Our Board of Trustees

The First Unity Board of Trustees is composed of the senior minister and six other trustees. Officers and Trustees of the Board of Trustees, effective 2026, are as follows:

Ben Forman, President

Ben came to Unity while he was actively searching for a community that shares his evolving spiritual values, especially the value that Christ lives in our humanity. He feels like this is, indeed, the place where he can share his gifts and talents to empower others in the Christ.

Serving on the board will give Ben further personal and spiritual development opportunities while at the same time playing a critical role in nurturing prosperity and cultivating community growth for Unity.

After a health crisis, Ben leads with angel messages, divine guidance and positive affirmations that have returned him to his wholeness, all part of Unity teachings. He has all the faith and confidence that these same principles will also help him serve on the board and support the people at Unity.

Ben shares his struggles, what he’s going through and the breakthroughs he’s learning through creative writing, short stories and singing. He’s currently working on a book based on the angel messages and divine wisdom he’s received along on my journey.

Valerie Harris, Vice President

Valerie was raised a Lutheran and had stopped going to church for a long time. When She had her kids, she thought about how she missed the fellowship aspect of being a church member, and she wanted a framework for talking about God that didn’t involve going to heaven or hell. Unity has answered a lot of questions for her, and it is a good fit for her family.

As a younger person, Valerie brings a new perspective to the board. She has the heart of a volunteer and is looking forward to working with the board to help First Unity reach more people.

Valerie has been staying home with her kids since her oldest Oliver was born. She is currently working through the process of growing as a fitness instructor and is excited to have something that isn’t centered around my family. She is a book worm and a gardener and says that this time of year in Missouri is the best time to be alive!

Patricia Riess, Secretary

Patricia’s desire to serve on the First Unity Board of Trustees spoke to her from the heart, and she didn’t think twice. She is currently serving on the Welcoming Ministry, Co-chairing the Promotion Ministry, and has been the Editor of First Unity’s newsletter for three years.

Patricia is married with two daughters and two grandchildren, all living in Arizona. She has served as a national and corporate trainer for most of her career, honing her skills in communication, writing, photography, and design.

Patricia plans to make a difference in our church by bringing her skill and talent forward, helping to make our church’s prosperity a reality.

Carol Ellerman, Treasurer

Carol grew up in Unity and gives thanks to her mom for the greatest gift she could have been given. She’s been blessed with Unity beliefs since she was about five years old and is very grateful for that.

Carol cares about the church and its members and wants to give back to First Unity in gratitude for all she has received. She has been a member of First Unity for almost 20 years and served on the Board for ten years, from 2008 to 2018. She also currently serves as the Webmaster for the church and has been since 2008.

Carol was married for 45 years before her husband passed away several years ago. She has a dear son and daughter and six grandchildren. She retired from her dream job at Edward Jones as the online news editor 13 years ago when her grandson Chase was born and started her second dream job as Chase’s “Granny Nanny” and has been caring for him since then. She also had great jobs at UMSL, TWA, and A.G. Edwards. Her hobbies include computers, reading, and writing, in her words, not-very-good mystery fiction, just for fun.

Lisa Armstrong, Trustee

 I learned about Unity from a friend in Columbia, MO while I was in college. While I never attended a church there, this friend’s advice stuck with me. When I moved back to St. Louis in 1988, I started attending Unity Christ Church near Washington University on occasion. Reverend Peter Rhea married my husband and I in 1993. We moved out to South County and we started attending First Unity church of St. Louis. I raised my children in the church and used to play guitar and sing with them in the Sunday School. I invited my dad and step mom to attend the church. They both loved it! They got remarried in the church around their 30th anniversary. I introduced my sister to Unity in 1988 in Des Moines, Iowa! She fell in love with it and became a Unity Minister in Ames, Iowa.
My motivation to say “yes” to the Board nomination is twofold. First, I think it would be an interesting way to become more involved in the inner workings of the church. Second, hopefully I will be able to serve the long-term legacy of the church by my contribution.
I was married 23 years to Brent Armbruster, who sadly passed away in 2016. I have two children, Emma 31 years old and Daniel 27 years old. I have a cat named Nutmeg and a dog named Mugsie.
I love to garden and take care of the inside plants at church. I have a Master’s of History from UMSL and currently teach part time at Jefferson College. I also had a Series 7 & 63 license and was a registered stock broker.

Larry Gibbs, Trustee

I started attending Unity about 30 years age.  Cindy and I had recently moved in to the area and she was about six months pregnant with our first child.  We were looking for a church we both could attend together and raise our children in as well.  Cindy had heard of Unity and asked me to attend a service with her.  I was immediately impressed with the service, attitude of the Rev Randy and the church building itself.  He told me that the cross as a symbol of Christianity was not hanging the wall for a reason.  He asked to look out the clear glass windows and tell him what I saw.  I saw trees and grass and cars going up and down the road,  He asked me to look again and take a good deep look.  Then I saw the cross holding the windows together.  He said that at Unity we look beyond the cross to God’s world outside the doors of the building.  That was al I needed to become a regular church goer here at First Unity.
My wife, Cindy, and I raised our three kids at Unity.  Cindy and our oldest daughter, Claire, now teach in the Sunday school, children’s education program.  I have been a member of the board for three years.  I have been bringing food and clothing to Feed My People for about ten years.  Claire and I have played our flute and violin at several worship services.  I have helped clean the church in the spring and decorate for Christmas.  I have given lectures for senior members on Medicare and Medicaid and senior living situations.
I have a Doctorate in Non-for- profit administration and a Master’s degree in Gerontology as well as a license as a Nursing Home Administrator.  I have taught Gerontology at Lindenwood and UMSL for t3n years.  I have worked for the State of MO Dept. of Senior Services for 13 years.  I also administrated nursing homes for five years and I keep my license current by attending CEU classes in gerontology monthly.  I have been (and currently) a member of the STL Confluence String Orchestra for 18 years and I play gigs at nursing homes and adult day care centers throughout the year.  I also had my own cable TV show for 5 years when I lived in Chicago where my guests and I would discuss  support for social issues ( marriage, adoption, divorce, senior housing, Veteran’s services, health issues, jobs, etc. Ecumenical church issues).

First Unity Church of St. Louis Board of Trustees

The First Unity Church of St. Louis Board of Trustees is united in its love of our spiritual home and the practices and principles of Unity. Its purpose is to establish policies that further the harmonious functioning of our church, oversee the financial assets, practices, and procedures of our organization, and endeavor to establish and expand a positive and loving faith-based center of consciousness for First Unity. As stated in the bylaws of First Unity, the first duty and responsibility of the First Unity Board of Trustees is to:

  • Uphold the spiritual purpose of the First Unity ministry.

Other duties and responsibilities of the Board include:

  • Uphold the highest best interests of the membership in conducting the business of this ministry;
  • Be conversant with the bylaws and establish policy for the operation of this ministry;
  • Be faithful in attendance at services as well as Board and membership meetings of this ministry;
  • Determine the business needs of this ministry and authorize payment of funds for those purposes;
  • Administer the real and personal property of this ministry;

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