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Welcome to The New Room Family!

Dear Higganum UMC Members and Non-members,

Welcome to the New Room Family! I am grateful to God for giving us the privilege of being in ministry together. We are delighted that you are the newest Campus in the New Room Parish Family!

Together we will come alive in Jesus Christ to be shining beacons of God’s love.

As a member of the New Room Parish, you will enjoy the ministry of three pastors, Rev. Sun Joo Lee, Rev. Chinma Uche, and me (Rev. Ric Hanse). Our contact information is below. Please feel free to be in touch with us.

Together we will grow in our commitment to following Jesus and offering Christ’s saving love to others.

Affectionately,

Ric 

 

Pastor Ric Hanse

Pastor Ric has served in fulltime ordained ministry for thirty-one years. Ordained a Deacon in 1991, and an Elder in 1994. The churches Ric has served include:

  • 1992 Kipling UMC – Kipling, North Carolina
  • 1997 West Hartford UMC – West Hartford, CT
  • 2016 First Meriden UMC – Meriden, CT
  • 2022 The New Room – East Berlin, Kensington, Meriden, Middletown,South Meriden Trinity UMCs.

Ric is married to Lisa Hanse (35 years) who is the Program Director of the Senior Centers of West Hartford.

Ric and Lisa’s family includes:

  • Jen Dowty (Brandon), Granddaughter Kennedy Claire Dowty (11/5/2022).
  • Ashley Hanse (Christine).
  • Anna Hanse.
  • Jonathan Hanse.

Ric and his uncle, Lance Reinheimer are primary caregivers for Ric’s Grandmother, Bettie Hanse (103), who lives in West Babylon, Long Island.

Ric’s favorite Bible verse is Nehemiah 8:9-10

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

Alex Malok, Anna Hanse, Lisa Hanse, Ashley Hanse, Christine Hanse, Jonathan Hanse

Brandon Dowty, Kennedy Claire, Jen Dowty (Kennedy’s Baptism)

Pastor Sun Joo Lee

Pastor Lee was given to the Lee’s family in Chun-Chon, Korea, as the fourth blessing, followed by the fifth child, in her family. She has had tremendous joy in learning and endless curiosity, and ambition. She majored in Art and Early Childhood and Special Education and Theology.

She wanted to be a designer, so she came to New York from South Korea. Yet, she was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2020. She currently serves as a pastor at FUMC of Torrington, CT, and enjoys serving the young and old, the weak, the poor, the helpless, and the lost in the world.  She is excited to grow every day with church members whom she serves toward Christian perfection.

Her first-received and favorite verse in the Bible is

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Pastor Lee enjoys interpreting Bible as well as artworks, reading, and hiking. 

Pastor Chinma Uche

My name is Chinma Uche, a 2021 M.Div. graduate from Drew University Theological School.  I worship at North United Methodist Church (NUMC) in Hartford, CT where I serve in the Education and Prayer Ministries.  I am also a Math and Computer Science High school teacher, a born-again Christian, and an advocate for social justice and equity in education.  I served as the President of the Connecticut chapter of CSTA from 2009 to 2018, having been a founding member of the association. I train K-12 teachers, to bring Computer Science to their classrooms, as an adjunct faculty at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT.

I was born in a remote village in Eastern Nigeria, studied for my Ph.D. at Imperial College, London, England, and also taught in England.  I have benefitted from people’s kindness from a lot of sources, and I pray to use my life as a source of blessing to other people, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am grateful for my life experiences (having lived and worked in three continents), and for the training from my teachers, mentors and pastors. I consider myself enormously blessed, having Christian friends everywhere.  I am a wife, a mother of four wonderful adults, and a grandmother of three.  

Pastor Chinma Commissioned as a Provisional Elder at the 2023 Session of Annual Conference.

Uche (Chinma’s Husband) and Pastor Chinma at the Commissioning Service.

 

               Please Keep In Touch 

                  If you need pastoral care, please feel free to contact any

                   member of your pastoral team via phone, text or email.

           You have three pastors.  We are here for you!

               Pastor Ric Hanse 860-306-9771 (Cell) Rhanse21@gmail.com

        Pastor Sun Joo Lee 959-209-0407 (Cell) Sunjoo.lee@nyac-umc.com

     Pastor Chinma Uche 860-324-7725 (Cell) Chinma.Uche@nyac-umc.com

 

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