Rev. Beth Richeson, M.Div.
Phone contacts:
NH Council of Churches 603.224.1352
NH State Prison for Women 603.271.7248
Cell phone—603.714.0540
[email protected]
Short Biography
Beth is a graduate of The College of William and Mary in Virginia where her studies in
Thanatology supported her more than 30 years of hospice work as a volunteer,
volunteer coordinator, and bereavement counselor. As a part of her college years, Beth
spent a year studying at St. Mary’s Divinity School of St. Andrew’s University in
Scotland. Her faith and deep spirituality had always been at the heart of her hospice
work. And when her previous position with the VNA Hospice of Manchester, NH ended
in 2002, Beth said yes to her sense of call to attend seminary and become a chaplain.
After 7 years of part-time study at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, MA,
Beth graduated with a Masters in Divinity in 2009. As a part of her seminary work, she
served as a chaplain ‘intern’ at the NH State Women’s Prison in 2005-2006 and
completed her Clinical Pastoral Education at Westborough State Mental Hospital in
Westborough, MA in 2008-2009. In 2006, she was contracted by the NH Council of
Churches to serve as the Ecumenical Chaplain at the women’s prison, where she has
been serving ever since.
Also during these years, Beth went through the lengthy process within the Presbytery
of Northern New England to be ordained as a PCUSA Minister of Word and Sacrament
and in August 2009, Beth was ordained into the validated ministry of chaplain at the
women’s prison.
Additionally, Beth served as a hospital chaplain at Southern NH Medical Center in
Nashua from 2009-2015. In October 2013, the chaplaincy position at the women’s
prison became a part-time position in the NH Department of Corrections and Beth was
hired to continue as the women’s prison chaplain by the NHDOC.
All of this could not be done without the support and encouragement of her husband
of 33 years and two adult daughters.
Description of Presentation
At this time Beth’s work with the NH Council of Churches has been refocused to
facilitate connections between women in prison and women who are leaving prison
with local congregations and faith-based organizations. Beth preaches and speaks at
various churches in the state to share about the Women’s Prison Ministry of the NH
Council of Churches as well as the needs of women in prison. Beth considers it both a
blessing and a burden to carry the voices of incarcerated women beyond the walls such
that with understanding comes compassion and with compassion comes relationship
and transformation for all who have ‘ears to hear and eyes to see’.