Our Staff

Our Minister:
Matthew Villarreal

I am eager to serve as the quarter-time minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greeley, as helping others on their spiritual journeys and doing important work in the move towards justice have always been deep passions of mine.

I am a person of deep curiosity and hope to learn from you even as you learn from me. I was born and raised here in Greeley and want to do what I can to make this community a positive presence.

After moving away from conservative dogmatic religion, I have grown to love Unitarian Universalism with its embrace of all religious traditions and openness to deep questions and evolving understandings of ourselves and the universe.

Some of my special interests and hobbies include physics, philosophy, religion, spirituality, psychology, running, lifting, and spending time with friends and animal companions.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with minors in Communications and Philosophy from Doane University in Crete, Nebraska. Additionally, I received of Masters of Divinity degree at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. I have done a full year of internship at the Unitarian Universalist Churches of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa and hope to continue applying the skills I have gained through my education and internship experiences during my time here at UUCG.
Peace and love be with you all!
                                                      -Matthew
Our Community Minister:
Dr. Matt Ricke
The UUCG Board has discerned to ordain and recognize Matt Ricke as a community minister in affiliation with the UUCG. Matt’s specific skills and training lie in conflict resolution, chaplaincy, spiritual companionship, and social justice. Outside of his work with UUCG, Matt is the owner and sole proprietor of Owlsong, LLC, a spiritually-driven, social justice-focused consultancy offering workshop facilitation, mediation, conflict coaching, and spiritual direction and consulting services to members of the community, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits.
As an affiliated community minister, Matt will provide these services for members of the UUCG in kind while also serving the world at large, both as an independent spiritual care provider and representative of the UUCG.

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Board of Trustees

Kathy Vaughn, Co-President
Linda Burnett, Treasurer
Joe Joyner, Member at Large
Cody Oshkide, Member at Large
Marlene Terrazas, Member at Large
Our work together:  
Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its law; this is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.
                                                         James Vila Blake, 1894