Ministry

Rev. Joseph Cleveland

Minister

The Reverend Joe Cleveland was called to be the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga Springs in 2014. At the core of his theology are two beliefs: the sacred is present in everything, no matter how lowly; and everything is not only connected but interdependent.

Rev. Joe graduated from Andover Newton Theological School in May 2012 and was ordained at the May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society in Syracuse on May 26, 2013. He served as a chaplain at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and completed his ministerial internship at the First Parish in Bedford, MA. He then served as Interim Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Michigan.

Music is a large part of Rev. Joe’s life. He is an avid banjo and guitar player and sees music as one of many ways to explore life’s questions and create a deeper sense of community. Music plays an important role in Joe’s services at UUCSS and is a means by which he connects with the larger community. Rev. Joe is also fascinated by science (he began college as a physics major) and poetry.

Before becoming a minister, Rev. Joe taught writing and literature at several colleges. In 2000 he founded the nonprofit organization The Folkus Project to bring folk and acoustic music to the Syracuse, NY, community.

Rev. Joe lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife Kristin.

email: minister <at> uusaratoga.org
phone: 518-584-1555

Juliana Bodensieck

Congregational Administrator

Juliana joined our staff in April 2024. Her previous experience at Notre Dame-Visitation Church in Schuylerville NY as well as many years in customer service, and office management had her well prepared to take on the role. She lives in Schuylerville in what was once the rectory of Visitation Church.  You can reach Juliana at administrator <at> uusaratoga.org

Jamie Gargano

Director of Religious Exploration

Jamie is a teacher at Greenwich Jr./Sr. High School and has a wealth of teaching experiences with all kinds of students. She has taught at Troy High for 12 years, at Bennington College, Hartwick College and UAlbany. She is also a member of our congregation, and has a 9-year-old daughter, Giulietta.  Jamie is always looking for ways to grow RE programs for children pre-k through high school and ways the our young people to interact with our congregation and the community.  You can reach Jamie at DRE <at> uusaratoga.org.

Judith Thomas

Music Director

Judith Thomas is a well-known national/international pianist and music educator with a specialty in the group “Orff Schulwerk” approach, who holds a BME in Music Ed from Illinois Wesleyan University, and an MM from the U. of Illinois in Piano and Choral Conducting where she held an Assistantship, plus a Special Year Certificate from the Orff Institute in Salzburg.

She taught for over three decades at the K-5 elementary level in Rockland County, NY, while presenting summer and weekend Orff Schulwerk courses around the world at such universities as UCLA, NY University, George Mason, U. of Denver, and at Orff Chapters, Orff Institute Symposiums in Salzburg, Austria Prague Symposiums, and at the U. of Taiwan and “ Theme and Variation” in Devon, London.

Her publications include a college text: “Working the Word: Music, Movement and Movement” (Prentice Hall) co- written with poet Susan Katz, and other books which aimed at elementary recorder learning, and musicals in the Orff style such as “The Raccoon Philosopher,”(Schott) and “Greek Myths in Modes”. She has contributed to the Schott American edition of Music for Children, and was a K-3 editor for Scott Foresman/Pearson Publishers for two decades, which created the “Making Music” K – 8 series still being used in elementary schools.

She has served as National President of the American Orff Schulwerk Assn, and received their highest award, that of Distinguished Service, as well as Nyack, N.Y.’s district “Teacher of the Year Award” and Sabbatical to Austria. Most recently she was awarded the “Woman of Distinction” title for 2024 from the NY. State Assembly. For the past 13 years Judith has been the Music Dir. of the Unitarian Universalist church in Saratoga Springs. where she lives with her husband, Rabbi Josef Solomon.