Grove UMC in Medina welcomes new pastor, a retired engineer

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey Sipple, left, enjoys coffee and conversation with the new pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church in Medina, Barb Brewer.

MEDINA – The new pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church brings a bushel of energy and a ton of new ideas to the congregation.

Pastor Barb Brewer grew up in Lockport and graduated from Penn State with a degree in civil engineering.

“I spent 25 years as a civil engineer,” Brewer said. “Then I retired and opened a coffee house and café in Lockport.”

During that time, she said God was calling her and putting people in her way who led her to the ministry. She enrolled in United Theological Seminary.

Brewer grew up in the Lutheran church and attended regularly with her family. As a teenager, she became involved with Lockport Alliance Church.

“That’s when I accepted Christ in my heart and have carried on as a Christian all of my life,” Brewer said.

She started her duties at the Grove on Aug. 1, and since has instituted several new activities, including Christian Conversation and Coffee Thursday mornings at the Coffee Pot Café. She issues an open invitation for anyone to join from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The sessions feature small devotions and conversation.

“I was hired half-time, but am working full time,” she said. “I’m here to serve and I visit the sick and take them communion.”

In addition to several new activities at the church, she has more planned. Last Saturday they had a campfire at the church, with s’mores.

“Basically, I put fun into worship,” the pastor said. “I put humor into all my sermons.”

Before coming to Medina, Brewer served the Alden United Methodist Church and Brocton Tri-Church Parish, made up of two Methodist churches and an Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Brocton church suffered a devastating fire which leveled the church.

When the District Superintendent contacted Brewer, she told her, “Have I got an assignment for you.”

Brewer took to her new assignment in Brocton and put her engineering degree to good use, designing a new church and negotiated with the insurance company to get the money to rebuild.

Some of the things coming up at the Grove are a Tailgate Party after worship on Oct. 26; Trivia Night with a potluck supper on Nov. 15; and the Lunch Bunch from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, featuring cheese and crackers and dessert.

“I’m just feeling my way now,” Brewer said. “I believe if we show the community how active we are, the community will want to join us. God made a perfect fit when I came here. I needed this church as much as they needed me, and we are stronger than ever because of it.”

In addition to welcoming their new pastor, member Sherry Tuohey Sipple and Brewer want to take this opportunity to thank the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company for their response to several potential crises at the church.

At the back of the church property are motel units, which are now used for storage. In May, it had been very rainy and the motel basement flooded. The church called Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company and they responded, pumping 30,000 gallons of water out of the basement.

Tuohey said the motel units date back to the 1960s when the restaurant was open, and the church is considering other options for the building.

Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company responded again on several occasions when the motel’s fire alarms went off – sometimes in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason.

“We are thankful they were false alarms,” Sipple said. “We are blessed to have these volunteer firemen dedicated to service in our community.”

Ridgeway will be responding again soon with Medina and other volunteer fire companies to deliver the red barrels for the annual Christmas drive.