Rev. Deborah Shipp has served as pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Portsmouth since July 1, 2003. She has served churches in Pawtucket, RI, Bridgewater, MA, and Providence, RI. She is a 1971 graduate of Boston University (B.S.) and 1985 graduate of Andover Newton Theological School (M.Div.) In October 2004, Deb was joined in ministry by (Tom) Sawyer, a tall lanky golden retriever who is a certified service dog for ministry through the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS).

Deb was a junior high school teacher for eleven years before answering God’s call to ordained ministry. She brings her gift and love of working with children and youth to the congregation. Rev. Shipp has traveled to Israel twice visiting many of the biblical sites. She has also traveled to Nicaragua twice as part of the New England Conference Covenant with the Iglesia de Cristo, to the Community of Taizé, Taizé, France and to Sheffield, England as part of the Urban Mission Training Program. Deb has been trained in and has taught Disciple I and II, and trained in Companions in Christ. Rev. Shipp serves on the New England Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and co-chairs the Conference Relations Committee.