People. Passion. Purpose.
Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ is blessed to have a ministry staff, support staff, and numerous volunteers who all help us fulfill our mission.
Meet our team of passionate, purposeful staff members, as well as our missionaries serving abroad.
Rev. Dr. Mark Boyea, the new Senior Minister at SCUCC, has served over the past 18 years as the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church UCC in Westfield, NJ, and Lead Minister of First Parish Church, Congregational UCC in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. Before that, he was Assistant Minister for Congregational Care at Union Congregational Church UCC in Montclair, NJ.
Over a 20-year career prior to entering the ministry, Dr. Boyea has served over a as a coach, athletics administrator, faculty member, counselor, and sport psychologist at the university, college, and private school levels at institutions such as The University of Maryland, George Mason University (VA), Daniel Webster College (NH), and Thomas College (ME).
At both First Congregational and First Parish, Dr. Boyea lead the development of a comprehensive Spiritual Exploration and Growth program, involving weekly Bible Study, 6-8 short-term courses each year in topics pertaining to Biblical Studies, Spirituality, Church History and Current Events; regular Prayer and Meditation sessions; Documentary Film discussions; Museum, Theater and Monastery trips; and forums and guest speakers on topics such as Islam, Judaism, and the Environment.
During his time with First Congregational, membership returned to its previous count following a congregational crisis preceding his arrival; new spiritual opportunities were created, such as a “First Saturday” alternative Worship experience and monthly Meditation sessions; and several new avenues for service outside the church were instituted. At First Parish, Dr. Boyea led the congregation through Covid restrictions, helping to keep the community connected and spiritually vibrant by working with lay leaders to get virtual and “hybrid” Worship, Bible Study, Spiritual Exploration and Prayer and Meditation opportunities available immediately.
Dr. Boyea, who hopes that you will simply call him “Mark”, has been married for 38 years to his best friend and full partner, Cindy, a partner in a commercial property management assessment and consulting firm. They are the parents of Ryan, a building engineer in New York City who lives in suburban New Jersey with wife Danielle, a lab supervisor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, and daughter Kelsey, who lives in Warwick, RI and serves as a Claims Advocate Paralegal specializing in Veterans’ Advocacy at the Providence law firm of Chisholm, Chisholm and Kilpatrick.
Cindy and Mark make their home in Cape Coral.
Tammy Flatley
Asst. Church Administrator
tammy@sanibelucc.org
Dr. Mackenzie Albert
Music Director
music@sanibelucc.org
Mackenzie Albert is a professional opera and orchestra conductor who recently moved to Florida from the New York City tri-state area. Her goal in moving south is to adopt children from the foster care system. She is very happy to be a new part of the staff at Sanibel Congregational UCC, and is working to rebuild the choir and the church music program. For information on the music program, opportunities for youth, and choir participation, please call 239-472-0497 or email.
Linda Convertine RN, BSN
Parish Nurse
linda@sanibelucc.org
Originally from a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I met my husband, who is from Massapequa, New York, when we both moved to Cincinnati during our high school years. We have been married for 44 years. I always start my day with the reading the Bible and prayer. I try to exercise daily, which I both love and hate. I like to bike and hike, sew, watch movies, meet with friends, and travel to see my kids. I have worked as a nurse for Lee Memorial Health System at Health Park Medical Center for the last 16 years on a medical/surgical/telemetry unit. The last 6 years I was the Nurse Manager of the unit. I am experienced with a wide variety of medical and surgical diagnoses as well as cardiac disease. I believe the future of healthcare is in focusing on wellness and trying to keep people out of the hospitals. To that end, I have been studying the many aspects of wellness and how to help inspire people to pinpoint and achieve their wellness goals.
Kathy Y. Carter
Vice Moderator
Kathy, a native of Charleston, West Virginia, is a resident of Fort Myers. She moved from Pennsylvania, where she was employed as Executive Director of a County Area Agency on Aging. She has over 25 years of social and human services experience. Kathy has a Masters in Gerontological Studies from St. Joseph's University and a theological certification from Immaculata University. She is a certified chaplain and ordained minister. In her faith journey she has served in numerous positions within the church and community. Kathy is retired but is currently serving as the Interim CEO for Lighthouse of Southwest Florida, Inc (LHSWFL). LHSWFL guides individuals with vision loss to independence within their home and community. She is a Fort Myers chapter Zontian, a member of the Sanibel-Captiva Interfaith Outreach Organization, past Vice-President and board member of the Dubin Center and utilizes her civic obligation serving during electoral events. One of Kathy's favorite quotes is Gandhi's "Be the change you wish to see in the world".
Renee Rawe
Multimedia Director
technology @sanibelucc.org
April Boehnen
Tech. Operator
Dr. Ran Niehoff
Pastor Emeritus
Retired in 2008 after 41 years of Pastoral Ministry Ran had served for 17 years as Senior Minister of SCUCC. Philosophical/Theological training and numerous sabbatical studies overseas encouraged ongoing and warm dialogue in ecumenical settings, Jewish-Christian origins, and the convergence of science and spirituality. He writes a regular column for the magazines published by “Times of the Islands, Inc.” (toti.com) and has taught classes in the local BIG ARTS Winter Academy on subjects such as the history and psychology of religion, the physics and metaphysics of consciousness, the dangers of fundamentalist attitudes on both the left and the right, the skillful handling of death and dying, the Perennial Philosophy, and the science and philosophy of psychic phenomena.
MISSIONARIES ASSOCIATED WITH SCUCC:
Mark Knowles and Daniel Murry-Knowles
Serving in Lesotho
Debby & Larry Colvin
Serving in Ghana