The Rev. Meredith Garmon was overwhelmingly elected sole full-time minister (he and his wife, LoraKim Joyner, co-ministered from August 2006-June 2010) at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville on January 31, 2010.

Meredith is a life-long Unitarian Universalist, raised by UU parents, and attended several UU churches throughout his life.  As a layperson, Meredith served as president of the UU Fellowship of Waco, TX, as Vice-President of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - UU in Charlottesville, VA, and as chair of Adult Religious Education at First UU of Nashville, TN.

Meredith has five degrees in four different fields: BA, philosophy, State University of West Georgia, 1979; BA, English, State University of West Georgia, 1980; MA, communication studies, Baylor University, 1985; MA, philosophy, University of Virginia, 1991; PhD, government: political theory, University of Virginia, 1992.

He was an assistant professor of philosophy at Fisk University (Nashville,TN) for four years, 1992-1996 before studying for the ministry. Meredith attended seminary at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (New Brighton, MN) for one year (2000-01); Shaw University Divinity School (Raleigh, NC) for one year (2001-02), and Meadville-Lombard Theological Seminary for one year (2003).

He was admitted to the Fellowship of UU ministers in 2004, and was ordained later that year at the UU Community of El Paso, where he served as half-time co-minister with spouse and fellow minister, Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM (2004-6).  While co-minister in El Paso, he was the half-time sole minister to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Midland, Texas for a year, 2005-06.  In 2006, he was again called to co-ministry with Rev. Joyner at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, FL and served in that capacity through July 2010.  In 2008, he received Final Fellowship at the UUA General Assembly. Meredith has also served as a consulting minister to the UU Church of Tarpon Springs (2008), and to the UU Fellowship of Marion County (2009-10).

Meredith has studied and practiced Zen Buddhism since 2001.  He currently runs the UU Dancing Crane Zen Center from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, with meetings on Friday evenings.  He also leads a Saturday morning UU Meditative Worship Service.

Minister of Lifespan Faith Development

The Rev. Leah Hart-Landsberg has been serving as the Minister of Lifespan Faith Development (Religious Education) at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville since September of 2010. She is a recent transplant to the beauty and humidity of Florida, having lived primarily on the West Coast previously.

Leah, who comes from a Jewish and Unitarian Universalist family, grew up in the First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon. As a child, she sang in the children’s choir. As a youth, she taught Sunday School. As a young adult, she was a lay minister and pastoral associate. Now, ministry is a joyful culmination of her experiences in congregational life.

Leah graduated from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington with an academic emphasis in international politics and political economy. She has worked a variety of different jobs, including scooping ice cream, in the reproductive rights movement, as a community organizer and in the legal field.

After attending Starr King School for the Ministry at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, she received a Master of Divinity degree in 2009 and was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry at the First Unitarian Church of Portland in 2010. Leah has worked for Interfaith Worker Justice and the UU Legislative Ministry of California. She has served one congregation in New Jersey and two in California. Currently, Leah is President of UUs for Jewish Awareness.

Leah lives with her partner, Amy, and two pet fish, Murray and Sydney.

Minister of Music

Ruth Lewis received the Master of Fine Arts degree in organ performance from the University of Florida in 1986, studying both organ and harpsichord with Willis Bodine. She also holds the Teacher's and Performer's Diplomas in piano from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts degree from UF. She has been an active performer in the Gainesville area, presenting concerts and recitals as soloist, chamber musician, and choral director. She especially enjoys featuring new or seldom heard works. Her programs have included such themes as "Organ Treasures from Scandinavia," "The Harpsichord—Celebrating a Century of Revival," "Music in Praise of Music," and "A Centennial Tribute to Paul Robeson."

Ruth began teaching piano at the age of 12 and has continued doing so to this day. She currently maintains a private piano studio in Gainesville. She holds state and national certification from the Music Teachers National Association. She is active in a number of musical organizations and recently completed two years as president of the Gainesville Music Teachers Association.

Ruth serves as Minister of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, where she founded and directs three choirs for adults, children and youth. Two years ago the congregation honored her for 30 years service by secretly commissioning a choral anthem, Summon Our Voices, from Unitarian Universalist composer Rev. Jason Shelton of First UU Church of Nashville, with words by Reverend Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, minister at the  First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, and bringing the composer to Gainesville to conduct the premiere performance of the anthem.

In March 2007, Ruth organized the first Florida District Unitarian Universalist Choral Festival, with choirs from 6 congregations around the state attending Saturday rehearsals and workshops and then singing, 70 voices strong, for the Sunday service the following morning. The 2008 Second Annual Florida District UU Choral Festival was held in Orlando with ten groups participating! The Annual Choral Festival has become an important event in the Florida district.