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| Contributed photo The Reverend Dr. Christopher Dare is the new pastor at Grant Memorial United Methodist Church in Presque Isle. Dare is from Indiana and his wife, Rhonda, is a native of Aroostook County. |
The Reverend Dr. Christopher Dare has been appointed to the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church by Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar, resident bishop of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church. According to Northern Maine District Superintendent, Rev. Pat MacHugh, Rev. Dare assumed his duties on July 1.
Dare was born in South Bend, Ind. in 1953 and is the oldest of four children. He was baptized in the Methodist church at 6 months of age and confirmed in the sixth grade. He attended youth group, was a Boy Scout and sang in the choir at his home church in Mishawaka, Ind. He also attended church camps every year of his junior high and high school years.
In 1969, he spent the entire summer at the local Methodist church camp doing drama and music for the campers. With the exception of the four years he served in the United States Air Force, he has lived in Indiana. After his military service, he went to Purdue University and graduated with a BS in electronics. Dare worked in the engineering field for over 20 years.
His wife, Rhonda grew up in Woodland. She has a son, Richard, who still lives there. She also has a daughter, Shelly who lives in Connor Township and a daughter, Nichole, who lives in Gardiner. Rhonda also has grandchildren, siblings and other relatives in the Caribou area.
“My spiritual growth took a great leap after attending a ‘Walk to Emmaus’ weekend in my late 30s. I then began to experience a call to ministry. I prayed to God for confirmation that the call was really Him. One day at church, for no apparent reason, three people suggested to me within the course of an hour that I should consider going into the ministry. I was astonished, since no one had ever said such a thing to me before,” Dare said.
“I started when I was 42 and was appointed to my first church as a student pastor. That first Sunday someone walked into the church and called out, “Pastor!” I had no idea they were talking to me! Since then, I have been very blessed to serve four loving and generous congregations. I’ve always known that God put me was where I was supposed to be. There is no doubt that will also be true for my time at Grant Memorial,” he added.
For more information about Grant Memorial United Methodist Church, located at 79 Fleetwood Street in Presque Isle, including service times, visit their website at www.gmumc.net or call the church office at 207-762-9531.
