Ministry

Rev. Seth Carrier-Ladd
Interim Senior Minister

Rev. Seth Carrier-Ladd is the Interim Senior Minister at First Parish in Concord, Massachusetts (Unitarian Universalist). Prior to arriving in Concord, he served as the Settled Minster at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie, in Muncie, IN for seven years, and then most recently was the Interim Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, in Marblehead, MA. A life-long Unitarian Universalist, Rev. Seth grew up attending the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, in western Massachusetts. After serving as a lay leader for several years at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, he attended Andover Newton Seminary in Newton Center, MA from 2008-2011.

Rev. Seth is married to another Unitarian Universalist minister, Rev. Elizabeth Carrier-Ladd, who is the settled minister at First Parish in Dorchester. Together, they have four children, Mira (8), Theo (7), Elias (5), and Phoebe (2), and two dogs. In his (limited) free time, Rev. Seth enjoys walks on the beach or in the woods, reading science fiction or fantasy, cheering for the Red Sox and Celtics, and dabbling with technology.

Watch this YouTube video introducing Rev. Carrier-Ladd.

Amy Freedman
Minister of Religious Education

Rev. Amy Freedman is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist with a depth of experience in religious education, shared ministry, and creative arts. She comes to us after serving as the Consulting Minister of First Church in Boston where religious education, worship, and leadership development were part of her portfolio. She has served UU congregations as a Director of Religious Education, Consultant, Interim, and Parish Minister since 1996. For ten years, she served as the Senior Minister of Channing Memorial Church in Newport, RI.

Elizabeth Ide
Acting Associate Minister for Congregational Care

Rev. Elizabeth is a Unitarian Universalist minister and organizer who believes in the healing power of companionship. Before ministry, her first career was in nonprofit leadership and direct service in the community health field. After completing an internship at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lawrence, KS, she graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School and became a chaplain resident at the University of Virginia Medical Center, and then served as the senior minister of First Church in Salem.

Rev. Elizabeth’s ongoing community ministries include UU Mass Action, where she is a board member, and the Essex County Community Organization (ECCO), where she has served as a clergy organizer since 2021. She is dedicated to helping people create and sustain the relationships that are the building blocks of beloved community. Rev. Elizabeth enjoys running, jigsaw puzzles, poetry, and is starting to get the hang of playing bass guitar. She lives in Salem with her partner, Greg, as well as their dog, Nicky, Artemis the cat, and a manageable number of house plants. 

 

Liz Weber
Minister for Congregational Care - Currently on Medical Leave

Liz WeberRev. Liz Weber has a heart for pastoral care and building community. She came to First Parish in 2019 after serving as a chaplain resident at Mass. General Hospital. Prior to that, she was the intern minister in Reading, MA. Liz is an alumna of Andover Newton Theological School. In addition to her M.Div., she holds certificates in pastoral care and in religion and conflict transformation. Before seminary, Liz was a lay leader for over fifteen years. She sees church as a place where we can bring our whole selves, brokenness and all, and where we can practice being our best selves. Liz’s first career was as an American Sign Language interpreter. Her hobbies include hiking, woodworking, and singing with friends.

Rev. Liz Weber is currently on a medical leave of absence. Please contact Rev. Elizabeth Ide at eide@firstparish.org for pastoral care inquiries.

Rev. Gary Smith, Minister Emeritus
Minister Emeritus

Gary Smith served as Senior Minister at First Parish from 1988 until 2011 when he retired and was named Minister Emeritus.  He and Elizabeth then moved to Belmont where they continue to share a two family house with their daughter Hannah and family.  Gary continued to teach at the Harvard Divinity School until 2020.  He also served as President of the Partner Church Council in his retirement.  Their son Jonathan continues a long tenure as a fourth grade teacher at Concord’s Willard School. 

Margie Saphier
Affiliate Minister

Margie SaphierRev. Margie King Saphier has served as a Hospice chaplain, and Associate Minister for Pastoral Care. Presently she is Affiliate Minister at First Parish in Concord, MA serving as Community Minister for Restorative Justice. In this capacity she is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Partakers and works closely with Arthur Bembury, Partakers’ Executive Director. She also serves as the First Parish’s liaison to Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in Dorchester, MA. Prior to ministry Margie served as a public health nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner, and an advocate for families when their child was hospitalized. Throughout her professional life, Reverend Saphier has been committed to those who are disenfranchised, helping them to “find their voice” as they struggle to meet their needs, as well as the needs of their families.

Staff

Beth Norton
Director of Music Ministry

Beth Norton has been Director of Music Ministry 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 Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM), the professional organization for UU musicians and remains an active member.

Paul Langston-Daley
Minister of Social Action & Interim Minister for Congregational Care

Reverend Paul Langston-Daley was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 1997. He has served as settled, interim, and consulting ministers in congregations of all sizes. He brings his personal experience as a transgender man to this work, along with an extensive background in organizing, social justice, and guiding congregations through conflict.

Along with a Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School, Paul holds a master’s degree in Restorative Practices and Youth Counseling from the International Institute for Restorative Practices. He brings 30 years of experience in conflict management, including vulnerability and shame work, helping congregations and communities overcome deep discord and build more open, creative, and supportive environments.

Paul lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with his aging dog Bayla and a mischievous cat named Odin.

 

Fifi Ball
Director of Finance & Operations

Fifi directs operations at First Parish, with a primary focus on the finances, helping the Senior Minister, Standing Committee, and Treasurer prepare and manage the budget.

Fifi joined the staff at First Parish in 2013. Fifi’s primary goal at First Parish is the transparency of the church’s finances to the congregation. Fifi has an MBA from Simmons Graduate School of Management.

Bruce Davidson
Facilities Manager

We are delighted to have Bruce Davidson as First Parish in Concord’s new Facilities Manager. Bruce’s professional experience ranges from property management, real estate brokerage, graphic design and illustration, café ownership, landscape design and home improvement contracting services via companies he founded and owned.

His other interests include art, history, the natural world, travel, ping-pong, and tennis. Bruce is also an artist specializing in watercolors and murals.

Dawn Van Patten
Assistant Director of Religious Education

Dawn has served First Parish in Concord since 2014.  She finds great joy in working with children and families as they explore their spirituality in this faith community.  Dawn is a member of the Leadership Team for Faith Development Week on Star Island, an annual conference for Unitarian Universalist families and religious professionals.  She has a deep interest in alternative and non-traditional education and she helped to found a Waldorf-inspired elementary school and taught preschool in a Montessori environment.  

Dawn grew up in Arlington, Virginia and although she has lived in the Boston area for over twenty years, is still surprised by the length of New England winters. Dawn likes getting dressed in the morning, books and movies that make her think, being in nature as much as possible, and playing with her friends and family.  She lives in Maynard with her husband and two teenage daughters.

 

Anderson Manuel
Gospel Choir Director

Anderson ManuelAnderson 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.

Eric Huenneke
Organist

Eric HunennekeD. Eric Huenneke, a native Californian,has been organist of First 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 concert venues have ranged from coast-to-coast in the United States. He is also a Past Dean of the Merrimack Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Catherine Hill
Web and Office Administrator


Catherine Hill, our web and office administrator, is excited to join the First Parish community! Catherine comes to us having worked in the corporate world at Fidelity Investments and, most recently, at Unifirst, as a financial services associate and then data management specialist. For the past year, Catherine has also volunteered with Feline Fix by Five, managing the organization’s social media accounts and increasing engagement. Catherine has a BA in history from Holy Cross in Worcester and a Certificate in Contemporary Communications from UMass Lowell. She is ready for a career change and welcomes our focus on social media and website as a big part of her work here. Outside of work Catherine enjoys creating art, reading, spending time with her fiancé and cats, and cooking. She also really enjoys hiking, yoga, kayaking, going to the beach, and visiting museums. A fun fact about Catherine is that she has featured her artwork at several art shows during the last three summers!

Tina Storey
Assistant to the Director of Finance & Operations