Mark W. Harris
Mark has been minister at First Parish since 1996, when he was settled as part of a co-ministry with his wife, Andrea Greenwood, who had been settled in Watertown in 1992. Andrea left the co-ministry after two years to be at home with their three sons, and Mark has remained as sole minister since.
His educational background is:
B.A., Bates College
M.A., University of New Hampshire
M.Div., Starr King School for the Ministry (California)
He was born in Winchendon, Massachusetts in 1951, and grew up in the nearby towns of Orange and New Salem. After graduating from Bates in 1973, he entered graduate school in history at the University of New Hampshire. He attended seminary at the Starr King School for the Ministry (California), and received an M.Div. in 1978. He has primarily been a parish minister during his career. His first pastorate was at St. Paul’s Universalist Church in Palmer, Massachusetts (1979-1985). Harris became the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Director of Information, the denominational historian and archivist in 1985. After that he served the First Parish in Milton, Massachusetts from 1989-1996, and then came to Watertown. Harris has also served brief ministries in Sheffield and London, England. He is an Adjunct Professor at Andover Newton Theological School and Starr King School for the Ministry (CA).
The author of many denominational pamphlets, including “Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith,” he has also published Among the Dry Bones (1983), a history of rural Unitarianism, co-edited Celebrating Easter: An Anthology of Unitarian Universalist Readings, with Carl Seaburg, and Historical Dictionary of Unitarian Universalism (2004). He and Andrea have recently signed a contract to write Introducing the Unitarian and Universalist Traditions for Cambridge University Press.
Mark Caggiano
Mark Caggiano is the minister in training.
Roberta Altamari
Roberta Altamari began working part-time as the Director of Religious Education here at First Parish since 2003. Before that, she was a dedicated R.E. volunteer leading many of our Sunday morning groups, an active R.E. committee member for many years, and our youth group advisor. She has also been working during her summer break as volunteer staff for the Unitarian Universalist middle school camp, Different Drummers, at Ferry Beach and will be co-coordinator for the camp this year. She is a homeschooling mom of two daughters, Dominique and Skylar Rose, and lives in Watertown with her husband, Michael. Her bio includes earning a Bachelor’s degree majoring in developmental psychology from Suffolk University in 1991. It also includes more than a decade of work supporting adults with developmental disabilities and a wide variety of fun jobs like leading music and movement programs for young children. True to her creative spirit, she has also done artistic jobs such as working for 3 years as a monthy columnist for the Watertown Tab, leading a variety of parenting workshops, and illustrating all of the song books for Family Music Makers. When she’s not busy working or parenting, she loves singing and playing her guitar, reading good books, trying a new art project, or walking on a beach.
Nancy Dutton
Nancy Dutton has been the church administrator since 2001. She is also employed as our bookkeeper. Nancy and her husband David Benson are members of the church. She and David have two grown daughters. Her father was a minister and prison chaplain for many years.
Patricia Devore
Patty has been our music director for many years. She has the distinction of being the organist in the old meetinghouse before it was torn down. Patty also plays for the Boston Ballet. She has two grown children and is married to Masahito Sugarawa.