Our Pastor

My name is Mantu Joshi and I am delighted to be the new pastor of the Davis United Methodist Church. Our mission to be an inclusive community and to live and teach the love of Christ are central to why I feel called to be here.

My story begins with my parents who came from India to the U.S. in the 1970’s to live the American Dream. I was born in Tallahassee, Florida, but I grew up mostly in Michigan, the middle brother of two sisters. My practical preaching style probably stems from listening to sermons in our small country church, Snow UMC, outside of Grand Rapids, Mi.

I accepted Christ in first grade through my experience in a children’s choir in a United Methodist Church. Later in childhood, I spent several summers in India staying at the Methodist Mission where my uncle ministered to people with Hansen’s Disease (or leprosy). Watching my uncle serve awakened me to the reality of the hurt and need in this world, and the ways that the Church can give marginalized people a space to be treated with dignity and respect. My childhood and teen years were also blessed by having friends who were Buddhist, Sikh, Moslem, and Hindu. The religious dialogue I enjoyed as a kid, continues in my ministry today.

My last year in college, I received a dramatic call to ministry. Also at about that time, I met my wife of nine years, Heidi, at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. We met through our love of music and singing. We lived in Chicago where I went to Garret-Evangelical while serving a number of churches. Heidi has a guide dog named Tiffany and I have “inherited” her retired guide dog. His name is Beacon and he is too cute for words at the grand age of 10. We also have two cats, Simba and Nala.

Pastor Mantu Joshi
and Beacon

I am coming to Davis UMC after serving in Michigan, near Chicago, and more recently in Oakland and Vallejo. I began my ministry as a music minister and pursued the call to become a pastor about 12 years ago. Heidi and I enjoy the Farmer’s market here and are looking forward to enjoying the arts programs in the area. Heidi works teaching medical students and residents, as well doing therapy at the UC Davis Medical Center.

I love pick up basketball games, playing catch with just about anything, running, Broadway shows, Jazz, Science Fiction, and writing music. Most of all I enjoy being married to Heidi, and having the opportunity to do what I think is the best job in the world which is to be your pastor.