Our pastor at Muirs Chapel United Methodist Church is the Reverend Brenda Newman. She is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference and has been serving churches for almost three decades. She was newly appointed to serve Muir’s Chapel UMC in July 2017.

Brenda has trained in numerous areas throughout her years of ministry all with the goal of helping the local church reach its full potential. She has served on various District and Conference Committees and currently serves on the Board of Ordained Ministry. Reverend Newman co-authored the book Brief Dramas for Worship with the Reverend Karen Miller and has been a workshop presenter in the areas of worship and drama. She trained with Lombard Mennonite Peace Center and JustPeace, and has worked as a mediator in a variety of settings.

Pastor Brenda grew up in Ringgold, Virginia. From an early age, she felt her true calling, “From the time I was little, I was blessed with parents who taught and modeled this truth – that God is good. I witness God’s goodness every day in sunrises, flowers, waterfalls and all of nature. I have been overwhelmed by God’s goodness in the acts of kindness and compassion of people.” She says. “Through a praying father, I also learned early on that God is a personal God and wants a relationship with us. My prayer life started as a child, and between my junior and senior years of college, I felt God nudging and urging me to serve Him full time. I applied for seminary my senior year of college, and have been serving ever since.”

She greatly enjoys working with the families and members of Muirs Chapel United Methodist Church. Upon her arrival, she quickly discovered a congregation that is passionate about feeding ministries and serving. This passion comes from a fellowship of people who are kind and generous in nature.

Additionally, she was attracted by the ministries of the church. The youth group has counselors who genuinely listen, encourage, and nurture you. The playschool is outstanding. There are excellent music ministries in which to share your talents. There are small groups and studies available to dive deeper into scripture.

“I have heard repeatedly how the congregation surrounds members and friends and helps them through struggles and heartaches,” she says.

Brenda is married to Don Newman who is also an ordained elder in the conference. They both are passionate about reaching out to needs in the community, and Don has also worked extensively with United Methodist Volunteers in Mission leading building teams throughout Central and South America. He grew up in Bolivia, South America where his parents served as missionaries.  Brenda and Don have two grown sons, Alex and Jacob.

Having moved from Charlotte, Pastor Brenda find Greensboro to be a ‘relaxed’ version of Charlotte. Greensboro is complete with ample shopping, lots of restaurants, and a variety of cultural experiences without the traffic. We find Greensboro to be friendly, fun, and a terrific place to live and worship!

If you’d like to reach Pastor Breda directly, you can email her at [email protected]. For more information about Muirs Chapel United Methodist Church, our service schedule, and all the programs we offer, please call 336-299-1913 and visit our website at www.muirschapelumc.com.