Leadership of the Southwest Conference United Church of Christ

Southwest Conference Executive Board

Brief description of duties: 

The EB shall handle the policy-making responsibilities of the SWC between Annual Meetings of the Conference. This shall include coordinating current programs and projects, establishing new churches, developing priorities consistent with the mission of the SWC, and long-range plans and strategies. The EB shall make decisions with respect to Staff, and act on financial matters as may be necessary or required.

Primary Purpose:  

To resource the Mission of the Conference and to manage the business of the Conference.

Tasks:

• Enact and maintain the policies of the SWC

• Develop priorities consistent with the mission of the SWC 

• Oversee the work of the Standing Committees 

• Manage the property and assets of the SWC 

• Create a search committee in the absence of a Conference Minister, and hire an Interim when needed 

• Establish the budget for the SWC 

• Oversee the finances of the SWC 

• Create and maintain any Temporary Committees or Task Forces needed to do the work of the SWC 

• Determine the staffing needs of the SWC 

• Coordinate the programming of the SWC 

• Establish new churches

Organizational information:

Moderator and Moderator-elect: The Moderator is the chief elected officer of the Conference. This person works in regular consultation with the Conference Minister, must be able to conduct meetings efficiently, have a working knowledge of Conference organization, be sensitive to and aware of differing opinions, and be able to communicate effectively to interpret the work of the Executive Board to the Annual Meeting and other settings. The Moderator should be wise, supportive of individual and group ministries, and express a positive attitude toward the wider church. The Moderator Elect is an ex-officio member of the Personnel Committee. The Moderator is an automatic representative to General Synod. Both are members of the Executive Board. Term of office: 1 year in each position.

Secretary: The Secretary is legally responsible for the records of all Board proceedings of the Conference. This person must be able to make sense of discussions and to summarize effectively in writing. The Secretary works cooperatively with the Conference staff and other officers to accomplish their duties. The Secretary is a member of the Executive Board and should be committed to attending all Executive Board and Annual Meetings. Term of office: 2 years, maximum of 2 terms.

Treasurer: The Treasurer reviews all financial records and is responsible for reporting on income, expenditures, investments and other financial business to the Board and Annual Meeting. The Treasurer assists the Conference Minister and staff in developing and controlling the budget, has a working knowledge of accounting, and should be able to communicate effectively. A sense of Christian stewardship is important. The Treasurer is a member of the Executive Board. Term of office: 2 years, maximum of 2 terms.

At-large Members: A member of the Executive Board must have a commitment to participate in Conference events, a calling to help shape the direction of Conference mission/ministry, and the wisdom and willingness to be an interpreter of the work of the Conference to local congregations. Five Members-at-Large will be elected to serve on the Executive Board. Term of office: 2 years.

Officers

Brendan Mahoney
Moderator (2025)
First Congregational UCC
Phoenix, AZ

vacant
Incoming Moderator (2026)
.
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Deb Church
Secretary 2025
United Church of Los Alamos
Los Alamos, NM

Ed Street
Treasurer (2026)
First Congregational UCC
Albuquerque, NM

Southwest Conference Committees and General Synod Delegates

Committee on Church and Ministry

Committee members deliberate and authorize ministerial and church standing according to the policies and practices of the Southwest Conference and the United Church of Christ. The committee meets 8 or 9 times a year. Members give leadership to ordinations, installations and ecclesiastical councils, are able to maintain confidentiality, have a self-awareness around what is believed about the nature of church and of ministry, a capacity to assess persons’ fitness for ministry and make clear decisions, sometimes in a very difficult situation. Term of office: 3 years

Section A: (Ministerial Authorization) Read their full description HERE.

Class of 2025
Martha Phillips, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM
Ray Littleford, Desert Palm, Tempe, AZ
Mary Martin, Good Shepherd, Sahuarita, AZ
Stan Roberts, Peace UCC, El Paso, TX

Class of 2026
David Stabenfeldt, Church of the Red Rocks, Sedona, AZ
Louis Mitchell, Rincon Congregational, Tucson, AZ
Myra Taylor, New Hope UCC, Phoenix, AZ
Alvin Walker, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM

Class of 2027
Ric Brightman, Peace UCC, El Paso, TX
Julie Parmenter, Taos UCC, Taos, NM
Kathryn Andrews, Desert Palm UCC, Tempe, AZ
Bonnie McNair, Yuma UCC, Yuma, AZ

Section B: (Covenantal & Church Relationships) Read their full description HERE.

Class of 2025
Michael Bush, Casas Adobes Congregational, Tucson, AZ
Loree Adams, First Congregational, Phoenix, AZ
Kristina (Tina) Campbell, Shepherd of the Hills, Phoenix, AZ

Class of 2026
Rock Fremont, Shepherd of the Hills UCC, Phoenix, AZ
Carol Wilson, Casas Adobes Congregational, Tucson, AZ

Susy Gaffney, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM
Lynn Brightman, Peace UCC, El Paso, TX

Class of 2027
Jay Wilcher, First Congregational, Prescott, AZ
Tulima Maga, First Samoan CCC Toafa O Le Talalelei EFKAS, Wittmann, AZ

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee members make all nominations for Officers and other elected persons. They should represent the diversity of the Conference; have a clear knowledge of Conference and local church members, the ability to maintain confidentiality, to evaluate people fairly, to articulate the nature of tasks to prospective nominees and to encourage them to be involved. Term of office: 2 years

2025
Rich Doerrer-Peacock, Desert Palm UCC, Tempe, AZ
Ray Phillips, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM
Tina Squire, Casas Adobes Congregational, Tucson, AZ

2026
Ken Heintzelman, Shadow Rock UCC, Phoenix, AZ
Liana Rowe, Taos UCC, Taos, NM
Gordon Street, First Congregational, Phoenix, AZ

Personnel Committee

The committee members are responsible for the maintenance and administration of the personnel policies, ensuring that the employment, supervision, development, recognition and separation of all Conference employees are fair, uniform and consistent with policy. Members are responsible for the biennial evaluation of the Conference Minister, must be able to maintain confidentiality and to interpret policies and guidelines as they apply to staff. Term of office: 3 years

2025
Steven Winton, First Congregational UCC, Albuquerque, NM

2026
Carol Turpen, First Congregational UCC, Phoenix, AZ

2027
Christopher Schouten, First Congregational, Phoenix, AZ
Len Silvester, Church of the Red Rocks, Sedona, AZ

General Synod Delegates

Delegates attend two biennial meetings of the United Church of Christ General Synod over four years. They should be very active in their local church and have demonstrated a genuine interest in the life and work of the wider church (conference and beyond), must be able to handle complex issues and be willing to interpret what happens at the Synod to various settings in the Conference.

2025
Davin Franklin-Hicks, Rincon Congregational UCC, Tucson, AZ
Stan Roberts, Peace UCC, El Paso, TX
Tulima Maga, First Samoan CCC Toafa O Le Talalelei EFKAS, Wittmann, AZ

2028
Clara Sims, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM
Patricia StandTal Clarke, Shadow Rock, Phoenix, AZ

 Endowment Committee

The purpose of the Committee is to manage the Conference endowment fund as well as undesignated and designated reserve funds to ensure the greatest return on investment while ensuring the funds are invested with the values of the Conference in mind. The Endowment Fund Management Committee is accountable to the Executive Board and all reports of its deliberations shall be provided to the Executive Board.

2025
Gary Gephardt, Desert Palm UCC, Tempe, AZ

2026
Dan Mullen, Shepherd of the Hills, Phoenix, AZ
Bill Utke, Desert Garden UCC, Sun City West, AZ

2027
Paul Oostenberg, First Congregational, Albuquerque, NM

ASSOCIATION KEY

NAZ: Northern Arizona
CAZ: Central Arizona
SAZ: Southern Arizona
NNM: Northern New Mexico
SNM/EP: Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas