Board of Trustees
You can contact our board by emailing boardoftrustees@unityofgaithersburg.org.
Monthly board meetings are open to congregants.
Contact the office at admin@unityofgaithersburg.org for more information.
Rev Edith Washington-Woods, DMin
Senior Minister
minister@unityofgaithersburg.org
Reverend Edith Washington-Woods is an ordained Unity minister with a Master of Divinity degree. She is also a Licensed Unity Teacher specializing in Adult Education. She is an empowering, motivational and inspirational speaker who loves teaching Unity Truth Principles and drawing from a variety of Spiritual practices. She invites people to use them to transform and live their best lives. With over 30 years of recovery from opiates and alcohol, Rev Edith understands that in order to invite others to do their work, she continues to work on herself. Rev. Edith is passionate about being of service to others in heart-centered ways. The highlight of her work is with interfaith, marginalized people, those in recovery and LGBTQ+ communities. Her strength is in being down-to-earth, open-hearted, open-minded, and someone who loves to shake her butt! She is grateful to her amazing congregation for their compassion, empathy and understanding when the balance between caring for self/family and congregational needs tips to care of self and family, leading to times when the needs of someone in the congregation are not fully met.
Christine Colburn
President
boardoftrustees@unityofgaithersburg.org
I have been a proud member of Unity since 1992. Over the years, I’ve participated in a variety of study groups and am currently active in both A Course in Miracles group and the church choir. My background is diverse — I hold a degree in accounting and am an inactive CPA, as well as a licensed (inactive) private pilot.
Family and music are central joys in my life. I’m the mother of two grown sons and the grandmother of two beautiful granddaughters. I love playing the piano and singing whenever I can. Professionally, I’m a Realtor with Weichert Realtors, where I enjoy helping others find a place to call home.
Crystal Rathke
Vice President
Crystal Rathke has been a stay home mom for 22 years. She has a daughter and son who both moved out in 2026. However, she has gotten to enjoy more time with her husband, with whom she has also spent 31 happy years.
Crystal was raised in a traditional Christian church, but chose to seek alternative ways of spiritual growth and healing from her late twenties to this day. Crystal discovered Unity of Chesapeake, Va from her meditation teacher in 2015, but did not know at the time that Unity was worldwide. She moved to Maryland in 2017, but
didn’t discover Unity of Gaithersburg until 2019. Upon becoming a member of Unity in 2023 she has found Unity principles to be supportive and empowering towards her pursuit of healing for herself and family. Since then, she has enjoyed numerous spirit groups. She enjoyed these so much that she chose to lead one spirit group called Infinite Connections.
Crystal wants to thank everyone who has taught and shared during any and all group gatherings. Their spirit and community has brought her great joy! As a Board member, she hopes to give back to Unity with the same joy and spirit that she has been given. Her vision for the future of UoG is to continue be a part of and to help facilitate a community founded on Unity Principles.
Ruth Shott
Treasurer
I was born in North Carolina, raised in rural Anne Arundel County MD, spent a few decades moving around the DMV but have spent the last the last 35 years in Montgomery County. In 1987, I was brought to Unity Christ Church (as it was called in those days) for the first time by a friend. It was a breath of fresh air and I became a fan immediately. UCC was friendly and warm and felt like home. My church attendance was sporadic for a while but around 2000, I became a member and officially claimed Unity as my spiritual home.
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Meanwhile, my careers in customer service (full-time) and petsitting (part-time) were in full swing and I was busy raising a family with a husband and 5 kids (ages 1, 2, 15, 18, and 21).
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I retired from full-time work in 2021 but continued with running my petsitting agency. Over the years I have participated in the worship team, the greeter team, the hospitality team, and the church history team. I have been a member of the choir, a Sunday school music teacher, the church photographer, and a member of the writers group. I also have participated in the 4T classes, numerous retreats, cabarets, moon circles, and open mic events. I have been truly enriched by each of these experiences and I look forward to what my Unity future holds!
Lynn Foster
Secretary
When my husband, Henry, and I moved from Charlottesville to Silver Spring in 2024 to be closer to our daughter and her family, one of the first things we wanted to do was find a new Unity church home after being very active members of Unity of Charlottesville for almost 40 years. That’s when we found Unity of
Gaithersburg!
In Charlottesville I participated in many aspects of church life including three terms on the Board of Directors, ministerial search teams, outreach, music, YE, and the building team. I also served on the planning teams for several large events/celebrations at UoC. I have the ability to see the big picture as well as the details, and to encourage and bring together diverse perspectives. Other strengths include planning, organization, and good communication skills. And I do actually enjoy participating in meetings. In addition, I served as a delegate for UoG for the Unity Worldwide Ministries (UWM) Annual Business meeting last year. Sacred Service has been at the heart of my path of spiritual growth.
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In addition to what I have shared, while on the board, I intend to give back to UoG, with my time and talents as well as treasure. To seek ways our board can apply our spiritual principles and core values to the activities of the board. To contribute to efficient, effective, productive meetings that support the life of UoG. To develop warm connections with my fellow board members. To be a presence of peace, love and grace on the board, holding the highest consciousness of the church as a whole. To practice tuning in to my inner guidance. To recognize the Spirit within each board member and congregant.
Njeri Johnson
At-Large
I am a retired social studies teacher and school counselor from Montgomery County Public Schools with decades of experience in
administrative leadership, guidance, and community engagement. I am a dedicated mother, grandmother and lifelong learner, who will bring a practical, heart-centered approach to problem-solving, active listening, and organizational skills.
I began my Unity journey at Unity of Washington DC. I was there until I moved to Gaithersburg and began attending Unity of Gaithersburg. I attended UDC for most of the 1990’s and came to
Unity of Gaithersburg in the early 2000’s. Currently most of my volunteer services have been at Unity of Gaithersburg, At UOG, I sing in the choir, serve as Prayer Chaplain, Coordinate the Platform assistants for Sunday services, on the Women’s Circle team, on the Women’s Retreat team, the Peace Camp team and the YFM team. I have sponsored two Line Dance fundraisers.
I am passionate about supporting the long-term vitality of Unity of Gaithersburg and look forward to lending my time, skills, and heart for service to the Board of Trustees.
Michael Munoz
At-Large
Michael discovered Unity in 2002, when the Quays were serving as ministers, and became a member in 2004. He taught Sunday School for four years, participated in and co-produced numerous Valentine’s cabarets over five years, and sang in the Unity Choir for more than eight years. He has also performed with Unity Theatre in numerous Christmas specials and other annual productions, as well as at Open Mic nights.
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Michael grew up in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and has lived in Miami, Florida and New York City, as well as serving in the armed forces. He returned to the Washington area in 1997, when his son was four years old.
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Michael is an Information Security Officer with NIH and a Certified Information Security Manager. He served as director of the Ballenger Creek Basketball League for six years and coached basketball for four years, working with children ages 2–16. He earned a black belt in Tang Soo Do karate in 2004 and taught karate for four years to students ages 4–40. He also owns Sarah’s Dog Haven, a dog daycare and boarding business.
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Michael’s vision for Unity of Gaithersburg is to see it continue to grow in diversity and community, offering lively services that touch the heart of everyone who walks through its doors. He hopes to strengthen Unity’s contributions to the broader community and support the well-being of those in need.
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One of the gifts Michael brings to service on the Unity of Gaithersburg Board is his commitment to teamwork. He works collaboratively every day in his professional life and has brought that same spirit to his years of involvement in Unity’s theatrical productions and other activities. He believes teamwork is at the core of every successful endeavor and is essential to achieving shared goals.
