Episcopal Rector Search Committee Christ Church Exeter New Hampshire

Search Committee Member Biographies

Carol Allard (co-chair)

Carol has made two pilgrimages to the Holy Land with several other members of Christ Church. These pilgrimages are the high points of her forty-four year spiritual journey at Christ Church. She is currently active on the Pastoral Care Team and in Seacoast Family Promise, a program working with local homeless families. In the past she has served on the Vestry and has completed an EFM course.

Carol recently retired from working as an ICU nurse at Exeter Hospital, happily replacing that with being a first-time grandmother.

Christ Church has been central to her growth in faith through worship, retreats and spiritual study. She is committed to seeing it continue as a joyful, empowering and hospitable place for anyone who is seeking a closer relationship with God.

Steve Armstrong

Showing very little commitment to the Congregational background in which he was raised, Steve agreed with his cradle Episcopalian wife, Barbara, to attend Christ Church Exeter when they moved to Exeter with their two young daughters, Alisun and Kristin, in 1976. Steve planned to be an occasional participant at church on Sundays, while Barbara would become heavily involved with the church community and its ministries. Approximately one month after the first service, Steve became a member of the Stewardship committee and then became head of the Ushers Guild. In 1986, he was “received” into the Episcopal Church on the same day that his daughter, Kristin, was confirmed. He has served the parish as a member of several Vestries, one term as Junior Warden and, most recently, a double term as Senior Warden. He is currently a Lay Eucharistic Minister and Safe Church Minister.

Christ Church has fulfilled a strong need Steve had to balance his secular role as an executive in the corporate world for forty-three years and his spiritual being. The faith, prayer, community, and, most of all, the following of Jesus through his journey has made him a more spiritually complete person.

Judy Blaisdell (chaplain)

Judy was introduced to the Episcopal tradition in 1982 when invited by a friend to attend Christ Church. She quickly found the “via media” to be a comfortable fit for her spiritual journey and has since been an active member. While her husband Steve has chosen to support from the background, their three children all grew up in the CC community, active in church school, as acolytes and in the youth group.

Judy and her youngest daughter were on the first CC mission trip to Philippi, WV in 2003 - a life-changing experience for both. Other ministries close to Judy’s heart have been church school teacher, Vestry, Altar Guild, LEM, Cursillo, the annual Rummage Sale, and outreach through our commitment to the Seacoast Family Promise program. Recently graduating from the 4-year EfM course was a highlight. Judy also finds deepening of her spirituality through the laying on of hands as a member of the Healing Team and puttering in the church gardens.

Having witnessed many transitions in this parish and a strengthening of this community’s love and devotion to following God’s path, Judy is eagerly anticipating this next phase of growth with new rector leadership.

Patti Buck

A cradle Episcopalian, Patti has lived throughout New England and settled in Brentwood, NH with her husband and two children in 1994. As a member of Christ Church since that time, Patti has been active in many aspects of parish life including Altar Guild, Pastoral Care Team and the Healing Team. A past member of the vestry she is currently engaged in EfM study. Patti is employed as a Physical Therapist and actively supports a variety of professional and community organizations including NHAPTA, New Outlook Teen Center, and the Mary E Bartlett Library.

When asked what excites her about Christ Church Patti said, The variety of programs that provide opportunities for spiritual growth and the multitude of intergenerational parish activities.

Cindy Eaton (vestry liaison)

Cindy started attending Christ Church in 1998. She taught Sunday School for two years, and is currently a member of the Vestry and Altar Guild and is a reader and intercessor during worship. She and her family (husband Ted and son Tim) live in Kensington. In addition to her involvement with the church, she is on the executive committee of the Parent Association at Heronfield Academy, and volunteers as much time as possible with various school activities and events.

When asked what excites her about Christ Church, Cindy said: I think the thing that excites me most is the sense of warmth and community that I feel at church. I also have a tremendous gratitude for the opportunities for the youth at Christ Church. The youth group was an important part in my life, and I am grateful for my child to have the chance to experience that fellowship.

Joe Fisher

Joe's introduction to the Episcopal Church began while taking pre-marriage counseling with his wife of 22 Years, Anne. Although not married by an Episcopal minister (his best man's Lutheran Father officiated the ceremony) attendance at Christ Church became an important part of his faith. With strong support from his In-laws and closeness of the church he became a “regular” around 1997. He has two daughters Abygayle 19, and Alyson 14 both of whom were baptized and confirmed at Christ Church.

Joe has been an active member at Christ Church by helping out with many activities such as chaperoning Youth Group, Youth Theater and just about any other church function that needs a volunteer. He also took part in 2 years of EFM. One event in particular that greatly influenced his spiritual growth was a mission trip to West Virginia. This trip was a true spiritual awakening for him!

Joe works as a grounds keeper for Phillips Exeter Academy and also volunteers to maintain the lawns at Christ Church.

What does Christ Church mean to Joe? A place for Family, Community, Fellowship, Spirituality, and Love for a lifetime and more!!

Patricia Gianotti

Patricia's early spiritual formation took place in the Russian Orthodox Church; and although she is a relatively new member to Christ Church, she has been involved in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire since 2001. Patricia has a commitment to on-going adult education at Christ Church and has been actively involved in facilitating a number of the Adult Forum programs. In her professional life Patricia is a clinical psychologist, and she considers the importance of spiritual development to be an integral component to growth and a sense of well-being.

Her favorite Bible verse is Matthew 11: 29-30, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me: for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." This verse has always spoken to her because it acts as a reminder of how it is we are called to serve -- with a willing heart, trusting that we will never be given more than we can handle, and that in finding our place to serve, we are given so much more in return.

Donna McCay (secretary)

In 1994 - just having relocated to Seacoast New Hampshire from Oregon – Donna, husband Morgan and their 3 daughters were in search of an Episcopal church home. They happened to attend the Christmas Eve Pageant at Christ Church Exeter that year and were impressed with the level of involvement in the pageant by the youth. After visiting the church for several Sundays, they knew that Christ Church Exeter would be able to provide a wide range of Christian education, outreach, fellowship, liturgical opportunities and much more for their family. They had found a spiritual home!

Donna is passionate about helping those less fortunate and feels that this is her 'calling' in life. At Christ Church, she's very involved in Seacoast Family Promise and helped organize a parish-wide community day of service in the fall of 2010. She's on the Stewardship Committee and is a Delegate to the Seacoast Convocation.

Donna and her family enjoy kayaking, cross-country and downhill skiing, and board games. In May 2010, she became a grandmother to little Sophia.

David Michaud (co-chair)

David spent most of his years as a Roman Catholic but several years ago he and his life partner, Scott, decided to see if the Episcopal Church might be a better “fit” for them. David feels that he has found a true church home at Christ Church, having been warmly welcomed from the beginning. A Commitment Ceremony for Scott and David took place at the church several months after they joined. They each have two adult children, three grandsons under the age of 5, and one more grandson due to arrive in a few months.

As a retired Elementary School Principal, David has been able to find the time to serve in a number of roles at Christ Church. He is a member of the Hospitality Team, the Pastoral Care Team, and is co-chair for Seacoast Family Promise, a program that provides lodging, food, and other social services to homeless families with children. He has recently received approval to serve as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and Lay Eucharistic Visitor. In addition, David volunteers in the church office weekly and is in the third year studying and growing in his faith as a participant in EfM (Education for Ministry).

David feels that it is a privilege to serve on the Search Committee. He is excited to serve his fellow parishioners as Christ Church looks forward and seeks a new Rector who will lead us into the future.

George Radford

George and his family have been members of Christ Church since 2006. His worship is strengthened by singing in the choir with his wife and son. A favorite hymn, of many, is For the Beauty of the Earth.

George is Field CTO for the Data Computing Division of EMC. His work in massively-parallel, petabyte-scale analytics often takes him to the intersection of data science, mathematics, statistics, and physics.

These frontiers of technology recall Albert Einstein, who wrote in 1931: “I see a pattern, but my imagination cannot picture the maker of that pattern. I see a clock, but I cannot envision the clockmaker. The human mind is unable to conceive of the four dimensions, so how can it conceive of a God, before whom a thousand years and a thousand dimensions are as one?”

To appreciate where music and spirituality continue where science cannot, one only has to listen to Bruce Adami play Olivier Messiaen’s L’ascension on the Christ Church organ — profound, awe-inspiring, and deeply moving.

Shannon Tosatti

Shannon became a member of Christ Church in 1995. Although she was not raised an Episcopalian, her husband David and herself both had ties to the Episcopal Church and felt spiritually at home there. They were married in an Episcopal church in Connecticut and all three of their children, Emily, Nicholas, and Abby have been baptized at Christ Church. Shannon has been actively involved in the coffee hour, the Sunday school program, Vacation Bible School, and the Christmas Pageant.

Shannon is a special education teacher, currently working as an elementary school reading tutor. She often volunteers in her children’s classrooms, on their sports teams and as a Girl Scout leader. When she is not with her family or at work, you might find her nose in a good book, out for a walk or snapping some pictures.

Shannon grew up in a spiritual home and tries to raise her children with a strong sense of faith and community. She finds children to be the greatest spiritual teachers of all. As a young woman grappling with life’s indecisions, she always remembered her kindergarten Sunday school students looking at her with eager eyes ready to be filled with wisdom. Yet, it was always their innocent and truthful light that filled her with joy. Now that she has grown, with three children of her own, she is always amazed by the spiritual wisdom her own children pass on to her every day. One of her favorite bible verses is Matthew 18:2-6:

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. “

Paul Wainwright

Raised as a Methodist in Amityville, Long Island, Paul first came to the Episcopal Church at Trinity Church on the Green in New Haven while he was a graduate student at Yale in the mid-1970s. He worked at Bell Laboratories for many years, mostly in Holmdel, New Jersey, relocating to New Hampshire in 1995 to work at a Bell Labs location in North Andover, Massachusetts. Paul took an "early retirement" in 2001 (when the company down-sized), and since then has followed his life-long passion for traditional black and white photography.

Paul came to Christ Church in 1999, and has served on the Vestry, the Organ Selection Committee, and as a delegate to Diocesan Convention. He currently serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.

Paul and his wife Judy were married at Christ Church in 2002. Although they have no children, they share their home with two cats and two Golden Retrievers.

Paul's favorite hymn is Hark the Herald Angels Sing, especially verse 3:

Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Risen with healing in his wings, light and life to all he brings,
hail the Sun of Righteousness, hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born king!

Mike Yergeau

Mike has been a member of Christ Church since 1982 when the first of his three sons was baptized here. Having been a life-long Catholic and “lost” for some time, he was not very engaged during those early years. Over time Mike got involved in the Scouting Program, which happened to be sponsored locally by Christ Church. It was during this time that he came to realize what the Christ Church community had to offer in terms of youth involvement, community, and eventually worship.

Before long Mike was on the Buildings & Grounds Committee, then the Building Renovation Committee. He eventually felt called to serve 2+ terms as Junior Warden, go on a mission trip, and regularly support the annual Youth Theater effort. Over nearly 30 years, he and his wife Robin have become increasingly involved at Christ Church, beginning with the Baptism and growth of their three boys. As their boys have grown, they have realized that they have also “grown up” at Christ Church - they have grown in faith and in their personal relationship with Jesus.

All during Mike's active time at Christ Church, the Rector has been a source of inspiration and empowerment, a leader, and a visionary. He has no doubt that our next Rector will guide us on our next steps in this glorious journey.