United Church of Chapel Hill Pastors & Staff - United Church of Chapel Hill

Cameron Barr

Senior Pastor

A North Carolina native, Cameron is a graduate of Davidson College and Vanderbilt Divinity School. Before joining United Church in March 2018, he served as a pastor for six years in Iowa. He was an Associate Minister of Plymouth Church in Des Moines and pastor of a congregation in Grinnell. He lives in Chapel Hill with his husband, Jackson Den Herder, an architect, and a French Bulldog named Gus Gus.

Email: cbarr@unitedchurch.org
Phone: 919-942-3540, ext. 108
Direct Line: 919-338-7917

David Mateo

Associate Pastor

David graduated from the PLD (Pastoral Leadership Program) program of the UCC, and received his Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary; Lancaster, PA.

Email: dmateo@unitedchurch.org
Phone: 919-942-3540, ext. 101
Direct Line: 919-338-7912

Ian McPherson

Associate Pastor

A North Carolina native, Ian (he/they) is a graduate of Campbell University, Saint Louis University, and Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Ian is a passionate advocate for youth leadership both in the church and in Christianity’s moral witness to the world. Their ministry puts faith and civic formation in conversation to amplify the theo-ethical wisdom of young people.

Email: imcpherson@unitedchurch.org
Phone:919-942-3540, ext. 102
Direct line: 919-338-7913

Mary Elizabeth Hanchey

Associate Pastor

Mary Elizabeth Hill Hanchey grew up in NC, the child of Baptist pastors, living in communities across the state. She has degrees from UNC (BA, JD) and Duke (MDiv), and earned one unit of CPE at Duke. Ordained at Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, she has served congregations throughout the triangle. Mary Elizabeth is known for her writing, preaching, teaching about religious liberty, teaching about grief (especially fertility grief), and her commitments to social justice. She lives in Durham with her husband and three children, and a rescue dog that turns out not to be a lab.

Email: mehanchey@unitedchurch.org
Phone: 919-942-3540, ext. 106
Direct Line: 919-338-7919

Anitra Grove

Director for Children’s Ministry

A Southeastern North Carolina native, Anitra graduated from Meredith College with a degree in Child Development and has enjoyed more than 20 years of working in the early childhood field. Anitra finds much joy in sharing this place of belonging with the children and families of United Church of Chapel Hill and in providing a safe, loving, and nurturing place for faith formation. Anitra, Neil, their two children, Anna, and John, and dog, Sadie, enjoy life in Hillsborough, NC.

Email: agrove@unitedchurch.org
Phone: 919-942-3540

Organist

Email:

Phone: 919-942-3540

Jenny Anderson

Director of Music

Jenny received a BA and MAT in Music from Rollins College in Florida. In the 1990’s she lived in England, where she directed choirs, taught primary school music and maintained a large voice studio. She moved to Chapel Hill in 2000 and began directing the Chancel Choir at United Church in 2001, while teaching elementary and middle school music as her day job. In 2011 she became the United Church Director of Music, directing the Children’s, Youth and Chancel Choirs and coordinating a diverse and rich music program.

Eemail: janderson@unitedchurch.org
Phone:919-942-3540, ext. 105
Direct Line: 919-338-1718

Gillian Fields

Youth Choir Assistant

Gillian E. Fields is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. Gillian earned a Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in voice performance from Meredith College located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Gillian attended The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford in Connecticut and earned a Masters of Music degree with a concentration in voice performance. Gillian is excited to become a part of the Music Ministry at United Church of Chapel Hill and to share God’s gift that she has been blessed to receive.

Email: gfields@unitedchurch.org
Phone: 919-942-3540

Louise Turrentine

Communications Manager