06/22/2026
WELCOME Pastor Thiago Vieira to HUMC!
Pastor Thiago Vieira has been appointed to serve Hampton United Methodist Church beginning July 1, 2026.
He will lead the first Beach Service of the summer on Sunday, July 5 at 8 AM at the wheelchair ramp across from 18th Street on Ocean Blvd., followed by worship in the Sanctuary at 10 AM at 525 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH.
A life-long Methodist, Pastor Vieira was born in Brazil. From an early age, his family was deeply involved in projects and personal outreach serving the poor and homeless. He attended university in Brazil graduating with an undergraduate degree in theology.
Pastor Vieira moved to the United States at age 19. His challenges to assimilate to a new culture strengthened his relationship to his US church community. He learned first-hand that the church is not an escape from reality as much as it is a force for shared identity and resilience.
Pursuing his call to ministry, Pastor Vieira served a United Methodist Church in Saugus, MA for fourteen years. In 2014, he and his wife Selma and son Isaac moved to Worcester. There he planted a new church, the Jesus Life Center United Methodist Church, a multiethnic, multicultural and multigenerational congregation which grew to approximately 100 people from diverse nations and walks of life. With particular focus on members of the next generation, he founded the Life Garden Café in 2020, a gathering hub in Worcester’s Main South that provides a safe environment and good food for students and families. He grew the church’s child and youth ministries to 50 regular participants by creating a space where young people could find their own sense of belonging.
In 2024, Pastor Vieira graduated with a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology.
As he begins his ministry at Hampton United Methodist Church, Pastor Vieira looks forward to strengthening the church’s warm and compassionate spirit while exploring new ways to be a visible and indispensable presence of God’s grace in the community.
His hope is to nurture dialogue, fellowship, and ministries that build meaningful bridges beyond the church walls.
