About Us
We are a multi-generational congregation with a membership of 355, an average Sunday attendance of 118, and over 50 children enrolled in our Church School. Our church was gathered in 1771, by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, who had founded Dartmouth College less than two years before. Since 1957, we have been a member congregation of the United Church of Christ.
Please contact any of our staff if you have any questions or concerns about our worship or if you are interested in learning about membership.
We Are a Congregation of
The United Church of Christ
Meet Our Staff
Amanda Lape-Freeberg
Senior Pastor
Mandy began as the Senior Pastor on October 1, 2017, a month that celebrated the 500th anniversary of the beginning of Protestantism.
More About Amanda
I am delighted to be a part of this community. I began as the Senior Pastor on October 1, 2017, a month that celebrated the 500th anniversary of the beginning of Protestantism. The timing was fortuitous, as it afforded me an opportunity to focus upon some essential basics of our tradition. I love theology. Having conversations about God, Christ, faith, church, worship, service, mercy, and grace thrill me. Although I love to read, and church history is a particularly favorite topic, I find that the best discussions about faith occur in our day to day lives, often wrapped around a particular life dilemma. Rather than understanding theology as an ancient topic concerned with esoteric ideas, I understand theology as the foundation upon which we build our lives. My goal is to help make the richness and graciousness of theology more recognizable as we live out our lives together. I hope to organically and naturally equip people with the theological tools to interpret and navigate their lives with more joy and insight.
Rob Grabill
Associate Pastor
Rob has been a member of the CCDC congregation since 1989, Director of Religious Education 2009-2016. Upon completion of his Masters in Divinity from the Andover Newton Theological School, The Church of Christ at Dartmouth College called Rob to serve as Associate Pastor in 2016.
Henry Danaher
Director of Music
Henry arrived in Hanover to attend Dartmouth in 2004. The Church of Christ at Dartmouth College is the third UCC church Henry has served. He serves as Dartmouth’s College Organist, the Collaborative Pianist for the Dartmouth College Glee Club, and as the Music Director for the Dartmouth Vocal Performance Lab.
Candy Swift
Business Manager
Candy joined our team on July 3, 2023. She is a native to the Upper Valley and has three adult daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys nature, camping, boating and gardening. Candy brings many years of experience to her work at CCDC and we are delighted to have her join us!
Robert Waters
Building Manager
Bob joined our staff in January of 2022 as our part-time Building Manager. He is very familiar with our building, especially our organ, as he’s worked on our organ(s) for many years! He established Watersmith Pipe Organs in 1986 and we are very lucky to have him on board.
Church Officers Board of Elders
The Board of Elders is the main governing body of our church and includes our officers, a representative from each of our standing boards of deacons and several members at large.
Church Officers
- President – Jennifer Casey
- President-Elect –
- Clerk – Jackie Paulsen
- Moderator – Chris Jernstedt
- Treasurer – Dave Harrison
- Asst .Treasurer – Jay Pierson
- Nominating Chair – Becky Torrey
- At-Large Rep – Sam Smith
Board of Elders
- Steve Bensen (2024)
- Judy Bradeen (Cong’l Life 2025)
- Dan Brown (2025)
- Jennifer Casey (President ~ 2024)
- Mark Hansberry (M&C 2025)
- Georgiana McReynolds (Stew 2025)
- Susan Mullens (Outreach 2025)
- Jackie Paulsen (2024)
- Christina Robison-Gagner (RE 2025)
- Susan Shadford (2024)
- Sam Smith (2025)
Deacons
We have six Board of Deacons that are each responsible for overseeing different parts of our congregatoin. Click the various boards below to learn more.
Congregational Life
Purpose: to contribute to the overall health and well being of the congregation by nurturing community and encouraging new membership.
- Libby Barry ’24
- Tracy Bennett ’26
- Judy Bradeen ’25
- Marcia Brown ’25
- Megan Culp (Chair) ’24
- Gail Dimick ’24
- Sally Mansur ’26
- Betsey Ready ’26
Membership & Communication
Purpose: to encourage new membership, review membership rolls and records, and maintain communication within and beyond the Church.
- Ken Burchard ’25
- Rob Grabill (Staff)
- Whit France-Kelly ’26
- Dav Gagner ’26
- Mark Hansberry (Elder) ’26
- Gail McPeek (Chair) ’26
- Steve Smith ’24
Outreach
Purpose: to engage the congregation in projects, issues and ministries beyond our walls; locally, nationally and internationally.
- Cinny Bensen ’25 (Chair)
- Catherine Coles ’26
- Lois Frazer ’24
- Ann Gallagher ’24
- Xenia Heaton ’26
- Sarah Heidebrecht ’25
- Susan Mullens (Elder) ’25
- Kathryn Munro ’26
- Peter Sover ‘24
Religious Education
Purpose: to oversee educational programs for all ages including Sunday school, confirmation, adult ed. classes, inter-generational programs and events, and campus ministry.
- Grace Caldwell ’26
- Martin Copenhaver ’25
- Lydia Hansberry ’24
- Ben Hourdequin ’25
- Margaret Jernstedt ’24
- Zoe Johnson ’26
- Christina Robison-Gagner (Chair & Elder) ’26
- Rosalie Sainsbury ’25
Stewardship
Purpose: to be responsible for church properties including the building and its contents, and surrounding land. To work with the Pastor and church staff to oversee building cleaning and maintenance. To work jointly with the Treasurer and the Financial Advisory Committee of the Board of Elders on financial matters relating to budget, leases, contracts, and insurance.
- Charlie Buell ’25
- Brian Edwards ’26
- Dave Harrison ’24
- Mark McPeek ’26
- Georgiana McReynolds ’25
- Sonya Stover ’25
Worship & Music
- Ann Craxton ’24
- Lindsey Moseley ’23
- Dennis Robison ’24 (Chair)
- Kathy Wilkerson ’24 (Elder)
Miscellaneous Groups
We have other groups and committees that work in cooperation with the ministers and staff to carry out the work of the church.
Financial Advisory Committee
- Jennifer Casey
- Tom Csatari (Chair)
- Dave Harrison
- Mandy Lape-Freeberg
- Nancy Marion
- Bruce Riddle
Program Advisory Committee
- Chris Jernstedt (Chair)
- Bob Keene
- Carl Krieg
- Susan Mullens
Personnel Committee
- Judy Csatari, Chair
- Ann Craxton
- Jennifer Casey
- Dave Harrison
- Trish Jackson
- Mandy Lape-Freeberg
Delegates to NH Annual Meeting - October 2023
- Jennifer Casey
- Mark Hansberry
- Bruce Riddle
- John Torrey
Grafton/Orange Delegates
- Judy Csatari
- Tom Csatari
- Becky Torrey
CCDC Green Team
- Katie Aman
- Libby Barry
- Sylvia Field
- Bruce Freeberg
- Rob Grabill
- Margaret Jernstedt
- Bob Keene
- Gail McPeek
- Steve Shadford
- John Torrey
- Tom Wilson
- Youth Members: Lydia Hansberry, Evie McBride, Katharine Moseley, Alice Rodi, Blake Colla, and Ben Hourdequin
More Information About Our Church
Our Christian Identity
This church is a congregation of the United Church of Christ, a denomination formed in 1957 by the union of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed church.
When our church was gathered in 1771, we were a Congregational church. Shortly thereafter, we became a Presbyterian church for a period of approximately 30 years. We became a Congregational church again until 1957, when a unanimous vote of the membership declared us to be a member congregation of the newly formed United Church of Christ.
Today our members come from a rich variety of denominational backgrounds and thus enhance the diversity we share in our unity in the body of Jesus Christ.
We share in the United Church of Christ’s work through our local Grafton-Orange Association, the New Hampshire Conference of the UCC, and the national General Synod. Ecumenically, we are members of the local clergy association, the New Hampshire Council of Churches, and the National and World Councils of Churches.
The Covenant
Loving God, you call us and we do covenant with you and with one another:
to walk together in all your ways, as you reveal yourself to us;
to give ourselves freely with open hearts to the ministry of our church;
to become more faithful to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ;
to celebrate your gifts of unity and diversity;
to restore and protect all of your creation;
to take up your mission around the world, striving for justice and peace;
to care for all people, reconciling ourselves to them in love.
We give thanks for your gift of grace in every human life.
Amended and reaffirmed February 21, 2016
Our Purpose and Ministry
The purpose of our congregation, as stated in our bylaws, “is to show forth the love of God in the world through worship and service.” The ministry of this congregation is “the responsibility of all its members, individually and collectively, as each and all strive to embody the love of God within the human community.”
As an open and inviting church, we seek to share with all people the essence of our Christian heritage. Through worship, music, education, fellowship, and service we are dedicated to creating an environment where a living faith in Jesus Christ can grow and be strengthened.
Because we believe that all church members are ministers, we strive to do God’s work in the world, relying on God’s grace. Locally, we support a food depot, help with community dinners, organize special offerings, and respond to a variety of needs as they arise. As a congregation of the United Church of Christ, we support the work of our homeland and world ministries through our financial contribution to Our Church’s Wider Mission.
Open and Affirming
Committed to the call of God as expressed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and guided by our Covenant, the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College declares itself to be an open and affirming congregation. We welcome persons of every race, ethnicity, economic status, age, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation in our common purpose to discern and live according to the will of God. We believe that attitudes and acts of injustice, discrimination, and violence work against the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we accept God’s call to work to overcome these attitudes in others and ourselves. We invite all persons to join in the full life and ministry of this church.
(Adopted June 4, 2000)