Staff
Rev. Dr. John H. Danner
Senior Pastor
john@sanibelucc.org
John Danner began his tenure as Senior Pastor in January of 2010. Prior to coming to Sanibel he served churches in the northeast, most recently in Westport, CT. Ordained in 1980, John has degrees from Bradford College, the University of Maine, Bangor Theological Seminary and Boston University. He has trained as a pastoral psychotherapist and is a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and is also a graduate of the Shalem Institute of Spiritual Formation. John is married to Linda Bradbury-Danner and between them they have three children and four grandchildren. John practices yoga, enjoys good novels, plays and films, meditates on a regular basis, rides with the Sanibel Bicycle Club and is a member of Rotary.
Rev. Deborah Kunkel
Associate Pastor
deb@sanibelucc.org
Associate Pastor Deb Kunkel hails from Massachusetts and comes to us via way of Wisconsin. Pastor Deb received her M.Div. from Bangor Theological Seminary, and then served churches in Wisconsin for 9 years before coming here to Sanibel. She is a second career minister, having been a real estate paralegal/title examiner prior to attending seminary. She and her husband Greg have been married for 22 years. Her ministry here includes working with children, youth and young adults, as well as visitation of the homebound.
Carol Gross, RN, BSN
Parish Nurse
carol@sanibelucc.org
Carol was born and raised in Michigan, moving to Ft. Myers in 2004. She joined the staff as Parish Nurse in 2009. She has an extensive background in nursing, both in management and education. She is active in the parish nurse program, part of Lee Memorial Health System’s Spiritual Services Department. She enjoys reading, needlework and attending the theater in her spare time. “Serving this church in this way is the best position I’ve ever held” states Carol. She is a widow and has two sons and one grandchild in Michigan.
Elwood Smith
Music Director
Born and raised in Cleveland, Elwood attended the Eastman School of Music and Indiana University, where he became the 2nd person in the US to earn a Doctor of Music degree in opera conducting. He studied at Tanglewood and, on a Fulbright grant, at the Berlin Academy of Music. He spent 30 years on the music faculty at Northern Illinois University as director of opera workshop, conductor for musical theater productions, and director of choral activities. He was also musical director for over 50 professional musical theater productions throughout the midwest. After coming to Florida, Elwood was conductor for 11 seasons of Gloria Musicae, a professional chamber choir based in Sarasota. During a 12- year association with the Southwest Florida Symphony, Elwood served at various times as choral conductor, pre-concert lecturer, and writer of program notes.
Billie Kellogg
Organist
Stan McQuade
Wedding Deacon
Sandy Simmons
Office Manager
sandy@sanibelucc.org
Sandy is from Knoxville, TN originally, but grew up in Florida. She is married to David ("GOD's gift", her words not his), and has two sons Jordan & Jarred, both of whom she greatly esteems! Sandy is an artist (jewelry design, pop art & photography...& writes a bit as well) and has her own art business. Sanibel has long held Sandy's heart and getting the opportunity to work on the island at SCUCC is, to her, the best of both worlds!! "I feel like I'm at home when I'm on Sanibel Island, always have. The people of this church captured my heart early on and it is such an honor to spend my days helping this congregation further its ministries". Sandy brings 25 years of administrative experience to the staff, and looks forward to each day and its endless beautiful possibilities.
Judy Palaia
Office Assistant
judy@sanibelucc.org
Formerly from New Jersey, she and husband Frank, a physics professor, first moved to Fort Myers in 1994 and made SCUCC their church home in 1995. Judy has loved secretarial work since graduating from Berkeley Secretarial School and has enjoyed being part of a variety of companies throughout the years, her last being at South Seas Resort on Captiva until 2006. "Working here at the church has been so rewarding, as it allows me to be with our church family every day and to serve God through my daily work." A second marriage for both, Judy and Frank have 4 wonderful children and 8 beautiful grandchildren between them!
Rev. Dr. Randall Niehoff
Pastor Emeritus
In June, 2007 Ran retired after 41 years as a Pastor and Teacher. He had been Sr. Minister of SCUCC for 16 years. Philosophical/theological training and sabbatical studies encouraged his enthusiasm for Jewish/Christian origins, warm ecumenical dialogue and cooperation, and participation in the convergence of science and religion. Residents of Sanibel, Ran and his wife, Marilyn, spend long summers in rural northwest Connecticut which is nearer to their 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Missionaries
Mark Behle
Lesotho, Africa
Mark Behle, a member of The Church of the Palms, United Church of Christ, Sun City, Arizona, serves the Lesotho Evangelical Church. Behle is a missionary with Global Ministries. After 15 years of teaching mathematics and religion at Masitise High School in Lesotho, Africa, he moved to Morija, a small town about 25 miles south of the capital city Maseru. He the Planning Officer for the Lesotho Evangelical Church.
Dr. Anil Henry
India
This kind of medical ministry depends on an attitude of service, Henry feels. To him, that means “being able to identify a person in need. If you can’t identify a person in need,” he says, “then you don’t do anything any different than what you did before and basically you live for yourself.” Does he see an end to the work here? “I don’t think there will be an end,” he says. “You always have to look forward. And as long as you look forward, you know there’s always something more to be done.”