Hi, I'm Ken and I'm the Lead Minister of WellSprings. I am primarily responsible for the overall leadership of the church in our start-up phase and beyond, and for preaching on Sunday at our weekly worship services. I love to witness people whose spiritual maturity shines through in what they do. My passion is to see folks grow spiritually, to find their true voice so that their service and leadership draws upon, and feeds, their joy.

THE BASICS:  My wife Teresa and I arrived during summer 2005 when I was hired to lead the new religious community that would become WellSprings. Prior to our move, we lived in Miami Beach. We met online when we both lived in South Florida. We have three pet rabbits named Zoo, Nilla, and DooWop who always soothe and amuse me with their bunny dances and curious natures. On August 5th, 2006, Teresa and I were married in Philadelphia.

Starting a congregation in Chester County is something of a return home for me. I went to high school at The Hill School just up Route 100 in Pottstown and grew up splitting my time between Allentown and New York City. Religiously I was raised a Reform Jew. Once past my Bar Mitzvah, I gave up on organized religion until my mid-twenties, when I discovered Unitarian Universalism.

Becky McAndrews, YouthSpirit Director

Hi, I'm Becky, YouthSpirit Director at WellSprings, and I am responsible for our youth fellowship each Sunday. One of my favorite authors, Robert Fulghum, wrote a story about a breakthrough moment at a time when he felt overwhelmed by life itself. In the irony of the incident, Robert realized that what he needed and really wanted was more in life, not less. In that spirit, I hope to see our families and kids, whose daily lives are busier than ever, experience more in life through our YouthSpirit program.

THE BASICS:  My husband, Mick, and I have been married for 30 years as of November of 2008. One of our favorite stories is about the time when Mick, very traditionally, asked my father for my hand in marriage. After 20 minutes of silence, which seemed like 20 years of silence, Pop said, "I'll think about it." Two kids, three houses, several gerbils and goldfish, a kitten and one Yorkshire Terrier later, Pop is still thinking.

Our marriage blended Mick's Roman Catholic upbringing with my Methodist one. As a child, going to church meant wearing picky crinoline slips and having to restrain from raising my hand to ask questions during the sermon. In hindsight, I believe I was looking for different answers even then! We joined Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark in the early 1990s after moving to Delaware from our hometown in Central New Jersey. I was happy to become actively involved with WellSprings before the doors opened in January of 2007 and am pleased that it has become our spiritual home.

Our sons are now grown. Kelly and his wife Jamie live in Newark, DE. Kelly is an auto technician and Jamie teaches special education. Connor is a Senior at West Chester University studying Music Education with a vocal music concentration.

Management and Stewardship

Frank Zinni (President)
Chris Chepel, Jim Riley (Vice Presidents)
John Mason (Treasureer),  Carol Mantsch (Secretary)

The Management and Stewardship Team provides strategic, forward-looking guidance and promotes wise stewardship of our congregational gifts. We are committed to listening to and hearing from the Lead Minister, the Leadership Springboard, and the members of our congregation in regularly evaluating the financial and management conditions of our congregation. Our ministry is to honestly evaluate where we are in the hope of courageously going where we are called to be.

Leadership and Spiritual Development

Sharon Bader, Team Leader

The WellSprings Leadership and Spiritual Development Team believes that each of us has the potential for new life. We work to empower people to find and to live their true sense of calling. We identify opportunities and create pathways for individual and community spiritual growth. With humility and generosity of spirit, this team honestly evaluates where we are in the hope of going where we are called to be.

YouthSpirit

Becky McAndrews, YouthSpirit Director

Deeply rooted in WellSprings' Core Values and Beliefs, YouthSpirit desires to nurture childhood and family spiritual awareness, growth, and maturity. A child’s regular participation in a YouthSpirit group develops early practices of faith and spiritual consciousness that encourage the growing mind and heart to live with integrity every day and always.

Hospitality

Kim Sabadish, Team Leader

The Hospitality Team embraces the belief that each of us yearns for connection with each other and with the Sacred. We are a community of deep listening, possessing the humility and the vulnerability necessary to make positive change. We welcome people to WellSprings with generosity of spirit, making way for others to find a place where they may live out what they do best and the world needs most. Through sharing our joy and deeper selves, we aspire to create an atmosphere where all who come might celebrate, cultivate, and be nurtured in their spiritual life by others in the WellSprings Congregation.

Caring Connection

Phyllis Ballester, Team Leader

WellSprings Caring Connection affirms our connection and our interdependence. We encourage each other to live fully and love generously by both giving and receiving acts of kindness and service. Sharing our vulnerabilities and helping each other when we are in need nurtures our spiritual growth.

Fun and Fellowship

Linda Hughes, Team Leader

The WellSprings Fun and Fellowship Team believes in helping create relationships between us by gathering for the purpose of having fun. By planning varied activities that express the many diverse interests of our congregation, we hope to not only nurture personal connections among us, but lead to a deeper spiritual connection as well. These connections in turn help us define not only ourselves but also work to strengthen the entire WellSprings Congregation.

Retreats

Marian Caroselli, Team Leader

The Retreat Team creates opportunities to explore our spiritual depths. Within this environment we discover and celebrate our gifts, cultivate our spiritual practice and foster our growth. Retreats are set in environments conducive to individual and group experience which may include: education, prayer, meditation reflection, discussion, yoga, the arts and holistic practices.