Elaine Beth Peresluha, Interim Minister

Rev. Dr. Elaine Beth Peresluha began her two-year interim ministry with First Parish on August 1, 2011.

Elaine closed a 20-year career in nursing with her graduation from Harvard Divinity School in 1995. First Parish will be Elaine’s third interim ministry following two years each in Portsmouth NH and Wilmington NC. Before becoming an Accredited Interim Minister Elaine served two settled ministries, Woodstock VT and Bangor ME. She has also served the Northern New England District, the UUA of Congregations and as adjunct faculty for Bangor Theological Seminary and Meadville Lombard Seminary.

Elaine is an avid four-season outdoor enthusiast. In addition to gardening, she loves to bike long distances for fun and funds. She annually rides the 180- mile Trek Across Maine to raise money for the American Lung Association of Maine. She owns four pairs of skis for the winter and almost as many boats for the summer. Dancing, cooking and reading keep her content when blizzards or downpours keep her inside.

Elaine’s warmth and energy create safe and inclusive environments for sharing, learning and growing. She is excited about bringing both to First Parish.

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Jenny Rankin, Minister

Jenny Rankin was called to the First Parish in Concord in 1997. She believes in the power of Unitarian Universalism to nourish individuals spiritually and be a powerful voice for justice in the world. She loves the vitality and diversity of the people at First Parish, and how this community provides a sense of belonging.  Born in Boston, raised as a Unitarian Universalist, Jenny received her BA in European History from Princeton University and her MDiv from Harvard Divinity School. She was ordained in 1988 and, before coming to Concord, served as an interim minister in Hopedale, Hingham and Cohasset. She has travelled in Europe, India, El Salvador, Russia and Mexico, most recently leading a trip to Italy to trace the steps of Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller.  Before ministry, she was a community organizer with the Quakers where she learned the power of people coming together to work for social change.     Jenny and Rich have three children and live in Concord.

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Melissa Perdue Gallo, Business Manager

Melissa has been Business Manager since January of 2008. She has been attending First Parish since 1992. Before becoming the Business Manager, Melissa chaired the Come Build a Dream Capital Campaign, the Human Resources Committee, and the Welcoming Committee. She was also a member of the Standing Committee. Melissa has career experience in general business management, large project management, and organizational development. She lives in Concord with her husband, Tony. They have two daughters. Melissa’s interests include cooking, films, and music.

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Church Staff

Craig Nowak, Ministerial Intern

Craig will serve as ministerial intern at First Parish for two years. A candidate for the Unitarian Universalist ministry, he earned his M.Div from Andover Newton Theological School in 2011. Prior to coming to First Parish, Craig spent a year as student minister of St. Paul’s church of Palmer and completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT. Craig has appeared in print, on the radio, and television as voice for liberal religious values. His published work includes contributions to the religious journal Conversations in Religion and Theology and All Whom God Has Joined. Spiritually, Craig finds meditation and silence especially nourishing and important for self-care. Craig lives in Connecticut with his spouse, Kevin, who is antiques dealer, and their cat Julia. Kevin and Craig are members of the Universalist Church of West Hartford in Connecticut.

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Pamela D. Howell, Director of Religious Education

Pam Howell has been the Director of Religious Education since 2005 and she and her family have been members of First Parish since 2000. Pam grew up in Massachusetts, went to school in Boston and is happy to be raised her two children in Concord with her husband, Mark. Pam has been working with children for over 20 years. She has taught in all three of Concord’s elementary schools and has been active in coaching town soccer. Pam loves kids. She is committed to helping them know they have a spiritual home and a caring community at First Parish.

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Beth Norton, Director of Music

Beth Norton has been Music Director at First Parish since 1994. Beth believes in the power of music to express what is beyond words, to deepen our spiritual experience and to build community. As a singer, conductor, violinist and folk musician, Beth enjoys making music in a wide variety of styles with people of all ages and abilities. She received her BA in Music from Smith College and her MM in Choral Conducting from the Hartt School of Music. Beth has served as the president of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network, the professional organization for UU musicians and remains an active member. She currently serves the wider Unitarian Universalist Association as Chair of the Musicl Leader Credentialing Committee.

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Jane Foley, Membership Director

Jane comes to First Parish excited about the opportunity to enhance and grow the membership connection within First Parish, as well as in the surrounding communities. A longtime UU, she is an active member of the Melrose UU Church, where she just completed a four-year term on the board of directors. In 2007, Jane attended the Northeast Leadership School, a week-long training program in religious stewardship for the benefit of our Unitarian Universalist congregations. Jane, her husband Chuck, and their daughter Julia reside in Melrose.

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Cassy Bosworth, Office Manager

Cassy graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a BA in psychology. After college she moved to Seattle, Washington, where she met her husband Greg. They returned to Massachusetts to be with family and raise their daughters, Ellie and Grace. Cassy has enjoyed many years of volunteer and part-time work. Aside from time with her family, Cassy loves to bike-ride, bake and read books.

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Peggy Gallo, Collector

Peg worked at UUA Headquarters for 30 years, most of them at Beacon Press. She has been a member of First Parish since the 1960's, and upon retirement from the UUA, assumed the position of Collector and Financial Secretary at First Parish. She and her husband, Victor, a retired optometrist, have lived in Concord for 42 years.

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Douglas Baker, Sexton & Curator

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Eric Huenneke, Organist

D. Eric Huenneke, a native Californian,has been organist ofFirst Parish in Concord since January 2001. He is a graduate ofthe University of California at Santa Barbara and Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he also taught and served as College Organist for Douglass College.Active as a church and concert musician for over three decades, his concertvenues have ranged from coast-to-coast in the United States. He is also a Past Dean of the Merrimack Valley Chapter of theAmerican Guild of Organists.

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Anderson Manuel, Gospel Choir Director

Anderson Manuel has been a member of the First Parish music staff since 2000. He is the founding director of our Youth Gospel Choir. A native of Haiti, Anderson is a dad, husband and a teacher. Anderson has been singing since birth and continues to demonstrate to our youngsters the love and power of Gospel music.

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Gail Carey, Children's Choir Director

Gail Carey has served as First Parish Children's Choir Director since 2008. Within her music ministry, Gail emphasizes the role of music in helping our children to “discover their voices” within the larger church. From an early age, children are consistently invited into the safety of song circles and ultimately nurtured into worship leadership. Whether borrowing from folk, world music, gospel or our own historic UU tradition, Gail reaches to evoke the prayerful joy that comes with shared song. She has a particular passion for intergenerational song. Gail received her diploma from Interlochen Arts Academy, her BA in music therapy from Emmanuel College, and her MSW from Simmons College. She has worked as a performer, music theatre director, accompanist, music therapist and social worker. She is an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network and is a newly credentialled music leader within the UU faith.

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