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Rev. Peter W. Allen, Senior Pastor
The Reverend Peter Allen was raised in Westport, Connecticut. He was baptized, educated, confirmed, married, and ordained in the Green's Farms Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. He graduated from Staples High School, the University of Connecticut (BA, Sociology), and Andover Newton Theological School (Master of Divinity). He is currently a doctoral candidate at Hartford Seminary, writing his dissertation on ministry with emerging adults (18-29 year-olds). The Reverend Allen served churches in Ledyard, CT; Walpole, MA; and Concord, NH, before being called as the Senior Pastor of the Monroe Congregational Church, UCC, in 1994.
His favorite aspects of ministry include preaching, youth ministry, mission travel, and leadership development. His interests include reading, guitar, cooking, watercolor, backpacking, and winter mountaineering. He lives in Monroe, CT, with his wife, Jane, and their younger son, James. Their older son, Hank, resides in New Haven.
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Rev. Jennifer M. Gingras, Associate Pastor
Pastor Jenn grew up in Madison, Connecticut and attended the North Madison Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. She spent much of her youth at Silver Lake Conference Center, which is still her spiritual home-away-from-home. After a 12 year career in marketing and administration, she began following a call to ordained ministry. Jenn attended Hartford Seminary and then Yale Divinity School while working full time and attending to the needs of her family. As an in-care student, she served the Trumbull Congregational Church UCC as Director of Christian Education and did her C.P.E. residency at Norwalk Hospital in the oncology and E.R. departments. Jenn earned her Masters of Divinity at Yale in 2007 and was called as the Associate Pastor of the Monroe Congregational Church, UCC.
Jenn's passions in ministry include leading educational programs, pastoral counseling and empowering youth and adults to serve God through mission and outreach programs. Her interests include drumming, playing the violin, gardening and visual arts. Jenn lives in Trumbull, with her husband, Clark, and their children Cady and Zack.
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Will Duchon, Music Director
Will’s love of music began early, when at the age of seven he began taking piano lessons from Mr. Robert Canfield, a graduate of the famed Julliard school. He earned a BFA and an MFA in performing arts from SUNY Purchase (1992) and has been teaching private piano lessons since 1980. Will has also taught undergraduate classes in Music Theory and Solfege at SUNY, and has served in music ministry at the Memorial Community Church of West Harrison, NY and the Pleasantville Presbyterian Church in Pleasantville, NY.
He is the father of two grown children, Matt and Lauren, and the proud grandfather of Olivia. Will is also a broadcaster for WMNR-FM Fine Arts Radio . His program airs each Friday evening from 6:00pm until 11:00pm, to the delight of choir and church members alike.
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Melissa Rosenberg, Administrative Assistant
Melissa grew up in Yonkers, NY. Before coming to work at the Monroe Congregational Church, she was an office administrator at Good Directions, a copper weathering store. Melissa is responsible for managing the office, which includes answering questions about church life, keeping track of events in the life of the church, producing our print and web communications, and many other important tasks.
Melissa is currently enrolled at the Naugatuck Valley Community College where she is attending night school and pursuing a bachelors degree in either child development or counseling. She spends her free time with her extended family and her favorite nephews. She is married to James and lives in Danbury, Connecticut.
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