Renee is our part-time consulting student minister. A student at Meadville-Lombard Theological Seminary in Chicago, Renee lives in Kent with her husband, two children and two step-children. She has been an active member of the Kent UU for many years.
Renee typically leads our services two Sundays a month.
She graduated from Kent State University Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in History. She "retired" from a 20+ year career as a mechanical engineer in 2006. She then served for two years as the Interim Director of Religious Education at East Shore UU Church in Kirtland, Ohio. For her internship she is currently serving as the consulting student minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Canton and the student intern at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh.
Before being called to ministry, she served her home congregation as Moderator, Finance Secretary and Registrar (Membership Trustee), as well as leader of classes in Adult Religious Exploration and Children's Religious Education.
She has written a biographical piece on Caroline Bartlett Crane for the Dictionary of UU Biography.
She is active in Social Justice work, having traveled with Kent State students in the Spring of 2006 to the Gulf Coast to assist in cleanup after Hurricane Katrina. Renee has organized various local events that connect the arts to justice and diversity work. She is the 2007 recipient of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Seminarian Award for Excellence in Social Justice. She is also currently serving as president of Kent Natural Foods Cooperative.
Renee lives in Kent, Ohio with her husband, two children and two stepchildren.
Renee can be contacted at rruchotzke at uuma dot org
or by calling 330-968-7195
Our Consulting Student Minister Renee Zimelis Ruchotzke
Renee and her husband have a blended family. Randy brought two children, Willy and Hannah. Renee brought two also, Keegan and Kendra. (Clockwise from left) Randy Ruchotzke, Renee, Willy Ruchotzke, age 17, Keegan Larwin, age 17, and Kendra Larwin, age 10. Daughter Hannah Baughman, age 20, is attending college.
Congregational president Ron Boyd and new minister Renee toasted the exciting future of our congregation in UU-style -- with mugs of coffee.
