Music Director

Gina Roche brings a lifetime of musical experience to the music ministry of UUCSJS. Gina is a professional musician, composer, vocalist, guitarist, uke player, vocal coach, tap dancer & teacher and BMI songwriter. She studied voice with opera singer and teacher Frank Capelli in Philadelphia and Robert Edwin, NYC. Gina has been a professional musician for over 30 yrs traveling to Japan, the UK, Aruba and much of the U.S. with her group. She is known for her unique blend of jazz, blues, Brazilian music and original compositions, releasing two CDs, “Thankfully” and “Dawning of a New Way” 

Gina studied at Omega with Don Campbell “The Mozart effect”, has sung inside The Great Pyramid of Giza Egypt, attended programs with Joseph Cambell and Ram Dass (whom she hugged) in Philadelphia. Since becoming UUCSJS’ Music Director, she has played for The Murray Grove Fundraiser and attended her first AUUMM conference last year in New Mexico, enjoying her fellow UU Music Directors, learning and sharing music at the AUUMM Music Conference, a place to learn, grow and share music and ideas with each other. 

Of personal note, in the summer of 2024, she was awarded a N2S grant to create a community performance with The Gina Roche Group. A portion of each ticket sold was donated to The Atlantic City High School Musical Theater to help fund their upcoming performances. 

Since taking on the role of Music Director for UUCSJS, Gina has acquired her Theology for Musicians Certification, a program administered by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in collaboration with the Association of Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries (AUUMM). So inspired with her work with UUCSJS choir, Gina has written several choral pieces that are used frequently in services with plans to submit to the new online version of UUA Virtual Hymnal for consideration. 

Gina has been serving the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Jersey Shore since 2021. She believes in the power of the three C’s community, connection and curiosity.

You can email Gina at music@uucsjs.org.

Director of Religious Education & Office Administrator

Jessica Dunn Safonof is our Director of Religious Education (DRE). Jessica has been the Director of Religious Education at UUCSJS since 2018. A member of UUCSJS for over ten years, she has served our congregation in many ways, including as an RE volunteer, RE Committee Chair, and as Secretary of the Board. She worked as a mental health case manager in children’s residential treatment facilities before leaving that field to homeschool her children.

Click here to learn more about our Children’s Religious Education program,

Office hours: Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, Sunday 9:30 am to 3:30pm.

PLEASE NOTE that our staff work mostly from home, coming into the church building only on Sunday. If you need to contact our staff you can leave a message at 609-965-9400 or email admin@uucsjs.org.

Worship Coordinator

Deb Dagavarian is our Worship Coordinator. She lays out the worship schedule and arranges for our speakers — some are our own congregation members (“lay speakers”), some are guest speakers from the community, and some are guest ministers from the UUA. Her email address is worship@uucsjs.org.

Building and Grounds Supervisor

Richard Schurig is our Building and Grounds Supervisor and takes care of many maintenance-related items. He works closely with our Building & Grounds Committee to keep things running smoothly and in proper working order. His email address is maintenance@uucsjs.org.

Bookkeeper

Debbie Rome assumed the position of Bookkeeper as of July 2022.