603-532-7979 admin@firstchurchinjaffrey.org 

Staff & Officers

traditional worship              progressive theology              welcoming community

LEADERSHIP
First Church in Jaffrey is blessed with a wide variety of spiritual heritages, experiences, and expertise and we are blessed to have leadership that bring a broad diversity of theology, practice and gifts.

Rev. Mark Harris

Settled Pastor

Rev. Mark Harris was called to be the pastor of First Church in Jaffrey in August 2026. He and his family moved to New Hampshire from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where he attended Lancaster Theological Seminary, and pastored a small church in Columbia. Pastor Mark brings with him his partner, Angela, a native of the Granite State, and three of his six children, as well as two dogs, and two cats.  The family is excited to begin this new chapter and learn the local Jaffrey area.  Before moving to Pennsylvania for Seminary, they lived in nearby Keene for many years.

In his first ten years of ministry, Mark worked for and with a number of non-profits, including the Lancaster County Re-Entry Management Organization, which used volunteer mentors and meetings to help people returning to society from prison and jail reintegrate successfully, Safe Communities, a non-profit dedicated to ending Child Sexual Abuse and provide resources and advocacy for survivors, and Lancaster County Meals On Wheels, where he was the Executive Chef.  Mark has been an avid writer of short fiction and poetry all of his life.  One of his chief interests in study is Trauma and Recovery, which he believes offers much promise of growth and healing to our society.

Mark’s theology is an expansive blend of deep respect for tradition and a progressive, hopeful view of the future.  He believes in the Body of Christ as the literal and all-inclusive whole of humanity and sees the Christianity of the future as a non-exclusive faith centered around love, compassion, and community.  Informed by his own personal journey through childhood trauma, he has been granted a rare view into the realities of being marginalized that is not often available to a tall, deep-voiced, American, white man.  His hope is to bring that knowledge into his preaching and into his care of the community.

Gene Faxon
Minister of Music

”As Minister of Music for First Church since 2005, Gene has brought his skills and creativity to all worship services, Taizé events, Easter and Christmas services featuring instrumental quartets and soloists. A few times a year, he organizes a special service that combines music and readings into a unique communal experience. Among the instruments that Gene plays with great skill are the organ, piano, harpsicord, recorder, and accordion. He is a piano tuner. Conducting choral music, teaching, and performing are all hallmarks of Gene’s remarkable career.

Gene attended Boston University where he earned BA in Music and MA in Education. At BU, Gene studied conducting, voice, piano, and organ while finding time to be president of the Student Council – activities that guided his path forward.

Gene has worked harmoniously with more than 10 ministers during his 26 years at First Church.”

Officers

First Church Officers Elected in January 2025

Moderator: Sam Greene

Clerk: Lisa Giragosian

Treasurer: Ben Wheeler

Board of Trustees: Jim Rothnie, Chair, Pam Hill, Roy Lake, Dan Wilfred, Dan Isaacs, Marc O’Brien, Joyce Petkovich, Susan Peterson, Janet Grant, Emeritus

Karen Brown, Administrator

Dr. Karen J. Brown joined the church as Administrator in January 2025 after retiring from Franklin Pierce University where her roles were Associate Dean followed by Executive Director of Institutional Research.  Prior to her career in higher education when her  daughters were young, she worked as Parish Administrator at the United Church of Jaffrey.  

Karen is central to communications at First Church, making sure that weekly eblasts on Tuesdays and Friday keep all informed of worship services, events, and volunteer needs. She is the hub that handles phone calls and emails, records management, and support for the minister and other staff/church officers.

Karen plays steel drum and has performed for the congregation on various occasions, alongside Ilona Kwiecien on accordion. A resident of Jaffrey, she enjoys spending time with her dog, a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix named Ruby.

Address

First Church in Jaffrey UCC

P.O. Box 673
Jaffrey, NH 03452

Street Address:

14 Laban Ainsworth Way
Jaffrey, NH 03452

Contact Us

E-Mail:
admin@firstchurchinjaffrey.org

Phone:
603-532-7979

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Rev. Steve Miller

The Rev. Steve G. Miller started his ministry at The First Church in Jaffrey in January 2022, after a unanimous vote of approval by the congregation in October 2021 when he visited and conducted worship. Prior to moving to New Hampshire, Miller was the senior pastor at the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Vermillion SD for 26 years.
Steve Miller graduated from Springfield College in 1981. He began studying at Yale Divinity School and transferred to the Pacific School of Religion, where he received his Master of Divinity degree in 1987. He served churches in Bethlehem, CT and Gilman, IA before going to Vermillion in 1995.

During his long tenure in Vermillion, Steve studied the Lakota spirit, language and music and invited the Lakota community to hold sacred ceremonies at the UCC church. He was also involved in community theater productions and the Vermillion Youth Baseball Association for players. The title of teacher also belongs in Steve’s repertoire, as demonstrated by his popular “World Religions” course at the University of SD

Starting Anew at First Church
Steve came to First Church during the pandemic and brought new energy and ideas to First Church as the congregation emerged from the isolation imposed by COVID. Working with the Minister of Music Gene Faxon and a growing list of volunteers, worship life not only fills the congregation with spirit but offers vision for the future. Late summer and fall showed a distinct increase in attendance, culminating with a full house on Christmas Eve 2023.

Steve has applied his teaching skills to an ongoing faith study series (usually 4-5 weeks) that has become a hub of learning and fellowship for members, neighbors and new friends. Topics explored in these sessions have included the character of faith, a mini course on world religions, a history of church music, and an examination of Christmas carols.

Steve offers pastoral care to members, neighbors, and friends in homes and care facilities. He’s committed to youth work for the New Hampshire Conference UCC – especially camping at the Horton Center in the White Mountains; serves on the board of Jaffrey’s Shelter from the Storm; and supports Jaffrey Adult Day Care by leading monthly singing events. Other community relationships include worship leadership at Cathedral of the Pines and serving as chaplain of the Scout Troup 33, who now call First Church home. Rev. Miller has also been involved with Shem Center for Interfaith Spirituality in Oak Park, IL for more 30 years through retreats, conferences, and classes.

Steve’s wife, Dr. Jill Tyler, joined him in Jaffrey the First Church after she retired in May 2022 as professor and chair of the University of South Dakota (USD) Communications Department. They have five children and three grandchildren.
Gene Faxon Minster of Music

On Sunday, February 2, First Church will celebrate 20 amazing years with its Minister of Music, Gene Faxon. After graduating from Brockton High school (MA), Gene went to Boston University where he earned BA in Music and MA in Education. At BU, Gene studied conducting, voice, piano, and organ while finding time to be president of the Student Council – activities that guided his path forward.

Conducting choral music, teaching, and performing are all hallmarks of Gene’s remarkable career, beginning at Western New Mexico University. Living in Silver City, NM, Gene co-founded The Broken Oak Center for Music and the Arts, which became a focus of community activity, offering opportunities for people of all ages to participate in music, art, theatre, dance and poetry.

Returning to New England in the early 2000s, Gene became Director of Education and a faculty member at Manchester Community Music School in New Hampshire. He also taught music at the Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, NH and worked as a substitute organist for several churches. An active member of the NH American Guild of Organists, Gene served as Dean of the Monadnock Chapter of the AGO. Wherever he was teaching and conducting, Gene introduced Wassail choruses, reflecting a longtime interest and training in Early Music.

As Minister of Music for First Church since 2005, Gene has brought his skills and creativity to all worship services, a concert series, Taizé events, community celebrations of St. Lucia and a Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, Easter and Christmas services featuring instrumental quartets and soloists. Under his leadership, Gene introduced Celtic, gospel, folk, Shaker and Broadway music into the life of First Church. A few times a year, he organizes a special service that combines music and readings into a unique communal experience.

Among the instruments that Gene plays with great skill are the organ, piano, harpsicord, recorder, and accordion. Naturally, he is a piano tuner and, recently retired from teaching, he’s delving into learning how to repair pipe organs. Among his awards are grants from New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. A longtime resident of Temple, NH, Gene now lives in Keene.

Finally, Gene has worked harmoniously with more than 10 ministers during his 20 years at First Church – a major accomplishment and a tribute to his talent for collaboration!

Judy Lessard
Administrative Assistant

Judy brings her corporate experience. Working with our pastor and music minister, she creates the worship bulletins, sends out e-blasts, and monitors phone calls and church email. Working with our treasurer, she maintains the QuickBooks database and generates financial reports. Working with the communications team, she creates, prints, and distributes the church newsletter.

Officers
In late January 2022, First Church heartily welcomed (bottom row)  Roy Lake, Pam Hill,  David Bliss and Janet Grant as new Trustees.  Nancy Elder-Wilfrid is the new Clerk and in the top row is Ann St. Cyr Gordon (Treasurer) and Sam Greene Moderator. Officers: Sam Greene, Moderator Ann Gordon, Treasurer Nancy Elder-Wilfrid, Clerk   Trustees: David Bliss Janet Grant Pam Hill Roy Lake Tom Warren Dan Wilfrid