Bryan Jessup - minister@uufresno.org Minister Bryan Jessup is a true “Son of the San Joaquin!” Born in 1947 in Tulare County to an orange-growing, small business family, Bryan went to Strathmore schools. He was a Boy Scout, high school student body president, football player. He graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English in 1969. He declared himself a Conscientious Objector to war and as an alternate service, he taught English in Portuguese Macau with Volunteers in Asia. After Macau, he returned home to Porterville, CA where he taught elementary school for 10 years. He married and he and his wife had two daughters, Amy and Kate. He was active in community theater. He was the program chair for the UU Fellowship in Porterville. In the Fall of 1980 Bryan went to Starr King. He and his first wife divorced. He met Edie. She and her son Josh moved up to Berkeley and Bryan and she became the sexton “team” at the UU Church in Berkeley from 1981 through 1984. They married in June of 1984.Out of seminary, Bryan served U.U. churches in Delaware for 2 ½ years and in Maine for 11. His church in Maine collaborated with the local homeless shelter to provide a free meals kitchen at noon three days a week in the church. This continued after he left. Edie worked for the shelter and helped establish a free medical clinic. Bryan has been the minister at the UU Church of Fresno since August 1998. Edie works for Metro Ministry where she advocates for access to food for all people. Bryan has been one of the co-chairs of the Interfaith Alliance in Fresno for six years and is one of the founders of the Fresno area TV program “Forum for a Better Understanding.” He and Edie are grandparents now! Daughter Amy and her husband Ofer have two girls, Zohar and Livneh. And step-son Josh and his wife, Michelle, have Avery Catherine. Meanwhile, daughter Kate is a writer for Diablo Magazine in Walnut Creek. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lorenzo Bassman - lorenzo.bassman@fresnocohousing.org Music Director Music Director Lorenzo Bassman received his A.B. Degree in music from Duke University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, after which he attended the Juilliard School, receiving a Diploma and Master of Music degree in French horn. He has performed chamber music with many of today's leading musicians. He also received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College, after which he practiced chiropractic in New York, Pennsylvania and finally in Fresno. Lorenzo, his wife Lynette, and their son Jonah moved to Fresno in 1997, and joined the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno in 2000. Lorenzo quickly became active in the church's music program, and in 2006 assumed the Music Director position. He has brought many innovations to the program, broadening its scope to include music of many genres including pop, folk, jazz, rock, reggae, gospel, and the traditional musics of native and immigrant cultures. He has arranged music for adult, youth and intergenerational instrumental and vocal ensembles, has established a regularly performing and versatile church band, Stolen Thunder, and has taken the church's music program to the larger Fresno community, with performances at numerous peace community events.  Tito Hinojosa - bookkeeper@uufresno.org Financial Manager Tito Hinojosa has been our church's Financial Manager since 2004. Tito has done a wonderful job of reorganizing our bookkeeping system and continues to make innovations in our accounting department.     Judi Kralevich - office@uufresno.org Office Assistant Judi Kralevich, Office Assistant, comes to UU Church of Fresno after spending five years working for a local Methodist Church. In 1998, she signed up and started attending Heald College, pursuing a degree in Computer Technology. At that time, females were not so involved in computers, especially the repair and networking side. She was one of two females in her class, older than the other students and even the teachers, but she graduated with honors. After completing that course, she attended and again graduated with honors from Heald's Computer Networking class. David Firth Sexton David Firth has been the sexton of our church for 24 years. It is David's job to prepare the church for the many events that take place through out the year, plus he oversees the housekeeping and maintenance of our physical campus. David also assists with the sound system and taping of our Sunday sermons for our web site. Betty Pingel - revmsp@myexcel.com Minister Emerita Betty Pringle, Minister Emerita, served for eleven years and worked with the congregation to build a more spiritually contemplative style of Sunday Service. She introduced more singing and a meditation time. She included children in the service with a story for all ages. Together, Rev. Pingel and the congregation built a more solid organizational structure. After retirement Betty moved to Colorado to be with her family. After the Rev. Betty Pingel retired, the congregation was served for four years by the Rev. Stephanie Nichols who was then succeeded by our current minister the Rev. Bryan Jessup.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno
2672 E. Alluvial Ave. (between Willow and Chestnut)
Clovis, CA 93611
(559) 322-6146 (office)
(559) 322-6159 (fax)