Everyone is Welcome at God's Table
Our Staff
The Reverend Michael J. Hodges
Rector
Michael was born and raised in Albion, a small farming community east of Waterville, Maine, where his grandfather was the pastor of a small Baptist church. Michael graduated from Gordon College (B.A. in English) and earned his M.Div at Princeton Theological Seminary. After a year of theological study in Germany he moved back to the Boston area and was ordained to the priesthood in 2002. In 2001 he was appointed to serve as vicar of St. Paul’s in Brockton, an urban parish with a thriving soup kitchen ministry. In 2005 he was appointed to serve as Priest-in-Charge at St. Paul’s in Dedham and was subsequently called as rector. After 9 years at St. Paul’s, Michael was called to serve as the fifteenth rector of Christ Church in 2014.
Michael is married to Laurie, who works as a nurse for Atrius Health Care, and they have two daughters: Emma and her husband Jason live in Rhode Island; and Sally is a college student. Millie, the Hodges' English Cream Golden Retriever, is working on achieving "Number 1 Assistant" status as she joins him in the office most days.
In his time away from Parish duties, Michael enjoys home improvement projects at a summer home in Ocean Park, a Chautauqua community that is part of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, as well as golf, basketball and hiking.
As he articulated in his first sermon to the parish, Michael is passionate about proclaiming that “everyone is welcome at God’s table”, not only as an invitation to the altar for communion, but more broadly ensuring that everyone experiences true welcome at God’s banquet feast in the “kingdom of God”.
The Reverend James M. Dodson
Associate for Pastoral Care
The Reverend James Dodson has rejoined the staff of Christ Church as Associate for Pastoral Care. Jim is known to many of you both as a parishioner and as someone who has joined our staff on occasion. Jim works with our Pastoral Care committee to coordinate visits to parishioners at home, in the hospital, and other health-care facilities. He assists with our monthly services at Atria Marland Place and the Edgewood Retirement Community. He also assists on occasion with worship services here at the church. Jim works approximately 10 hours per week. He is married to longtime parishioner Frances Jennings Dodson.
Barbara Bruns
Minister of Music
Barbara was appointed Minister of Music at The Parish of Christ Church, Andover in February 2005. The daughter of United Methodist missionaries, Barbara was born and raised in Japan where she spent the first 18 years of her life. She first began playing for church services at the age of 13 at the US Army Base Chapel in Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan, and has been a church musician ever since! At Christ Church, she oversees a multi-level choir program, a series of concerts, and plays for morning and evening services, weddings and funerals. She works closely with the teachers and families of children and young adults, training singers and providing music for Children's Chapel, Christmas Pageant, and choir festivals.
Barbara holds a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance, magna cum laude, from Augustana College and a Master of Music degree, with honors, from the New England Conservatory where she was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda honorary. Recognized as an accomplished recitalist, accompanist, and conductor, she is the recipient of the “Outstanding Alumni Award” from Augustana College and has concertized extensively in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Since 1976 she has performed as soloist for national conventions of the Organ Historical Society, the American Guild of Organists, and the Association of Anglican Musicians.
Prior to her appointment in the fall of 2000 as Associate Organist and Choirmaster at St. Michael's Church, New York City, Barbara served as Minister of Music at St. Thomas' Church, Whitemarsh, PA and at three Episcopal parishes in Massachusetts: St. John's, Gloucester, St. Michael's, Marblehead, and St. Stephen's, Westborough. She has been organ instructor at the New England Conservatory Preparatory and Continuing Education Schools, National Chair of the Leadership Program for Musicians, Music Director of "AMUSE", a 16-voice vocal ensemble in New York City for amateur women, and Director of Training for Leadership Technologies, Inc. in New York City. For many years, Ms. Bruns was Associate Conductor of The Boston Cecilia and a member of the Board of Directors of the Old West Organ Society. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Gloucester, MA and have three grown sons, Robert, Matthew, and Richard.
Karen Aalto
Director of Finance
Karen has been the Christ Church Director of Finance since July 2016, overseeing the financial operations of the parish, Children’s Center, Cemetery, Thrift Shop, and Park Street property. Karen is a former CPA and holds degrees from Boston College, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is currently a Postulant for Holy Orders to the Priesthood in our diocese and is a part-time Master of Divinity student at Hartford International University. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Groveland with their teenage son, Owen, as well their two dogs and two cats. In her spare time, Karen enjoys running, cycling, hiking, and singing.
Louisa Neissa
Director of Communications
Louisa is responsible for all communications, including the Sunday bulletins, the various "Prophets" (weekly "e-Prophet" e-mail and Sunday bulletin announcements), and maintaining our website. She also provides administrative support for Stewardship and Christian Education, maintains the database and the church calendar, and is also the contact for groups wishing to use Christ Church space for their meetings.
Louisa began working at Christ Church in April 2023. Prior to her work at Christ Church, Louisa worked at Harvard Business School and was also a stay-at-home-mom for several years. She holds degrees from Wellesley College and the London School of Economics.
Ken Masse
Sexton
Ken is responsible for taking care of the buildings and grounds, and keeping things up and running. He coordinates repairs and improvements for all our buildings, including the church, Rectory, Glebe House offices and the church property at 10 Park Street, which houses the Andover Thrift Shop. Ken's background is in facilities construction project management. Ken began his work at Christ Church in January 2023. He lives in Tewksbury with his wife Julie. Ken works various hours throughout the week, mostly on afternoons and evenings.
Liz Dietz
Office Assistant
Liz helps Karen in the finance office with coordinating counters, posting, and other responsibilities. She's also a huge help to Louisa with printing, mailings, and other administrative tasks.
Christy Harvey
Director of the Christ Church Children's Center
Christy has a M.Ed. in Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Christy has over 25 years experience in the field of early childhood education and has served as a home visitor, teacher, program coordinator, consultant and director. Before coming to CCCC in 2006, Christy was the Teaching Director at the Fox Hill School in Danvers. At Christ Church Children's Center she taught in the four-year-old morning and afternoon classes until being hired as director in 2009. Christy is married and lives in Ipswich.
Anney Barrett
Soloist and Section Leader
Anney Barrett has served as the resident soloist and section leader at Christ Church Andover since 2006. As a professional choral singer, she has performed throughout the Boston area with ensembles including the Handel & Haydn Society, Labyrinth Choir, Schola Cantorum of Boston, Nota Bene, Boston Composers' Coalition, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. She currently works as a psychotherapist specializing in perinatal mental health at Looking Glass Counseling in Medford, and also maintains a private voice studio.
Anney has earned degrees in Great Books from the University of Notre Dame, Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music, and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University, and believes that these disciplines all meet at a nexus of communication and connection, toward a more humane, compassionate, and beautiful world.
Michael Barrett
Soloist and Section Leader
Michael Barrett is a Boston-based conductor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher. He serves as music director of The Boston Cecilia. Michael is also an Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music, where he teaches courses in conducting and European music history.
Michael has performed with many professional early music ensembles, including Blue Heron, the Boston Camerata, the Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Luminis, the Handel & Haydn Society, Nederlandse Bachvereniging (Netherlands Bach Society), Seven Times Salt, Schola Cantorum of Boston, and Nota Bene, and can be heard on the harmonia mundi, Blue Heron, Coro, and Toccata Classics record labels.
Michael holds degrees in music (AB, Harvard University), voice (First Phase Diploma, Royal Conservatory in The Hague, The Netherlands), and choral conducting (MM, Indiana University; DMA, Boston University).