Meet the Staff
Reverend Laura Biddle
Minister
Rev. Laura Biddle joined Brookside Church in June of 2019. As minister, she is responsible for preaching and teaching the gospel, administering the sacraments and rites of the church, and providing pastoral care and leadership. She leads the weekly worship service and heads the ministry groups that serve the congregation and the Manchester community. She also lends her acoustic guitar and vocal talents to the services and works to ensure that everyone - particularly children feel welcome and are encouraged to participate.
Rev. Biddle graduated from Episcopal Divinity School in 1986. Her first call to ministry was serving women in prison at MCI Framingham. Teaching courses in economic development and family reintegration allowed her to encourage new pathways for women and their children. Through preaching in congregations around New England she became an advocate for the spiritual health and well-being of incarcerated women and their families. During this period of time, she worked closely on issues regarding domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and community awareness of prisoners in Massachusetts.
In 1998, she was called to parish ministry. Serving congregations in Newburyport, Salem, Andover, West Concord, Weston, Boxford, and most recently, Nahant Massachusetts, she enjoyed both settled and interim ministries. Her commitment to creating and sustaining Open and Affirming congregations has been an important aspect of her ministry.
As a trained grief counselor, in 2009 she became the Spiritual Advisor to military families grieving suicide. Working with the staff of an organization called TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Project for Survivors), she continues to be committed to helping military and police families advance their spiritual health after a suicide.
For six years, she served as the part-time Chaplain at Salem State University, allowing her to bring a spiritual perspective to all academic areas. She also focused on the veterans program, the LGBTQ community, confidential conversations after a sexual assault, and the Diversity and Inclusivity Department.
.png)
Louise Popp
Church Administrator
Louise has been attending Brookside since the late 80’s and has been our church administrator since 2019. She has worked in the non-profit arena for the past 30 years as the Deputy Executive Director for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, serving MA, ME, NH, & RI and as Regional Vice President for the American Cancer Society, New England Division. Louise graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a BS in Marketing/Management.
.png)
Pedro Otero
Sexton
Pedro Otero Jr., a Puerto Rican originally from Springfield, MA, is a devoted husband and father of five children. He has been a dedicated maintenance technician at Goffstown School District and is known for his hard work and reliability. Pedro’s passion for his job is only matched by his love for spending time in nature. He often takes to the trails, hiking, and exploring the great outdoors. This love for adventure is shared with his wife and beloved dog, Budz. He has a knack for making people feel comfortable and appreciated, always going out of his way to help others. His sense of humor is legendary, often leaving those around him in fits of laughter. Whether he's telling a joke or sharing a funny story, Pedro’s infectious laughter and joyful personality light up any room.
Michelle Jaques
Music Leader
Michelle Jaques is the Director of Band, Choir and Orchestra at Manchester Memorial High School. Currently in her 27th year of teaching, she has taught instrumental and vocal music in public high schools in New Hampshire and in bilingual international schools in Lima, Peru and Berlin, Germany.
A lifelong pianist, Michelle has served as music director and accompanist in United Methodist and Congregational churches around New Hampshire for over 30 years. Most recently, she served as summer music director at Camp Hedding, a traditional United Methodist Camp Meeting Association in Epping, NH.
Michelle lives in Manchester with her 11 year old yellow labrador, Greta.
.
Christina Alvarez
Youth Troupe Leader
Christina Alvarez is a musician, vocalist, actor and theater producer. She studied at the University of Washington, where she played trumpet in the Husky Marching Band. She was the Managing Director of Snapped Productions, a theater company in New York City, producing and acting in a number of productions, including three world premieres of new plays. She is currently the Performing Arts teacher at Polaris, a K-5 charter school, and lives in Manchester with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Christina has been a congregational member of Brookside for 7 years, where she has enjoyed singing with the choir and serving as Deacon and Chair of the Christian Formation Ministry. Her first love was musical theater and she is always figuring out how to incorporate theater and dance into musical presentations, as well as experiment with differing musical styles. Christina looks to engage Brookside's youth with fun, creative performances that enhance faith, share gifts and talents, and bring everyone together in joyous worship.
Heather Bridges
Choir Leader
Heather Bridges was born and raised in Beverly, Massachusetts. She earned a Bachelor of General Studies in Music, Theater and English from Salem State University. She has a Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences from Simmons College. She also holds a Master of Science in School Leadership from Granite State College. Heather has worked as a professional librarian for 28 years. She spent 8 years in public libraries working as a Children's Librarian. She has worked as a School Library Media Specialist and Technology Teacher for the past 20 years.
Heather has over 30 years of experience in theater performance and choral directing. She has worked as a choir director, voice teacher and show director in many different venues. She currently serves as the Chorus Director and Drama Club Advisor at her school. She was also the Assistant Site Director for Innovation Summer Theater Camp in the summer of 2025.
Heather is the mother of two wonderful boys. Performing is a family hobby, and Heather has been involved in many shows with her boys. They share their home with two adorable cats named Roxie and Velma, who keep their life exciting!
.
