About SUUS
About Our Community
Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society (SUUS) has been a progressive religious voice along the shoreline of Connecticut since 1962. We are a community where people with different beliefs worship as one faith, where religious inspiration comes from not one but many sources.
If you are seeking a place to grow your spirit, to deepen your connection to our human family, and join with others to create a better world, Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society welcomes you.
Our Mission
As a Welcoming Congregation dedicated to Love, Faith, Justice and Reason, the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society‘s mission is to:
- nurture the spirit and enrich the mind;
- foster a reverence for life in all of its complexity and mystery;
- build a spiritual community dedicated to social, economic, and environmental justice;
- explore the search for truth by providing a safe space for the exchange of diverse perspectives;
- inspire members, friends and our larger community to go forth and make the world a better place.
Our Covenant
To ensure our community is a safe and inspirational place where we welcome all, embrace diversity and support individuals, we the members of Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society commit to the following:
- Act with good will and stay in relationship
- Listen deeply and assume good intentions
- Be open to change
- Maintain mutual respect
- Take concerns to the person(s) involved
- Share strengths, talents, and resources
- Support each other in living this covenant
When resolution is elusive, seek help from the Committee on Healthy Relationships
SUUS Minister and Staff
About Our Ministers
The Reverend Craig M. Nowak
Reverend Craig is Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society’s (SUUS) settled minister, called by unanimous vote of the congregation. He comes to SUUS after ten years as Minister of the Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church in Brookfield, MA and Consulting Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Storrs, Storrs, CT. Prior to which he served congregations in Palmer and Concord, MA.
He earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Andover Newton Theological School (now Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School), holds a Certificate of Professional Ministry from Hartford Seminary (now Hartford International University for Religion and Peace) and was a Chaplain Resident at Hartford Hospital from 2012-2013. He is a past Co-President and Program Coordinator of the Clara Barton Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association (UUMA).
A contributor to Blessing It All: Rituals for Transition and Transformation edited by Allison Palm and Heather Concannon, he’s also been published in All Those Whom God Has Joined Together: Resources for Same-Gender Loving Couples and Clergy edited by Leanne McCall Tigert and Maren C. Tirabassi and the journal Conversations in Religion and Theology.
Reverend Craig is particularly interested in the potential of imagination, aesthetics, humor, and contemplative practice to inspire and deepen one’s spiritual life and promote justice and compassion in our relationships to others, ourselves, and the wider world.
Staff
Jill Brunelle, Office Administrator
Jill Brunelle came to SUUS as our Office Administrator in 2023. She is a member of the faculty of Southern Connecticut State University in the Department of Theater, where she is a Conductor and Music Director. She is also on staff at Yale’s David Geffen School of Drama as a pianist, coach, and Music Director. Jill has an extensive background in opera and musical theater and has served on the faculty/staff of Yale School of Music, Boston University, New England Conservatory, Tufts University, Hartt School of Music, and University of Connecticut. She also works with local companies around Connecticut. As a pianist, Jill, performs internationally as well as in New York City at Carnegie Hall, in Boston at Jordan Hall, and has performed world premieres at numerous festivals. While not pursuing any of the above activities, Jill will probably be found reading a book, researching food trends, or arguing with her two cats.
Amy Buckley, Director of Music
Amy joined our staff as Music Leader in 2017. Amy has been a music educator for over twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Connecticut, where her study afforded her the opportunity to train at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She then went on to receive a Master of Music from The Juilliard School. Since moving to the shoreline Amy has frequently appeared at the Ivoryton Playhouse along with other local community theaters. Some of her musical theater and operatic highlights include: Marion Paroo (Music Man), Mrs. Banks (Mary Poppins), Antonia (Man of La Mancha), Miss Lynch (Grease), Despina (Così fan Tutte), La Fée (Cendrillon) and Despina (Così fan Tutte). Amy resides in Westbrook where she has a private voice studio and plays her favorite role of Mom to daughter Viviana. Amy is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
Nick Stanford, Pianist
Nick is a Haddam, CT native who earned his Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Connecticut studying piano with Irma Vallecillo as well as his Bachelor of Science in mathematics. He then went on to graduate school in mathematics at Indiana University for four years, taking graduate coursework at the Jacobs School of Music while there. His favorite works of music are piano pieces from the late Romantic period in the French and Russian styles. The more obscure the piece, the better! Nick often serves as the Music Director in various community theater musical productions. Recent credits include Into the Woods (GetUp Stage Company), Thoroughly Modern Millie (White Rabbit Theater), and Chicago (GetUp Stage Company). Outside of music, Nick will always continue to be amazed by abstract mathematics, in particular number theory, but he is also cultivating interests in data engineering and analytics.
The Reverend Jeanne Lloyd, M.Div., M.A, Affiliate Minister
Rev. Jeanne was called by this congregation on May 6, 2016, and retired on November 22, 2020. She continues to work with our congregation as our Affiliate Minister and is currently on the board of Guilford Interfaith Volunteers.
Prior to her arrival at SUUS in Madison, CT, she served as minister to All Souls UU Church, Greenfield, MA (2006-2010), and Mattatuck UU Society, Woodbury, CT (2008-2016). In 2013, she also served SUUS as its sabbatical minister. Preceding her entry into parish ministry, she was a Unitarian Universalist Community Minister addressing the issues of racism and ableism in non-profits/congregational settings in the Hartford/Manchester area.
She is a graduate of the Unitarian Universalist seminary of Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago (M.Div.) From 2001-2007 she served as President of the UU Professional Society for Community Ministries. She lives in Madison, Connecticut with her husband, Bob.
Board of Trustees
The Congregation is governed by a Board of Trustees who is elected annually. The Board of Trustees has the responsibility of managing the financial affairs of the Society. They create policy and procedures, plan for the future, and work closely with committees, staff and the minister to create an environment of collaboration and cooperation.
SUUS Board of Trustees, 2025-2026
Laura Martino & Dana Duigan – Co-Chairs
Neil Schultes – Secretary
Frank Sirianni – Treasurer
TBD – Trustee
Maria Puziello – Trustee
Jim Hoeffecker- Trustee
Committee and Teams
Committees and Teams along with the staff, are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Society. These volunteers are the backbone of this congregation and keep SUUS living its mission. CLICK HERE to read the descriptions of our committees