People of Faith: Together, Working Wonders

Our Mission:

To encourage religious cooperation and understanding
To seek to effect constructive social change
To serve as advocates for those seeking to meet life’s basic needs

URC Goals:

  • Goal 1: Make Saint Joseph County a more connected and welcoming community by facilitating understanding, collaboration, and friendship between religious communities.

  • Goal 2: Put into action the values of Saint Joseph County’s religious communities by undertaking projects of social good which address unmet needs in our community.

  • Goal 3: Give witness to the shared values of Saint Joseph County’s religious communities through media and other forms of communication.

  • Goal 4: Through visionary leadership and excellent stewardship, attract the resources necessary to assure URC’s enduring contributions to Saint Joseph County.United Religious Community Board Of Directors

United Religious Community Board

The URC is led by a diverse group of board members who serve three (3) year terms. The board is widely representative of the interfaith community of St. Joseph County, and is elected by the membership of URC at its annual meeting.

The 2025 Annual Meeting for URC occurred on October 29; the current and new board list and officers are reflected below:

Board Leadership

Board Chair, Mana Derakshani, Baha’i Community of South Bend; elected to a second term 2025-2028
Vice Chair, Susan Arner, Associate Pastor, Sunnyside Presbyterian Church; first term 2024-2027
Treasurer, Brian Durand, Pastor, Clay United Methodist Church; elected to a second term, 2024-2027
Secretary, (vacant)
Past-President, Charles (Chuck) Lamphier, Christ the King Catholic Church

Members

Lynn Coleman, elected to a first term, 2025-2028
Matt Graybill, Associate Pastor, South Bend City Church, elected to a first term, 2025-2028
Jenna Hunter-Bowman, Kern Road Mennonite Church and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, elected to a first term, 2025-2028
Rabbi Shoshana Kaminisky, Temple Beth El, elected to a first term, 2025-2028
James King, St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church; elected to a first term 2023-2026
Rahul Oka, Hindu Community; elected to a first term 2023-2026
Sr. Eileen Wrobleski, CSC, Sisters of the Holy Cross; elected to a first term, 2024-2027
Kellen Zollinger, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, elected to a first term, 2025-2028


URC Staff

Haider Al Kilidar leads the URC Refugee Programming
Jas Brechtl is a part-time Administrative staff member
John Pinter is the Executive Director for the URC
Lisa Stockberger leads the URC’s Welcoming Michiana Programming
Shelley Walatka is a part-time Administrative staff member