Our Ministers and Staff

Rev. Margalie Belizaire

Settled Minister

Rev. Margalie Belizaire is a soul-stirrer and spirit-mender — a Unitarian Universalist minister with the heart of a poet and the courage of a prophet. She weaves justice, grief, hope, and ancestral gratitude into rituals, sermons, and blessings that matter. Rev. Margalie honors struggle without glorifying it, and she doesn’t flinch from hard truths — about race, identity, or addiction. She is as comfortable invoking Maya Angelou and John O’Donohue as she is quoting from the movie “Encanto,” and somehow, she makes all feel sacred.

Rev. Belizaire walks tenderly with those she accompanies spiritually through endings and beginnings, grief and grace. And in all of it, her voice says: “The worst thing is never the last thing.”

Rev. Margalie’s work schedule is here.

Amy Fairweather

Church Administrator

ChurchAdministrator@orlandouu.org

Amy has served as our church administrator for over 25 years and oversees the day-to-day functions of our facility and business. She is usually in the office Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 1:00pm.

Judith Stein-Farrall

jsteinfarrall@orlandouu.org

Director of Lifespan Religious Enrichment

Judith comes to 1U with 10 years of work in the UU Religious Education field. She completed her BA at Goddard College as a “grown-up,” focusing on comparative religion. Her secular life has included market research theater and human resource management.

You will find Judith online or in the church office Tuesday through Friday and Sundays.

“The work as I see it is in helping our community members identify and articulate their theological values so they can live them in the wider world.”

Aubrey Connelly-Candelario

Director of Music

aconnelly-candelario@orlandouu.org

Aubrey manages our music ministries and programs, including directing the Chalice Choir.

Gara Pollock

Program Assistant

gpollock@orlandouu.org

Gara is a longtime Unitarian Universalist with many years of experience in administrative support. She has served both in a UU congregation in NC and at Duke University. You’ll often find Gara welcoming visitors at 1U on Sundays and providing regular office hours Monday through Thursday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Frank Boesch

Sexton

Contact ChurchAdministrator@orlandouu.org to reach our Sexton.

Frank maintains our campus grounds and buildings to ensure a clean, welcoming, and safe campus for all.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Lisza-Marie Matyas

Lisza is a poet, lyricist, and performance artist whose work blends mysticism, justice, and raw emotion. Known for her powerful voice and synesthetic vision, she creates art that is both visceral and otherworldly. She is the Artist in Residence at First Unitarian Church of Orlando, where she directed Voices for Justice, a living altar of performance and protest. Her work has been featured in spiritual, artistic, and activist spaces around the world. Lisza serves as a longtime judge for FusionFest’s poetry contest and has performed on major stages like the Dr. Phillips Center. She is also an arts educator and board vice president at Rollins College, her alma mater. She lives in downtown Orlando with her beloved rescue animals. Explore more at liszapoetry.com.

MINISTER EMERITA

Rev. Dr. Marni Harmony

Retired Minister/Elder

Rev. Marni served as minister of 1U from 1988 to 2008. After retiring from 1U, she served several congregations as interim minister before retiring in Orlando.

AFFILIATE MINISTER

Rev. Kierstin Homblette Allen

Community Minister

Rev. Kierstin serves as Affiliate Minister for 1U. Her primary work is in the community, serving congregations around the UUA as educator and consultant. She also provides worship services for 1U as she is available.