Dr. Jeffry Zurheide became the pastor at First Baptist Church in January, 2004. Up until that time he had served as pastor of churches in Wilton, CT and Oklahoma City, OK. He also served in various capacities at churches in Massachusetts, California, Vermont and Texas. He was chaplain at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center from 1982 to 1984.

Jeff grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey where he attended a Presbyterian Church there. While in high school, he and a few dedicated friends founded a coffee house ministry that attracted disaffected youth with drug or drinking problems. This early experience started Jeff on the path to divinity school and a calling to the ministry.

He and his wife Karen met at a small Lutheran college in NJ and later transferred to Gordon College in Wenham, MA. Jeff was first exposed to New Hampshire on trips to Karen’s home in Lancaster, where he fell in love with both Karen and her home state.

Dr. Zurheide holds a B.A. from Gordon College in Massachusetts, a M. Div. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California and a D. Min. in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX.

Karen Johnson Zurheide, Jeff’s wife, who is a true New Hampshire native, loves to travel. She met Jeff after she participated in a mission project in Central America. Their honeymoon, which lasted 30 days, was spent in a VW camper touring the United States.

Karen also holds a B.A. from Gordon College and in addition, a MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The Fells in Newbury, NH.

The Zurheide’s have 2 children, Molly a student at Colby College in Maine and Andrew a student at Kearsage Regional High School.

It is interesting to note the connections that Jeff had with First Baptist Church over the years. As a student at Gordon College, Jeff came to sing and play guitar with two other students to young people at the church. Jeff encountered Bob Thurston, a former beloved pastor at FBC, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (during Jeff’s chaplaincy days), and during a lecture series at Yale Divinity School.

Although the New London area is not known for its fly-fishing, Jeff pursues this interest in the northern parts of the state and in the west. His love of music finds outlet in his guitar playing and singing to the delight of his congregation.

First Baptist Church represents the best of all worlds to Jeff. There is the Baptist identity; but at the same time the church really represents an interdenominational community (over 70% are non traditional Baptists) where members find a service that is enlightening and inspiring, with exceptional organ and choir music.