Matthew Johnson-Doyle was called as the senior minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church in 2008. Prior to coming to Rockford, he served for five years at High Plains Church, UU, in Colorado Springs, CO. He gradutated from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago in 2003, and from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington in 1999. He is presently completing his project to receive a Doctor of Ministry degree from Iliff School of Theology.

Matthew is a third-generation Unitarian Universalist. He grew up in the Seattle, WA area, where he enjoyed church, the woods, and daydreaming. Matthew is married to Morgan Johnson-Doyle, a life-long UU as well, who grew up in northern Wisconsin. They have a two-year-old daughter, Rosalie.

When he's not at church, Matthew spends time playing with the kid, reading spy, political, or historical thrillers, and enjoying local beer.

Matthew is focused on the good news of Unitarian Universalism. "This is a religion," he says, "which can save lives and the world. People seek a spiritual path that integrates their whole selves, that inspires awe, that celebrates beauty, and grounds justice. We can offer a vision of the good life, and the tools to make it real." Matthew is passionate about welcoming newcomers to church, building strong communities, the preaching life, and working in accountable and effective ways for justice among all creation.

Kelly graduated in 1996 from Loras College with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and areas of specialization in psychology and religious studies. Since graduating, she has lived in California, Alaska, and Illinois while working in many fields of Early Childhood including being a nanny, Head Start teacher, private preschool teacher, preschool director, infant-toddler teacher, and a crisis childcare provider at MotherHouse. She is a graduate of the Arcturus Rudolf Steiner Education and Waldorf Teacher Training Program in Chicago. Currently, Kelly runs a small Waldorf-inspired preschool program called The Happy Kingdom and lives here in Rockford, IL with her mother, Laura, and her son, Rowan.

As Director of Religious Education, Kelly is thrilled to have the opportunity to guide children and youth into more deeply-connected relationships within their faith communities. Kelly is passionate about nurturing the curiosity and joy of learning that children and youth inherently own.

Tim Anderson became Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford IL, in August 2004, the most recent chapter in a church music career spanning more than twenty years. Outside of church music, Tim has worked professionally as Music Director for productions by Artists' Ensemble Theater, Madison Repertory Theatre, New American Theater, and Rockford College. Tim has also provided accompaniment for various musical groups over the years, including Camerata Emanon, Mendelssohn Club, Bach Chamber Choir, and Rockford Symphony Orchestra. He is a Past Dean of the Rockford Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and currently serves as their Treasurer/Registrar.

A native of rural Northwest Illinois, Tim has taught philosophy and Spanish at several colleges in the area and currently is Instructor of Modern Languages at Kishwaukee College. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Rockford College, M.A. in philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis, and M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury College. In a so-far wildly successful bid to stay in school all his life, he is pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Illinois – Chicago in Hispanic Linguistics.

The Rev. Dave Weissbard retired as Senior Minister and was named Minister Emeritus in 2006, after 27 years of service to this congregation. He is now living in Canton, New York.

Dave is a born Unitarian Universalist, having been raised in the First Unitarian Society of Albany, NY. After receiving his BA from the St. Lawrence University in 1962, he entered the Theological School there from which he received an Masters of Divinity in 1965. He served the First Universalist Churches in Dexter and Henderson, NY, as student minister.

He was called to be minister of the First Parish in Bedford, MA in 1965. While in Bedford, Dave was active in opposition to the Vietnam War, a member of the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bedford Free Library. In 1972, while on a sabbatical, he earned a Diploma in Applied Social Studies from the University of Southampton, England and Certification in Psychiatric Social Work from the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (England). Dave was called to the Fairfax Unitarian Church in 1974. During his five years there, he worked to strengthen its support, structure, and the relationships among its members.

In 1979 Dave became Senior Minister of The Unitarian Universalist Church in Rockford. He was Producer of FUSION, a weekly half-hour televison program on WIFR (CBS Television on Rockford) for twenty-five years. He served on the Rockford Schools Religion Policy Committee, the Board of Contact, and was President of the Northern Illinois Chapter of the ACLU. Dave was founder and convenor of "I Support Public Schools," a group that worked to improve local schools. In recognition of his community service, Mayor Charles Box proclaimed May 21, 2000 as "Dave Weissbard Day" in Rockford.

Dave's first wife, Linda, died in 1987. In 1990 he married Karen Wells, an actress and theater teacher, who is the daughter and sister of Unitarian Universalist ministers. Dave is the father of three adult daughters: Lisa, Shelley, and Meri; and grandfather of five. He and Karen are the doting parents of Hilary Rebecca.