Rev. Jennifer’s ministry is grounded in the vision and promise of the Beloved Community. In all of her ministerial endeavors, she strives to foster individual thriving and collective flourishing. Drawing on experience with congregations and staff teams of all sizes, Jennifer embraces a collaborative approach to ministerial leadership.

Following her internship in nearby Chelmsford, she completed a two year Learning Fellowship with the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) and its prison ministry program, Worthy Now. The Church of the Larger Fellowship is the largest congregation in the UU denomination, a church “without walls” and with global reach. For the past three years, Jennifer has served as minister of First Parish Bridgewater, Massachusetts, where she helped the congregation rebound from the COVID crisis and develop greater capacity for its ministries.

Prior to ministry, Jennifer spent a decade building and directing the Communications and Outreach department at Advocates, a leading nonprofit social services agency in Massachusetts.

A lover of all things literary, Jennifer holds degrees in English Literature from the University of New Hampshire (a Bachelors) and Tufts University (a Masters). While serving as a lay worship leader at her home congregation, she was delighted to discover that sermon writing is her favorite creative outlet. Her passion for worship led her to Meadville Lombard Theological School, where she earned a Master of Divinity in 2020.

Born in Boston to New England transplants, Jennifer laid down roots here with her husband Dave and their two daughters, Amelia and Carly. Together they enjoy hiking New England’s woodland trails with their rescue pup, Cooper; sharing their eclectic music and movie tastes; and engaging in lively dinner-table debates.

Watch this video of Rev. Jennifer’s greeting to First Parish!

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.

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. 

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. 

Rev. 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.

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.

Reverend Paul Langston-Daley was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 1997. He brings an extensive background in community organizing, and social justice work along with his personal experience as a transgender man. 

Along with a Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School, Paul holds a master’s degree in Restorative Practices 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 to build more open, creative, and supportive environments.

Paul has served as settled, interim, and consulting ministers in congregations of all sizes. He lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with two mischievous cats named Odin and Loki.

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.

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.

Catherine Hill, our communications and office coordinator, joined the First Parish community in early 2023. 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.

Catherine is very dedicated to non-profit work and currently volunteers with Feline Fix by Five, managing the organization’s social media accounts and increasing engagement.

Outside of work Catherine enjoys creating art, reading, spending time with her spouse 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!

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.

Simon was born in England and educated at Christ Church, Oxford, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of California at Berkeley, from which he holds a PhD in Composition. It was there he was introduced to Unitarian Universalism as Music Director of the Berkeley church. Since then, Unitarian Universalism has been his theological home, if not always his place of employment. After a decade in Academia, he worked in many churches and musical situations in Lancaster, PA, before he and his wife Anne Mason moved to Massachusetts so she could accept the call as Senior Minister at First Parish in Lexington. Simon served as the Organist at First Church, Belmont.

When not actively engaged in music, he is probably either watching his beloved Liverpool, following the England cricket scores, messing about in their Westford garden, reading, riding his bicycle round the country lanes (weather permitting), or doing the New York Times crossword. He is really looking forward to making friends with the wonderful Russell & Company Op. 54 and getting involved in the vibrant musical life of First Parish in Concord.