There will be several opportunities to meet, connect with, and experience each candidate:
- Sunday Service: Each candidate will lead our Sunday service at 11:00 am, giving us all a chance to experience their hearts, their service and leadership style.
- Congregational Q&A: Following each Sunday service, we will hold a special Q&A session where you can hear directly from the candidate and ask questions. If you would like to register for the ZOOM link for Rev. Rick’s Q&A, CLICK HERE.
- UCOH Family Potluck: We’ll have a UCOH family potluck in Friendship Hall after each minister’s Q&A. Please bring a favorite side dish or dessert to share. Please help clean up after the potluck if possible, many hands make light work.
- Childcare will be available during the Q&A: parents, please bring your child a snack.
- An Online Class: Each candidate will be invited to present a class to those interested in attending. This class will be held via ZOOM only. Register for Rev. Rick’s zoom workshop on Tuesday, May 6th at 7pm HERE.
During each weekend there will also be small group meetings where candidates will meet with staff, key volunteer teams, and the Board. This will allow for deeper conversations about each candidate’s vision, ministry style, and how they might serve our community.
Your Feedback Matters
Your input is vital to this discernment process. After each candidate weekend, we will provide a feedback form for you to share your thoughts and impressions. This feedback will be carefully considered by the Board as we move toward our final selection. CLICK HERE to access the feedback form for Rev. David Howard.
We encourage all members and regular attendees to participate fully in these important weekends. Your presence and commitment will not only help us in our decision-making but will also help each candidate experience the warmth and spirit of our congregation.
Preparing for the Visits
In the coming weeks, we will share more information about the candidates and the specific weekend schedules. We ask that you mark these dates on your calendar and make every effort to attend the Sunday services and Q&A sessions. (and workshop?)
As we prepare to welcome these candidates, we invite you to hold our congregation and these potential future ministers in your prayers. We trust that Spirit is guiding this process and will help us discern the right leadership for the next chapter of our church’s journey.
If you have any questions about these weekends, please check the website for updated information and watch and listen for Sunday service announcements.
With gratitude for your participation in this important process,
Unity Church of the Hills Board
Coming May 2 – 4, 2025
Rev. Dr. Rick Belous has been the Senior Minister at Unity centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia. He currently serves as an Advisor to Unity Worldwide Ministries. His passion is about Unity’s links to world religions and spiritual paths. Rick is a noted speaker who can bring home complex metaphysical principles and apply them to modern situations that we all face.
At all three of his previous spiritual churches he was able to significantly increase membership, and attract more Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers. This led to many more children and parents in the congregations, and a revitalization of Youth and Family Ministry programs.
He co-chaired the Unity Worldwide Ministries task force that reformed ministerial education. During Covid Rick’s church pioneered a model that was followed by many other Unity churches. They held “parking lot” services, and broadcast the audio into people’s FM car radios. “It was almost like a drive-in movie theater, only because of Covid we didn’t serve popcorn,” he notes.
Rick also has a passion for social justice and neighbor helping neighbor. For example, while he was in Lynchburg, the congregation put in and stocked an outdoor refrigerator which serves the community 24/7.
Prior to his call to ministry, Rick was the chief economist for the United Way movement. He has also served as an Advisor to two U.S. Presidential Commissions. Rick often has been interviewed by, and quoted in, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, NPR, and The Today Show.
Rick was adjunct professor at George Washington University in business and economics, and he has authored and/or co-authored 13 books on a wide range of economic and social topics. He is a graduate of Columbia University, George Washington University, and Unity Institute & Seminary. He has a Ph.D. in economics and an M.A. in theology and religion. He is an ordained minister by Unity Worldwide Ministries.
Rick lives with his two daughters, and Sphinx (their cat). His late wife, Debbie, made her transition several years ago from cancer. He loves reading, hiking, classical music, and the Grateful Dead.
Videos of Sunday Talks
Unity in the Seven Hills (Nov. 24, 2024 services and earlier) (most recent church)
Unity of Roanoke Valley (videos meeting search term “Belous”) (former church)
Personal Information, Bios, Writings
Facebook page
Blog
The Still Small Voice of God (short video clip)
Books: Goodreads and Amazon
Most Recent and Former Church Websites
Unity in the Seven Hills (most recent)
Unity of Roanoke Valley (former)
Visited April 25 – 27, 2025
Rev. David Howard is an ordained Unity minister and a licensed minister with Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL). He currently serves at senior minister at CSL Parker, CO, a position he has held since 2023. From 2008 to 2023, David served as spiritual leader and senior minister at Unity ministries in Arlington, TX; Denver, CO; and Dallas, TX.
Before entering the ministry, David enjoyed a 27-year career in the commercial insurance industry in Dallas, TX as an underwriter, broker and executive, David has recorded two albums, Spark and Coming Home, an album of beloved hymns from his days growing up in the Baptist church. He is also author of In This Moment; Prayers from the Well of Awareness, a collection of inspirational prayers and meditations.
He has been an avid student of New Thought since discovering Unity in 1995 at Unity Church of Dallas. David is an accomplished vocalist, impassioned speaker, and inspiring teacher. He lives in Denver, CO with his husband, J, with whom he enjoys hiking, live music, and thoughtful and provocative conversation.
Videos of Sunday Talks
CSL Parker YouTube Videos (full services as originally streamed) (current church)
Unity Spiritual Center Denver: (videos meeting search term “Howard”) (former church)
Personal Information, Bios, Writings
Personal Website
Facebook page
Blog
In This Moment: Prayers from the Well of Awareness (book)
Current and Former Church Websites
Center for Spiritual Living Parker (current)
Unity Spiritual Center Denver (former)