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STAFF AND LEADERSHIP

The Rev. Kate Harmon Siberine, Rector

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Pastor Kate grew up in New Providence, NJ, where she fell in love with God on the banks of the Passaic River and in the liturgy and community of the local Episcopal church. After studying history and religion at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she joined the Julian Year, an Episcopal Service Corps program in Chicago, dedicated to living simply in intentional community and served as the volunteer manager at a homeless shelter and as a chaplain intern at Bishop Anderson House, an agency that provides pastoral care to medical centers and nursing homes in Cook County. While a student at Virginia Theological Seminary, she focused on preaching, theology, mission, and Christian formation, writing a master’s thesis on youth confirmation while assisting as seminarian at Church of the Ascension in Gaithersburg, MD.

 

She was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Chicago in July of 2016 and served as a hospital chaplain resident in surgical oncology and in-patient behavioral health at Providence Portland Medical Center and as Priest Associate at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Portland, Oregon. Prior to serving at Grace, Kate ministered in the Diocese of New Hampshire as the Curate of Church of the Good Shepherd in Nashua, focusing on Christian formation, pastoral care, and community outreach. In addition to the joy she finds in her ministry, Kate also has a great deal of fun while hiking, practicing Irish dance, and growing way too many tomatoes and is supported both in work and play by her fantastic husband Zac, the Vicar of St. Christopher’s in Hampstead.

 

She is thrilled to serve with the people of Grace as their Rector, helping people of all ages claim their own discipleship, gathering together for worship, and proclaiming the Good News of God’s presence in our midst through caring for one another and in outreach in the community. She loves that Grace as a community where each person is known by name, celebrated for their gifts, and supported in their ministry. 

The Rev. Shawn La France, Deacon

Shawn V. LaFrance was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire in 2017 following completion of the diaconal formation program in the Diocese of Massachusetts.  He completed the Education for Ministry program at St. Paul’s Church in Concord and Clinical Pastoral Education program at Havenwood-Heritage Heights.  He started his service as Deacon at Grace Church following ordination. 

 

Shawn is from the Granite State, born in Berlin and raised in Laconia.  He attended local Catholic schools, staffed by Sisters of Mercy, and learned that our faith is practiced outside the classroom and Sunday service.  Shawn completed his undergraduate education at UNH.  He earned a Master of Public Health and MS in Urban Planning from Columbia University.  He was active in campus ministry at Columbia and became a member of the Brooklyn Oratory community for more than a decade.  He returned to NH in after 15+ years in NYC with his wife Rebecca Farver and two young sons, Ethan and Aidan.  Shawn joined St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord in 2000.  He is grateful for the welcoming community of faith that St. Paul’s provided him and his family. 

 

Shawn currently works as the Vice President of Population Health at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Keene and is glad to apply his diaconal education and community health experience in the Monadnock region.  He enjoys going north to hike and ski in the White Mountains in his free time.          

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Keith Belanger, Music Minister

Keith is a music director, vocal coach, singer, and accompanist, and is very happy to serve the Episcopal Church as a music minister. Keith was the organist and choir director at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Pittsfield for 10 years and was educated in music education at the University of New Hampshire. In addition to being the resident music director for the Majestic Theatre in Manchester, Keith works full time for Premier Coach of Vermont. He lives in Derry with his wife and 3 sons.

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Vestry

The Vestry meets on the third Sunday of each month at 11 a.m. They pray together and provide leadership and service for the church’s finances, ministries and spiritual direction. Currently, its members and officers are:

  • Joel Smith, Senior Warden

  • Steve Holdsworth, Junior Warden

  • George Swenson, Treasurer

  • Linda MacDow, Clerk

  • Sharon Monroe

  • Bill Carr

  • Arlene Levesque

  • Linda Lynch

Convention Delegates

These delegates are elected annually to represent our members at the diocesan (state-wide) Fall Convention where they vote on budget and policy decisions. This year, our delegates are:

  • Linda Regan

  • Jeanine Merrill

  • George Swenson

  • Joe Rose, alternate

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