Meet Our Team

Senior Minister

Rev. Alisa Dickhoff

Rev. Alisa Dickhoff is a native of Lexington, South Carolina who now calls Vernon, Connecticut home. She came to New Haven in 2017 to begin a Master of Divinity program at Yale Divinity School. While studying, she met her Connecticut native spouse, JD, and the rest is history.

Prior to her studies at Yale, Alisa was a middle school band director in South Carolina. She continues to enjoy playing saxophone and flute, as well as singing. While her passion for music remains strong, her calling to ministry has been ever-present and she is honored to be an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

Alisa joined First Congregational Church of Vernon UCC (FCCV) in January of 2022 as the Associate Pastor and transitioned into the Senior Pastor role in June of 2024. She is passionate about the FCCV and surrounding Vernon community and is proud to serve an Opening and Affirming congregation known for their welcoming spirit. Alisa’s ministry at FCCV is notable for creating engaging programs and worship and strengthening community outreach and relationships. She is also honored to serve as the Chaplain for the Vernon Fire Department.

Alisa, JD, and their son Judge, live in Vernon and enjoy visiting our wonderful parks, walking on the Rails-to-Trails paths, and the wonderful community events. Alisa also enjoys rollerblading, swimming, running, and musical theatre. 

Minister of Music and Creative Arts

Leanne Connolly

Leanne Connolly is a long-time member of the First Congregational Church of Vernon UCC (FCCV) where she has served as Choir Director since 2013.

In addition to her role at FCCV, Leanne taught elementary school music for 34 years while raising her two kids in Vernon. She earned a Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School and was later Commissioned as Minister of Music.

Leanne has a long history of performing and directing musical theater and brings that passion to the FCCV family.

She believes that everyone has many gifts to offer, and she looks forward to helping them tap into their inner performer.

Organist/ Pianist

James Burr

James first attended FCCV when his family moved from Berlin to Vernon in 1981.  While pursuing a bachelor of science degree at the University of Connecticut he studied organ and performed in their early music ensemble, the Collegium Musicum, playing harpsichord, recorders and singing.  In recent years he has sung with the Vernon Chorale and played handbells with the Hockanum Valley Ringers. 

Prior to FCCV, James served as the organist and choir director for the Andover Congregational Church from 1991 to 2005 and has also played for the First Church Christian Science in Willimantic for over twenty years.  His hobbies include bicycling, gardening and reading.

Church Programs

Sarah Roman Greaves

Sarah joined FCCV as an intern of church programs, at the end of July 2025. She is looking forward to collaborating with and supporting the many programs within the church.

Her first career path led to a BA and MA in Psychology. She worked with children and adolescents in the public school system, and in various supportive roles for the social, emotional and behavioral health needs of young people. She remains an advocate for the mental health and wellness of all. Sarah grew up Catholic but joined a UCC church in Stafford in 2012, where she discovered a love for worship, fellowship and service within the Church. Following a calling towards ordained ministry, she got her Certificate of Cooperative Ministry for her first few years of seminary at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, and is currently finishing her MA at Chicago Theological Seminary (online).She has a passion for social justice issues and ways for making "worship" a more active part of our everyday lives.

Sarah lives in Enfield, with her husband, mother, dog and two cats. When there is spare time, she enjoys going for walks/hikes, sitting at a coffee shop or at home with a good book, and antiquing. 

Church Adminstrator

Stephanie Howard

Stephanie grew up on Long Island in Franklin Square, New York. She graduated from Nassau Community College with her associate’s degree. Stephanie moved to Connecticut when she married her husband of 34 years Bob Howard. They currently reside in Tolland, CT and have two adult children, Emily and Nicole, and a dog named Sophie.

Stephanie worked as a church administrator at the United Congregational Church of Tolland for 10 years, and then as the office manager for Optimized Autism Interventions, a company that provided services to children with autism. Unfortunately, OAI closed down in 2021 due to COVID-19. Stephanie joined FCCV in January 2022.

In her free time, Stephanie and Bob enjoy hiking and fishing around New England. Stephanie also likes to take long walks with her dog Sophie, as well as reading, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends.