The Pullman Memorial Universalist Church is led by pastor Lee Richards, with the support of other ministers who alternate in the pulpit. Each brings their unique talents and style to provide a rich variety of services.
Pastor Lee Richards
Lee Richards is our dedicated, part-time pastor. Lee identifies as a religious humanist with a quirky sense of humor. He enjoys sharing his uncommon perspective on life with folks, and especially likes to draw upon storytelling and poetry to make a point. His education includes a B.S. in Sociology, and an M.Div. from Colgate Rochester Divinity School. When not directly serving our church, Lee serves as a part-time chaplain for Strong Memorial Hospital, and works as an ecommerce businessman (selling cool stuff online).
Lee is available for pastoral care and rites of passage (such as weddings, funerals and memorial services, and child dedications). He can be contacted by email at pastor.lee.richards@gmail.com or by phone at 585-436-1786 or 877-265-1709. You are also invited to join Lee on Facebook to share interesting quotes, ideas, news and events.
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Rev. Don Reidell
Rev. Don Reidell has served the church part time since 1977. He holds a Bachelor degree from State University of New York College at Buffalo, a Master degree in English Education, and a Master of Theology from Canisius College. He is married and has three children — Erich, Kimberley, and Marcus. For 37 years he was a high school teacher of English, retiring in 1997.
In addition to preaching at Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, he serves U.U. churches in Jamestown, Niagara Falls, and Hamburg. “Serving the Pullman church provides me with inspiration and renewal. Each member is fully committed, not only to his or her own religious quest but also committed to a covenant of the church. It is my privilege to serve in this congregation.”
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Rev. John Rex
Rev. John Rex is a graduate of Bowdoin College, and has advanced degrees from SUNY at Buffalo and Starr King School for the Ministry. After 27 years of teaching high school English, John entered seminary and was ordained in the UU ministry in 1995. He has served UU congregations in Fredericksburg, VA, Jacksonville, FL, and North Palm Beach, FL. He served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1962-64, and again in Namibia from 2003-04, and is now the chairperson of the newly organized Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Western New York. While in seminary, he spent nine months doing independent study in India during which time he visited UU groups in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. He later spent six months in a ministry to the tribal Khasi Unitarians in North East India. John’s daughter, Anne, is a doctor and the mother of twins, Drew and Gwen, born on 3/8/06. Although now retired from full time ministry, John preaches at UU churches in the area as needed, and remains very active as a member of the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus.
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Susan Daiss, M.Div.
Susan Dodge-Peters Daiss is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, raised in Boston, and with a leaning since childhood toward the sacred. “My professional life for the past 25 years has been within the art world, writing and teaching about the visual experience. My love of the arts –especially the visual arts and writing–my connections to the natural world, and my commitment to help others connect with the sacred in themselves, others, and the world–has been leading me very slowly toward ministry. I began leading a service a month at Pullman (and in the summers at the Cobblestone Church) in the fall of 1995. Over these years I have become deeply attached to the people in the church and am incredibly grateful to have found such a welcoming community.”
Minister Emeritus
Minister Emeritus Rev. Richard Hood
The Rev. Richard “Dick” Hood served the church as a pulpit supply minister for 35 years, from 1971 to 2006, but he cared so much about the faith community that he went above and beyond his preaching duties. Rev. Hood initiated Talk-back Sundays and the closing circle done on some Sundays, and the concept of Pullman Pennies (a strategy to make tough decisions). He also helped the congregation develop a long-range plan and the church covenant (which appears in each hymnal). Additionally, he presided over the Good Friday service for all of his years at Pullman, and offered untold hours of pastoral care and rites of passage. On Oct. 9th, 2011 the congregation unanimously conferred the status of Minister Emeritus (Minister for Life) upon Rev. Hood – the first minister in the long history of the church to be so honored.
