The Staff of First Church
The Reverend Emilia Halstead, Pastor
Pastor Emilia is delighted to be serving as the 14th settled senior minister of First Congregational Church! Having grown-up a preacher's kid, she is no stranger to the rich traditions of the historic church. However, being a self professed Millennial she is also acutely aware of the winds of change that the Holy Spirit is bringing to the wider church. In addition to her passion for creating and leading worship, pastoral visitations, and networking with the wider church, Pastor Emilia is adamant about the need for all churches to be connected to social media in some form. Emilia is an avid reader and movie-goer as well as a lover of music. She grew up in Chicago via Cleveland and Philadelphia, graduated from Arcadia University in 2004 and Andover Newton Theological School in 2010.
Follow her on Twitter: @HalsteadE
Pastor Emilia is delighted to be serving as the 14th settled senior minister of First Congregational Church! Having grown-up a preacher's kid, she is no stranger to the rich traditions of the historic church. However, being a self professed Millennial she is also acutely aware of the winds of change that the Holy Spirit is bringing to the wider church. In addition to her passion for creating and leading worship, pastoral visitations, and networking with the wider church, Pastor Emilia is adamant about the need for all churches to be connected to social media in some form. Emilia is an avid reader and movie-goer as well as a lover of music. She grew up in Chicago via Cleveland and Philadelphia, graduated from Arcadia University in 2004 and Andover Newton Theological School in 2010.
Follow her on Twitter: @HalsteadE
Kathy Akerman, Church Administrator
Kathy is the Church Administrator for The First Congregational Church and she enjoys doing office work and taking care of business. She is enthusiastic and has a natural zest for life, people, and animals. She enjoys quilting, crocheting, and many other crafts. She retired from Blue Cross after 28 years of service where she worked in the computer room and did other various office procedures. Family is very important to her and she loves her family and grandchildren. She loves working at First Church. She invites folks to stop by and say “Hello”!
Kathy is the Church Administrator for The First Congregational Church and she enjoys doing office work and taking care of business. She is enthusiastic and has a natural zest for life, people, and animals. She enjoys quilting, crocheting, and many other crafts. She retired from Blue Cross after 28 years of service where she worked in the computer room and did other various office procedures. Family is very important to her and she loves her family and grandchildren. She loves working at First Church. She invites folks to stop by and say “Hello”!
Carolyn Andrews, Financial Secretary
Carolyn grew up in Concord and has been a member of the church for sixty-seven years. She was clerk for three years, on the Board of Trustees for twenty-four years (four non consecutive terms), the Board of Deacons for six years and the Cabinet. After she retired as a Professor of Nursing from the New Hampshire Technical Institute, she became financial secretary for twelve years, took a two year hiatus before completing another person's term and is now in the first year of her own term. Currently she is on the Investment Committee and the Cabinet. Carolyn is also treasurer of the Women's Guild and is their "Carnation Lady." She is an active member of the Beyer Group and was a former director of the concord Female Charitable Society
Carolyn grew up in Concord and has been a member of the church for sixty-seven years. She was clerk for three years, on the Board of Trustees for twenty-four years (four non consecutive terms), the Board of Deacons for six years and the Cabinet. After she retired as a Professor of Nursing from the New Hampshire Technical Institute, she became financial secretary for twelve years, took a two year hiatus before completing another person's term and is now in the first year of her own term. Currently she is on the Investment Committee and the Cabinet. Carolyn is also treasurer of the Women's Guild and is their "Carnation Lady." She is an active member of the Beyer Group and was a former director of the concord Female Charitable Society
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Jock Irvine, Technology Integrator
Jock grew up in Concord and his family are longtime members of South Congregational Church, UCC. His father, Frank, was a UCC minister and pastoral counselor in the Concord area for many years. Jock is excited about his position at First Church and is looking forward to finding new ways to promote the church's mission and core values through the use of technology.
Jock studied music in college and, after graduating, spent four years as a member of the United States Air Force Band of New England. He left the military in 1990 and entered the field of education where one of his first jobs was developing a computer-assisted reading program for middle and high school students. He was eventually hired as the IT Director and computer applications teacher for the Henniker School District and, over the next twenty-four years, he designed and implemented numerous technology initiatives for the district, from the very first uses of the Internet & email for staff members, to helping teachers learn how to use technology in their teaching, to teaching 3-D modeling and printing to his students. For several years, he even did double-duty as a computer applications/music teacher. In 2017, due to a reduction in force, Jock left the Henniker School District and decided to retire from teaching. He spent the next 3 1/2 years recording and transcribing disability hearings for the U.S. Social Security Administration and has been at home with his family since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, 2020. Jock continues to work as a musician, as he has done continuously since the age of fifteen. He lives in Concord with his wife, Dee, and their two small children, Frank (Age 6) and Jillian (Age 9). Jock also has two grown sons, Sam (Age 27) and Walt (Age 29). |