Our Pastor - Donald P. Lee

Pastor Don graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Arts/Music.  He pursued his music career professionally as well as serving as choir director of First United Methodist of Redding and as an owner-operator of a successful retail piano business store in Redding.  Throughout that time and before he was very active in church and community work.

By his first marriage, he was blessed with three sons, Adrian ( now 35 years old and a professional artist), and twins Graham and Simon who were tragically killed in a bus accident.  He married Tana McDonald in 1984, who is currently the pastor of Grass Valley United Methodist Church.

In 1994, God’s call became very strong for Pastor Don to enter more intentional ministry.   He attended Pacific School of Religion where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 1998 while working full time First United Methodist Church of Redding as Program and Music Director.  He was appointed to Sierra Pines United Methodist Church in Grass Valley in 2000 and ordained in 2005.  The Bishop then appointed Don to the First Untited Methodist Church of Sacramento in May, 2011.

Pastor Don brings a commitment to social justice, having served as Social Policy Chair of the Health Improvement Partnership of Redding, a primary collaborative to address key community concerns such as substance abuse and family violence.  In addition he founded the Human Rights Council in Shasta County and Wesley Neighborhood, a low income housing project of First Unted Methodist Church, Redding, and served as a member of Shasta County Interfaith Forum, an ongoing dialogue with clergy from various faith traditions.  In Nevada County, he was a founding Director and President of Hospitality House, a nonprofit agency in Nevada County which provides a place of rest, sustenance, dignity and hope for those who are homeless.

He has also led many Nevada–Sierra United Methodist Clergy retreats and was Director for many years of Super Camp for Middle School youth.  In addition, he has led several Volunteer In Mission trips, including Palestine/Israel and Africa, and has taken youth on several Sierra Service Project trips.

In the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methoidst Church, Pastor Don has served as Secretary and Vice Chair of the Conference Nominating Committee and is currently the Financial Secretary for the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Council on Clergy Development.