Matthew Brooks was born to Louise Huber and William Brooks on August 25, 1972 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was Baptized on September 10, 1972 and confirmed in May 1986 by Rev. William Meier at St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELS) in Phoenix, Arizona. Since his parents placed a high value on all of their children receiving a Christ-centered education, he attended Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Grade School, and Arizona Lutheran Academy, both located in Valley of the Sun, Arizona.
After spending a short time at Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin, Pastor Brooks transferred to, Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota for his sophomore year. He graduated there in May of 1993 with an Associate of Arts Degree. Then he transferred to Arizona State University located in Tempe, Arizona, and graduated in the spring of 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication.
In the Fall of that same year, he returned to Mankato and enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. While studying in the Seminary, he served two years as a Resident Assistant in the Men’s dormitory on campus. As part of his seminary training, he completed his vicarage at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Bell Gardens, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He graduated from the Seminary on June 11, 2000 with a Master of Divinity Degree.
Rev. Brooks was assigned to Peace Lutheran Church (ELS) in Jefferson City, Missouri, and also to Grace Lutheran Church (WELS) in Columbia, Missouri. He served there from July 9, 2000 to July 31, 2004. While there he was campus pastor to the WELS and ELS students attending the University of Missouri. From August 2004 until May 2007 he served as one of three pastors at King of Grace Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota. He has served as co-pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran in Mankato, Minnesota. from May, 2007 until June of this year.
On June 3, 2004, he was married to Rebecca at Peace Lutheran in Jefferson City, Missouri. God has blessed them with five children; two daughters, Savannah and Elizabeth; and two sons, Edmund and Charles. An infant son, Hough, proceeded them in death. Pastor Brooks is grateful to the Lord for enabling him to now serve the Lord Christ as Pastor in Waterloo and Parkersburg, Iowa.
Pastor Brooks served here at Pilgrim from July 14, 2013-2020. He also served Faith Lutheran Church in Parkersburg, Iowa.