Born in Massachusetts and raised in Maine, Anissa earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Southern Maine, a master of arts (concentration in sacred music) from Bangor Theological Seminary, and a master of divinity from Boston University. 

 

Before joining Plymouth in June 2007 as an associate minister in our 27-month Transition into Ministry program, she gained wide experience focusing on church music. While studying for her master’s degrees, Anissa was the director of music at First Congregational Church in Scarborough, ME, for 10 years. More recently, her ministry has led her to work with the Iona Community in Scotland, as well as Star Island, a United Church of Christ/Unitarian-Universalist retreat center off the coast of New Hampshire. She is a hymnologist, whose expertise has helped churches expand their use of congregational singing in worship.

 

Church work is something of a family affair for Anissa; she is the fifth person in her generation of cousins to enter the ministry.