Our Mission

“The Mission of our Church is to proclaim and celebrate the Good News of God, to foster love and reinforce feelings of self-worth for all people, and to grow together as the ‘Body of Christ,’ each of us combining our talents with others.”

Rev. Sean Bendigo

Senior Pastor

We are elated to announce Rev. Sean Bendigo as the new Sr Pastor at First Church in Wenham.
Rev. Sean was voted in with a strong unanimous vote of the members and will begin his position on January 22nd.
Great thanks is extended to our hard working, dedicated search committee.
Search committee: Sue Brown, Shelby Thompson, Rev. Judy Proctor, Bob Imlach, Deirdre Pierotti, Don DeBlock, Andrew Hankinson, Naomi Cottrell, Claire Veenema, Sarah Oakley.


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Rev. Judy Proctor

Associate Pastor for Family Life

Reverend Judy Proctor is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has served the First Church in Wenham since 2017. Her love of children and passion for teaching have found a good home in a church that is inclusive and values families and children. 

Over the years, Judy has served local churches in a variety of leadership roles, including over 20 years of experience leading small groups and training leaders. Her ministry focus seeks to develop spiritual vitality and includes serving families of all expressions, providing faith formation, leadership development, and a dynamic approach to organizational process. She loves leading worship, both in the traditional Sunday morning setting and in smaller contemplative services.   

Judy holds a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and a Juris Doctor Degree from George Washington University. She has completed other professional training programs on contemplative leadership, the spiritual nature of leadership and organizations, spiritual direction, and life coaching. Judy has served on boards and committees for the United Church of Christ. All the training was great, but what best prepared her for parish ministry were the years spent at home raising three children. 


Abby Frost

Choir Director

Abby Frost serves as Choral Conductor for FCW, where she leads the Senior and Junior Choirs in regular worship and biannual works with orchestra, including AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, the Pinkham Christmas Cantata, Faure Requiem, and Vivaldi Gloria. 

Ms. Frost serves as Director of Choirs at Ipswich High School, and has since 2016. At IHS, she conducts the Ipswich High School Concert Choir, Bel Canto Treble Chorus, and Chamber Singers, teaches Guitar and Theory, and serves as Music Director for the spring musical. In the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association competition, Bel Canto was selected to perform at Symphony Hall as part of their Gold Medal Showcase in 2017 and Mechanics Hall in 2018. IHS Choral students are regularly selected to District and All-State Honor Choirs. An experienced music and drama educator, Ms. Frost has taught at the middle, high school, community, and collegiate levels since 2003. Ms. Frost also has extensive experience as a director, vocal coach and musical director for opera and musical theater productions; her own stage credits include straight theater, musical theater, and opera, and many years of choral singing with Lyricora (Byfield, MA), Lorelei Ensemble, Boston Cecilia, Tanglewood Symphony Chorus, Tucson Chamber Artists (now True Concord), Tucson Symphony Chorus, and the served as president of Nordic Choir of Luther College under Weston Noble. Prior to her time in MA, Ms. Frost has led singers in the Tucson Girls Chorus, the University of Arizona Hepcat Jazz Ensemble, public schools of Mason City, Iowa, and sacred choirs in both Tucson, AZ and Decorah, IA.

Ms. Frost earned a dual music education/performance degree from Luther College (IA), a Masters in Choral Conducting from University of Arizona, and National Board Certification. A native Minnesotan, Ms. Frost lives in Ipswich with her daughter. 


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Joe Stroup

Organist and Pianist

Joseph Stroup has been the organist and pianist at First Church since 1986. During this time, until 2011, he maintained a career as a Systems Analyst and computer programmer in the Financial and Insurance fields. For over 20 years he has been a collaborative pianist and Music Director in the Greater Boston area, working with many local performers, orchestras, and community theaters, and several colleges and high schools. A major high-light of his tenure was the opportunity to participate in the selection of the Schantz Organ Company and to advise on the tonal design of the church’s 2-manual instrument, which was installed in 2004. He is a past contributing editor of the Boston Singers Resource website and was briefly on the faculty of The Landmark School in Beverly. He is a graduate of the Oberlin College School of Music with a degree in Organ Performance.