Church Staff

Rev. Barbara R. Threet, Minister

Nita Penfold, Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth

Nita has been a religious educator for 21 years, serving the First Parish in Milton MA for 14 years as Director of Religious Education, where she co-developed the popular Spirit Play program.  She then served the First Parish in Lexington MA for 2 years as an Interim DRE.  Since then, she has been traveling the continent giving Spirit Play trainings for adults and teaching spirituality and arts graduate courses part time at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton MA.  The UUA published her essay, Spirituality and the Arts in Children’s Programming, as part of their Tapestry of Faith online resources. 

Nita is thrilled to be back in a church working with children and youth again and eager to help them find ways to develop answers stemming from their deep questions.  You are likely to see her wearing a funny hat on Sunday morning during social hour, so she can be easily found.

Nita’s background includes a BA in Communication and the Arts from Empire State College in Buffalo, a Masters in Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, and a Doctorate in Ministry from Wisdom University in CA.  She ran her own Montessori school for several years, and has led programs for children in creative drama, mask-making, and Orff-Schulwerk music.  Her mantra is creativity and she is a published poet and an exhibiting artist in mixed media and assemblage. 

Nita has two daughters and four grandchildren and lives in Melrose with her husband, Nick Page, song-leader and composer. 

John Montanus, Organist / Pianist

John has been employed at MUUC since 1984. He is responsible for selecting music for worship and special events, and working with the minister and Religious Services Committee to coordinate music programs of the church.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his degree is in Biology and Literature. He has been a professional musician and church music director for 27 years. He plays several keyboard instruments, as well as the recorder and guitar. John is the accompanist for the Marblehead School of Ballet and the North Shore Civic Ballet. He also works privately with local singers and musicians. He also serves as the Vice President of the Beethoven Society and is a member of the Fidelity Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. In addition to music, John is interested in, and reads extensively about, biology, astronomy, history, and language. He speaks Russian well and German passably, and can read Latin and Homeric Greek. He shares a house in Windham, New Hampshire with two large macaws.

Mary Neumann, Music Director

Mary Cunningham Neumann is active as a conductor, vocalist and flute soloist throughout the Greater Boston area. She leads The Halalisa Singers in her fourth year as Artistic Director and is the Adult Choir Director at the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church. She is on the faculty of the Powers Music School and has a private teaching studio in her Lexington home.

In July, 2008 Ms. Neumann will serve as Musician of the Week at the Ferry Beach Conference Center in Saco, Maine. She will also Co-Chair the National Confernece of UU Musicians in Boston this August.

Ms. Neumann earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University, a First Diploma from the Hochschule fuer Music und darstellende Kunst "Mozarteum" in Salzburg, Austria, and a Master Music in Flute Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Ms. Neumann has held faculty positions at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Cleveland Music School Settlement, Riverside Music School and Winchester Community Music School. She has performed frequently with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and as a flute soloist throughout the Boston Area.

Patti McAlarney, Church Administrator

Patti joined the church staff in February 2007. As Church Administrator Patti is responsible for directing the administrative affairs of the church such as scheduling of events, rental of church space and promoting communication among the church congregation and throughout the wider Melrose community.

Patti brings to the position a long-standing involvement with the city. From 1995 until 2005 Patti was responsible for the tri-annual production of the Melrose Community Calendar and weekly publication of “Here’s Melrose,” featured in the Melrose Free Press. During this time Patti also served as the Secretary to the Community Coalition of Melrose and the Melrose Youth Task Force and as the Community Liaison to the Melrose Partnership for Healthy Youth.  Patti lives in Boxford with her husband and four children.

Louis Butler, Church Sexton

Lou came on staff in 1999. He is responsible for general building and grounds maintenance and repair. Lou also takes care of the set up and clean up of meetings, special events, weddings, and funerals held at the church. He is supervised by the Church Administrator and the Property Committee.

Lou came to MUUC with a significant employment history in facilities management and engineering. At one time he supervised a commercial cleaning service. Lou has been a resident of Melrose for 33 years. He and his wife, Helene, have three children and four grandchildren. In his free time, Lou enjoys woodworking and bowling, when he is not happily occupied with caring for his grandchildren.

Contact Us

Church Office

The Church Office is located on the west side of the church and can be accessed via the side door.
Call (781) 665-7504 or email Office@melroseuu.org

During the summer (June - September), the church office is closed. If you need to contact the church for any reason, call (781) 665-7504 for a message with further instructions or email the Church Office or the Board President.

Director of Religious Education

Contact Information