Staff
Rev. Renn Serna
Senior Pastor
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Having not grown up in a religious context, Renn has a passion for creating a wide welcome for all people to explore faith and discover themselves as a part of God’s story. A gifted pastor and executive leader she loves to empower individuals to discover and utilize their gifts to share God’s boundless love wherever they find themselves. In her spare time, Renn loves to bake cookies, hang out with her cat Mario, and curl up with a good book.
Renn grew up in Carmel Valley, CA and graduated from UC Davis in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She graduated from Fuller Seminary in 2008, where she met and married her husband, Rev. Aaron Serna, who is also a Presbyterian Minister. Renn served as the Youth and Young Adult Director at San Gabriel Presbyterian Church for nearly ten years, leading missions trips and loving kids. After being ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in 2012 she moved to Massachusetts to serve as the Solo Pastor of United Presbyterian Church in Whitinsville for five years while leading them to reach out into the community and envision a new way of doing church. She was called to serve as the Senior Pastor at University Presbyterian Church in Fresno in 2017 and is so thankful to now be able to walk alongside such a gifted and faithful group of individuals.
Rev. Kent Leydens
Care Pastor & Director of Community Life
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Kent strives to live a simple, contemplative life of service. He feels called to share time one-on-one and in small groups as a friend in faith and a non-anxious presence, bringing his gifts of deep listening, compassion, prayer, and spiritual guidance. His other passions are spending time with his spouse, Shine, being in nature, traveling, watching films, and writing.
Kent grew up in southeast Iowa. He graduated from Central College with a B.A. in English in 1980 and continued with graduate studies at Emporia State University. Kent worked as an engineering technical writer while completing 20 years in the Army National Guard in 1995. Kent then turned his attention to the church. After spending a year helping to resettle Somali refugees in Cedar Rapids, IA, he discerned seminary was next.
Kent graduated from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in 2001 and served in Iowa, Virginia, New Mexico, and California concentrating on equipping congregations for renewal and revitalization. He received a Certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2016 from Stillpoint at Ghost Ranch, NM.
Kent entered the rolls of the Honorably Retired in 2018 and returned to Iowa, where he continued serving as pastor and as a hospital chaplain. Kent and Shine moved to Fresno in early 2023. He is very grateful for this opportunity to serve with the faithful and gifted folks at UPC.
Tony Bounthapanya
Southeast Asian Ministries
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Tony was born in Luangprabang, Laos. Tony came to US when he was 15 yeas old and graduated from Fresno High School in 1987. He went on to attend Fresno City College for two years then joined the UPC family in 2006. Tony received certificates to become a Lay Commissioned Preacher from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2009. He enjoys, loves, and is very blessed to be serving at UPC.
Cactus Harris
Director of Worship and the Arts
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Cactus Harris' musical talents began by taking saxophone lessons as a young boy in school. He taught himself both the accordion and the piano and then, during his sophomore year in high school, he touched an organ for the first time. Once again, he began teaching himself how to play, and he soon got a job playing for St. James’s Episcopal Church in Paso Robles, California, on their 1850’s William Stevens organ. Recently he installed a 1920’s Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ on his family’s ranch in Paso Robles with the goal of holding concerts and events.
Harris holds a B.A in Music Education and M.A in Conducting from California State University Fresno, where he studied organ with Laurell Huber and Scott Horton, and conducting with Dr. Gary Gilroy. He has been a winner in the San Joaquin Valley Keyboard competition and been a guest organist at many different events. In 2012 he was a Biggs Fellowship recipient from the Organ Historical Society. Cactus has been featured with the Fresno State Wind Orchestra on the Disney Hall concert organ, and with the Yosemite Wind Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Town Hall organs. Cactus is an active member of the San Joaquin Valley American Guild of Organists, currently serving as Dean of the chapter. Harris has been the organist at UPC since fall of 2010.
Joshua Lara
Contemporary Worship Leader
ANGELICA QUINTERO
Nursery Care Provider
MADISON WHITAKER
Nursery Care Provider