Our Pastor, The Reverend Paige Besse-Rankin
Rev Paige Besse-Rankin is the 35th settled Pastor of First Parish Church, Congregational, United Church of Christ, Dover, NH.
Our pastor, The Rev Paige Besse-Rankin, has been serving local churches in pastoral ministry for over 25 years. Paige has a degree in music therapy from Emmanuel College in Boston and a Masters of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. Much of her pastoral ministry has been in the Connecticut Conference where she served Fisher’s Island Union Chapel, Woodmont United Church of Christ and the UCC in Goshen. More recently, she completed training as an interim pastor and service to rural ELCA congregations in Sinai and Lake Campbell SD and then the UCC in Yankton SD. She is delighted to return to New England and to settled ministry.
One aspect of pastoral work that Pastor Paige likes best is the wide variety of experiences it encompasses. Particular areas of interest for her have included Outdoor ministries, Stewardship, creative worship, service trips, international partnership, ministry with the homeless, community building around issues of diversity, Faith formation, and environmental concerns.
Pastor Paige can be reached at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 15 or by email at pastorpaigebr@gmail.com
Our pastor, The Rev Paige Besse-Rankin, has been serving local churches in pastoral ministry for over 25 years. Paige has a degree in music therapy from Emmanuel College in Boston and a Masters of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. Much of her pastoral ministry has been in the Connecticut Conference where she served Fisher’s Island Union Chapel, Woodmont United Church of Christ and the UCC in Goshen. More recently, she completed training as an interim pastor and service to rural ELCA congregations in Sinai and Lake Campbell SD and then the UCC in Yankton SD. She is delighted to return to New England and to settled ministry.
One aspect of pastoral work that Pastor Paige likes best is the wide variety of experiences it encompasses. Particular areas of interest for her have included Outdoor ministries, Stewardship, creative worship, service trips, international partnership, ministry with the homeless, community building around issues of diversity, Faith formation, and environmental concerns.
Pastor Paige can be reached at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 15 or by email at pastorpaigebr@gmail.com
Director of Music and Worship Coordinator, Rick Gremlitz
Rick Gremlitz has served as Director of Music and Organist at First Parish Church for over five decades. Rick oversees the Music Ministry of the church, plays our 3 manual, 73 rank pipe/digital organ for Sunday services, directs the First Parish Choir, and arranges for and coordinates the concerts presented
in our historic sanctuary.
Rick also serves First Parish as Worship Coordinator, responsible for many aspects of our Sunday services ranging from coordinating lay participants to many of the technical aspects of our Sunday worship.
Rick holds BA and MEd degrees from the University of New Hampshire and retired from a 43 year career in public education as a teacher, Director of Fine Arts, and 15 years as a high school principal.
Rick may be contacted at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 14; or by email at rickgremlitz@yahoo.com
in our historic sanctuary.
Rick also serves First Parish as Worship Coordinator, responsible for many aspects of our Sunday services ranging from coordinating lay participants to many of the technical aspects of our Sunday worship.
Rick holds BA and MEd degrees from the University of New Hampshire and retired from a 43 year career in public education as a teacher, Director of Fine Arts, and 15 years as a high school principal.
Rick may be contacted at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 14; or by email at rickgremlitz@yahoo.com
Program Director and Volunteer Coordinator
Our Program Director and Volunteer Coordinator, Ingrid Roeder, joined the staff in September 2019. Ingrid graduated from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 2008 with an MA in Theological Studies. She served the Lutheran STC community for 5 years as their Wellness Coordinator, as well as their Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor through the support of the University of Chicago gym facilities.
Ingrid has also been a professional Personal Trainer, specializing in clinical exercise for 23 years in Maine, Chicago, Nantucket, Washington and Montana. She graduated with her BFA with a concentration in Studio Drawing from The University of Southern Maine. She is a mixed media artist, print maker, oil painter, book artist and photographer. She is passionate about and continues to teach art to children and adults.
Ingrid was born in Maine. Her father's job took them to many communities but her strength came from her loving family, faith in God, 8 years of Lutheran parochial school, 17 years of ballet studies, her mother's Swedish culture and traditions, the Girl Scouts, and many summers spent on Chebeague Island, Maine. Ingrid's family moved to Kennebunkport, Maine from Illinois when she was in high school.
Ingrid loves health & fitness, being an artist, paddle boarding, Iyengar yoga, the beaches of New England, and working with youth & families. She is very grateful that God has called her home to work at First Parish Congregational, and to be closer to her loved ones. Ingrid has one amazing daughter, Spencer Linnea, a medicinal herbalist, pastry chef, and published author.
Ingrid may be contacted at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 11; or by email at: IngridFPCDover@gmail.com
Ingrid has also been a professional Personal Trainer, specializing in clinical exercise for 23 years in Maine, Chicago, Nantucket, Washington and Montana. She graduated with her BFA with a concentration in Studio Drawing from The University of Southern Maine. She is a mixed media artist, print maker, oil painter, book artist and photographer. She is passionate about and continues to teach art to children and adults.
Ingrid was born in Maine. Her father's job took them to many communities but her strength came from her loving family, faith in God, 8 years of Lutheran parochial school, 17 years of ballet studies, her mother's Swedish culture and traditions, the Girl Scouts, and many summers spent on Chebeague Island, Maine. Ingrid's family moved to Kennebunkport, Maine from Illinois when she was in high school.
Ingrid loves health & fitness, being an artist, paddle boarding, Iyengar yoga, the beaches of New England, and working with youth & families. She is very grateful that God has called her home to work at First Parish Congregational, and to be closer to her loved ones. Ingrid has one amazing daughter, Spencer Linnea, a medicinal herbalist, pastry chef, and published author.
Ingrid may be contacted at the church at (603) 742-5664, ext 11; or by email at: IngridFPCDover@gmail.com
