Portraits of Faith: Pastor Lee Brewer

Wheaton's diversity is well-known, but that diversity also extends to the faith communities that worship in the area. Here's a chance to meet the people who lead the churches, synagogues and temples that make up Wheaton.

Pastor Lee Brewer leads Glenmont United Methodist Church on Georgia Avenue.

Patch: Describe your congregation.

Lee Brewer: Our Glenmont congregation is really a cross-section of the Wheaton area. We are multi-national, multi-racial. We have people from all backgrounds. I think we’re unique. If you see one of our services, you see the world of Wheaton. I think that our ability to bring together so many people from different races and nationalities and backgrounds is very special.

Patch: How do you reach out to your community?

LB: In concert with another Methodist church, Millian Memorial, we alternate having a food bank. We help the needy in our community by providing food. We have a thrift shop that provides needs and offers high quality items for a very good price. When it comes time for school to start, our thrift shop is packed.

We also provide meals to shelters in the area. One Sunday a month, we take sandwiches to the women’s shelter. We also have an “Undie Sunday.” We bring underwear for the men’s shelter, which is a very specific and often forgotten need.

We have two elementary schools that we go to in the fall and provide school supplies to the children who cannot afford them on their own.  They go back to school feeling good about themselves.

At Christmas, we provide presents to children who will not have any on Christmas. We provided over 100 gifts last year. Our church is very concerned most of all about the spiritual, of course. We believe, as Methodists and as a church that you must touch all of their needs—the physical as well as the spiritual.

We also make quilts for newborns. We have made hundreds to take to mothers in need in the hospital. We want them to start with something beautiful and warm to hold onto.

Patch: How did you become a pastor?

LB: I felt the call to ministry when I was at college at Baylor in Texas. I went to seminary in Fort Worth.  Did my master’s and did my PhD in Systematic Theology. I taught for 10 years. I taught Ethics, Systematic Theology and Philosophy of Religion at Southwestern Seminary, TCU [Texas Christian University] and Weatherford College.

With changes that took place in the Southern Baptist Convention I moved to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, from there to the American Baptists and from there to Methodism.  I have been a United Methodist minister for five years. I am very happy and feel that I have very much found my place.

Patch: What do you think the place of religion should be in wider society?

LB: One of the troubling things I see in our society is we’re becoming more anti-religious and also anti-Christian. Look at people’s comments online to various articles and there is a lot of hostility to any mention of Christianity or Christian morality. I think our society’s focus has moved to those who are outside the norms of Christianity, such as this man who is saying the world is going to end. They’re who get the news. And they bring out the negative.

I think our church is showing the world that we care about your needs, we care about your children. We care about what happens in our community. Christianity changes people’s lives in a positive way.

I appreciate that there are some positive articles going out about what we do and how we care.

Patch: What is your favorite place in Wheaton?

LB: Restaurants! I like all different foods. There is a tremendous selection of good little restaurants with ethnic foods. I go for the variety.