The Rev. Kelly Sue Allen, our Pastor, is married to John Rezentes, and they are the parents of Clare and David. Both Kelly and John, who is a secondary science teacher, grew up in the St. Louis area. They moved to Atlanta when Kelly enrolled in Columbia Theological Seminary in 1989 and returned to Missouri when Kelly accepted her first call and was ordained August 1, 1992.  Almost two years ago, after selling their house and storing most of their belongings in St. Louis, they moved into the Manse at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, a small English village about 25 minutes outside London while Kelly pursued her degree at the University of Birmingham. John teaches in a local school, and Kelly serves as minister at St. Andrew’s United Reformed Church.  The time has been an adventure of travel and new insights about themselves and other cultures. Now with school and the degree finished, Kelly and family are looking forward to their return to the United States.
For fuller biography, click here.

Anastasia Bernal, Administrative Assistant, is a long-time member of UPC having joined with her family, Allan, Maureen and Bess Nowotny in 1976. She graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1985.  She then went to UT Austin and graduated in 1990. Prior to UPC, she worked at AT&T and the National MS Society.  She met her husband, Lupe, while working at AT&T and got married in 1995.  They now have a daughter, Isabella, and triplet sons, Adrian, Brandon and Christopher.

Lucy Greer Burton, Director of the SoL Center, comes to us with a Master’s degree in Adult and Continuing Education from Washington State University and 28 years’ experience in adult education and community relations.  She served as co-director of a non-profit educational and spiritual center in Oregon from 1980 to 1987. She then worked at Washington State and at Oregon Central Oregon Community College in administering adult education and professional development programs. Recently she has worked with Women’s Global Connection at Incarnate Word.

Cindi Catlin, Director of Children's Center, joined the Children’s Center in 1982. Cindi has her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in child development and a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.  She is currently working on a post-graduate certificate in Educational Leadership. Cindi is an adjunct faculty member in the Early Childhood Studies Department at San Antonio College.  Cindi is the author of two books on toddler curriculum. In 2001, Cindi received “Director of the Year” from the San Antonio Association for the Education of Young Children.  She is also a member of the church where she teaches Sunday school. Cindi and her husband Ron have 2 teenage sons.

David Germer, Director of Christian Education, under construction

Marc Smith, custodian born and raised in San Antonio, attended Grace Presbyterian with his family, attended and worked extensively with Presbyterian youth at John Knox and Mo Ranch for many years. He attended Health Careers High School and attended Texas A&M University originally to study architecture, but he majored in philosophy w minor in music.  He moved back to San Antonio in January to work, play music, paint (currently openning my house as a gallery/studio), very blessed to be a part of the work family and church community of UPC.

UPC Musical Staff

John Silantien, Director of Choral Music, has taught and conducted choirs on the secondary and collegiate levels in Texas, the Washington, D. C., area, and on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.  He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois.  His awards include a Rockefeller grant for choral conducting at Aspen, Colorado, and a Fulbright award for research in London, England. He presently serves as Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Director of the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, and Adult Choir Director at UPC.

Valerie Thompson, Organist and Director of the Children's Choir, has been a church musician for over 22 years.  She received her Bachelor of Music degree from UTSA and her Master of Music degree from UT-Austin, both in Piano Performance.  She has been an accompanist with the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, San Antonio Choral Society and San Antonio Boys Choir.  Under her direction, children’s and youth choirs have flourished and grown, resulting in concert performances, CD recordings, and musical theater productions such as The Wizard of Oz and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.  She and her husband are the proud parents of two daughters.

Carolyn Patterson, Director of Handbell Choir, earned the B.M. and the M.M. in Vocal Performance from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.  She served as Director of Music at a variety of churches around our country as she moved with her husband, Gary, on his Air Force assignments.  Carolyn has taught music courses and applied voice at St Phillips College, University of the Incarnate Word, and Texas Lutheran University.  Most recently, she directed choirs and taught private voice at St Mary’s Hall. Now retired, she takes great pleasure in sharing her expertise and love for handbells as director of the enthusiastic ringers at University Presbyterian Church.

Leroy Sebesta, Music Administrative Assistant, is a native Texan.  He studied at UT-Austin, where he earned a B.S. degree in music. At UT he met Sylvia, and they married in 1959.  They have three daughters and three grandsons. Sylvia and he joined UPC in 1980; he has sung in the Adult Choir since then. His career was in civil service--working in the Training Office at Kelly Air Force for thirty years and retiring in January 1997.