Stephanie joined the FPC team in April 2023.  She has been a member of the church since 2019.  Stephanie has always been drawn to teaching, even at an early age.  She has a Bachelor’s in Human Development specializing in Elementary Education.

After the pandemic, Stephanie was looking to use her education background in a faith-based way and has found a nice fit in the roll of Christian Education Director.  She is a caring person and an organized planner.

Stephanie and her husband Jon have two delightful children. Their children love coming to church and helping out wherever they can.  In the summer, they enjoy going camping and biking as a family.

Email Stephanie: cedirector@fpc-ucc.org

Debbie has been a member of First Parish Church since 1985, when she started as our first Director of Christian Education. After having graduated from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Richmond, Virginia with a Masters degree in Christian Education and Sacred Music, she began focusing on her love for teaching children, youth, and adults while ensuring that these programs also engaged music and the arts.

Debbie studied piano at Keene State College in Keene, NH, where she grew up, and received a Bachelor of Music with a focus on education. During her high school and college years, she participated in every possible music program at the United Church of Christ in Keene believing that this would be her “learning lab” as she prepared for teaching music in the public school. Little did she know that after college, music would be the door through which her call to ministry would come.

Debbie became a Commissioned Minister in the United Church of Christ in 1991, and currently serves as the Consultant for Christian Education and Youth Ministry for the Massachusetts Conference, UCC. In this role, she can serve the UCC churches in Massachusetts from her home in Derry via phone, e-mail, social media, and video conferencing. But she also enjoys getting out of the house when a congregation or staff meeting requires her presence in Massachusetts.

Debbie is married to Dani Allen. They were married at First Parish in 1987 during a summer service of worship when she was the Director of Christian Education. They have two sons, Jeremiah and Benjamin, who grew up at First Parish. Benjamin is a trumpet performance major and computer science minor at UNH, and Jeremiah is an active member of the Masonic Lodge in Derry.

When not involved in a church somewhere, Debbie enjoys reading, playing soprano recorder, cooking, trail walking, and snowshoeing.