Pastor Brett Reith was appointed Lead Pastor of Richland UMC in February 2025, bringing over a decade of leadership experience in churches of all sizes. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science from Central Methodist University (Fayette, MO) and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School (Durham, NC). His professional background includes finance, administration, radio, and music. He also holds a professional Missouri funeral director’s license and currently serves as Vice-President of Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors.
His wife, Bethany, joins Pastor Brett in life, who teaches High School English. Together, they have two children, Connor and Savannah. He enjoys binge-watching the latest political drama, action, and thriller shows. He’s also a big fan of The Office and The West Wing. He and his family enjoy vacationing on the beach and seeing Broadway shows.
Pastor Brett describes his purpose: “I am a communicator and collaborator passionate about sharing meaningful stories and fostering connections inside and outside the church. I follow Jesus Christ, who has given me the gift of grace and the mission to share that grace with others.” His values include compassionate communication, focused excellence, gracious authenticity, spiritual curiosity, and purposeful relationships.