so he is going to need our support as he learns the ropes and the unique opportunities and challenges present in congregational administration. I’ve assured him we have an understanding, loving, and supportive community.
Alfie shares the following as he begins this new segment of his professional journey with us:
“Always an eclectic and soulful spirit, I’ve spent the entirety of my life seeking the beauty in the space and company around me. How that took shape has evolved depending on my chapter, but the thread has been the desire to know more, experience more, to be more. Born in the Philippines, reared in Northern California, schooled in Wisconsin, and cultured in Los Angeles, I sought refuge in the opportunity to chase diversity and use perspective, know-how and creativity to craft the life I gratefully have. The same pull that brought me to LA – to know what community is and the gift of the unknown – are what drives me in both my professional and personal pursuits.
“I studied Cultural Anthropology in college and it’s this approach of observing and understanding that draws me to UUSM. There’s an inquisitiveness that I have as I embark on this new experience and interacting with the openness of a community as diverse as UUSM is what I look forward to most as I take over in Nurit’s footsteps. I am fortunate to have found this new professional home and certainly respect and hold in high esteem the service UUSM provides to its members. I am truly honored to serve your community.
“On any given day, you may find me thrifting, collecting, and appreciating beautiful design.”
We will have a chance to learn more and formally welcome Alfie on a Sunday morning in the coming weeks so be on the lookout for the opportunity!
Yours in ministry and love,
| Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae | Eileen McCormack |
