Someone May Be Watching You

What a blur the last two weeks have been for me.  It seems 2012 has become the Year of the Meeting for my ministry at the moment.  My attendance at some of these meetings has caused some of you to scratch your head and get a little confused, too! 

  

A week and a half ago I was on a panel of four people who spoke to the Presbytery of Olympia on the topic of  "Why I am choosing to stay in the PCUSA."   Those of you who are concerned about recent GA actions with regards to ordination standards wonder, "What's the Preacher doing?  He's planning to stay!?"  This last week I attended the Fellowship of Presbyterians at the launch of a new Reformed entity entitled the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians which is a group trying to look at ways of staying both in the PCUSA as well as provide a mechanism for those who wish to join a new post-denominational Reformed group.  My presence in Orlando at this conference has jostled the nerves of those who were delighted I spoke to the Presbytery on staying.  My intention is not to confuse anyone, but to take my calling as your pastor  

seriously as shepherd of this congregation.   

  

Throughout all these meetings, I have come to the conclusion that our making our way slowly through all this denominational kerfuffle is the right decision.  Proactive leadership trumps reactivate leadership on any given day.  Strategic leadership is better than hasty decisions.  I for one am grateful UPPC has a Session that understands this and is acting in measured proactive, strategic ways.  The reality is, the Presbyterian Church as we know it will be an entirely different animal in five years; for some, that's a positive thing.  For others in the church, this is not a great thing. For all of us, that is the reality in front of us.  Personally, I do not think that is a bad thing, per se.  We are a Church that believes in being reformed.  Polity and confessions get changed but one thing does not:  Jesus Christ is Lord and Head of the Church and is the Source of our salvation! 

  

Along these lines, I have spoken with members of our Nominating Committee who tell me that some of you are telling them you are reluctant to serve as Elder because you "do not know where the church will be in three years."  Brothers and sisters, the fact is all churches are dynamic and evolving!  Your church needs you to be a part of the discernment of where we are headed and it's your responsibility to prayerfully contemplate stepping up and leading if you are asked to consider it.  Leadership in the church is not for the faint of heart; it is for those who are called during 'such a time as this.'  Please pray for the Nominating Committee and your place of leadership in the church. 

  

Beloved, remember who you are (You are a child of God!). Pray hard. Read the Scriptures daily. Be the hands and feet of Christ in a broken and hurting world.  I am... 

  

Your pastor and friend, 

Patrick

A Costly Calling

Sunday, January 22, 2012


Have you ever thought about what Jesus left behind in order to come and be with us? He “exchanged heaven for earth, power for weakness, glory for obedience and suffering, success in human eyes for faithfulness in the eyes of God, and life for death.” And why did he make this exchange? So that he could call us to follow him, that we might receive life instead of death, faithfulness ahead of success, glory in the wake of suffering, power in the midst of weakness, and a new heaven and new earth.

Still, it is undeniably difficult to drop our plans, our ambition, our desire, to
respond to Jesus’ call – especially when we are uncertain of what he is calling us to. But that is just what the disciples did – they left behind jobs, family, and homes, in order to be with him. Jesus might not require that same exact sacrifice from each of us, but he does ask for the same willing spirit.

This week, let’s think about what we are most attached to: professions, houses, cars, money, clothing, even children or a spouse. All of these are ultimately not really ours – they belong to God. Join with me this week in exploring how our
attachments affect our calling. You may find this prayer, from St. Ignatius of Loyola, helpful as a tool for dedicating everything to God:

Lord, take as your right, and receive as my gift, all my freedom, my memory, my understanding and my will. Whatever I am and whatever I possess, you have given it to me; I restore it all to you again, to be at your disposal, according to your will. Give me only a love for you, and the gift of your grace; then I am rich enough, and ask for nothing more.

Blessings on the Journey,
Pastor Taeler

You Are Not YOur Own

Sunday January 15, 2012


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday we will be talking about 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, where Paul teaches about sexual morality. Paul writes both generally about sexuality and also specifically about the issues of temple prostitution that plagued the Corinthian Church. I want to mention this up front for the benefit of parents who bring their younger children to the service because our Biblical text uses words like “fornication” and “prostitute,” so you might think about taking your kids to Sunday school if that is going to create any hardship for your family.

With that said, I am always surprised when I return to the texts of 1 & 2 Corinthians because it sounds so familiar. Christians in Corinth struggled to understand what it looked like to be “in the world but not of the world” because they lived in a highly secularized environment. Corinth operated under the premise that “if it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad,” but they were wrong. As we work through this passage we will also consider the ways in which our society feeds us lies, why we buy into them, what impact that has not just for us but also for our neighbors, and ultimately come to understand the truth that  We Are Not Our Own – we belong to God.

It is my hope and prayer that together we can think seriously about the choices we make so that we can glorify God in body and spirit every day, certain that He is with us and in us in all things.

In the love of Christ,
Pastor Taeler

EMBRACED | Sunday January 8, 2012

Grace, Peace, and New Year’s Blessings to you!

I want to first highlight something very special for our young people and then lift up an issue that impacts all of us.

One of the moments of great spiritual significance for me was when I completed my Confirmation class at age 13.  It was a time when all those years of Sunday school, small group discussions and my personal wonderings about God came into focus because the church provided me an integrative way to tie all those pieces together.   I am grateful my church growing up took my spiritual growth seriously. I am also grateful UPPC does, too!

Parents and their students in ninth grade, our Confirmation classes begins with an
orientation this Sunday at 12:30 PM in the Youth Café downstairs.  It will be a time for our young people to begin tying together all those spiritual pieces into a
coherent whole!  The topics covered will include such things like who is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, what is baptism, and how do I read the Bible along with other practices
important for our faith walk. Each student will join a small group and will be mentored by a volunteer adult. The young people will be encouraged to join the church and be baptized (if not baptized already) on Confirmation Sunday, May 20th.

I invite you to come today and we will have a quick lunch and tell you all you need to know!  Find out more online: www.UPPC.org, youth/confirmation or call Taylor Conrad 253.564.2522 ext.151.

The other important item is next year’s budget.  Finance Team has numbers from
2011-2012  Trusteeship campaign: Investing in God's Legacy.  This is where we are
currently.  After eight weeks:

For Pledge Year 2011, we received 415 pledges for $1,547,583.

For Pledge Year 2012, we have received 366 pledges for $1,464,049.

At the moment we are behind 49 pledges for the new year for a total of $83,583.

If you have not had the chance to turn in your estimate of giving for this year, you can find cards in the pew backs or call Bob Lucas at 564.2522.

The Holy Spirit enfold you this New Year!

Your pastor and friend,
Patrick

YOU CAN JOIN US!  PC(USA) PANEL DISCUSSION THIS WEEK
January 12 | 6 – 8 PM | Westminster Presbyterian Church
1925 Boulevard Rd, SE | Olympia, WA
"Why I'm Staying in the PC(USA) Join discussions about strengths and
challenges of the PC(USA).  Hear from pastors and elders from Olympia
Presbytery who wish to remain members of the PC(USA).  Mark your
calendars! Contact Rose Erickson at decemberrosee@tds.net.

Happy New Year! January 1, 2012 | WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Happy New Year! January 1, 2012 |  WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I can't think of a better place to be to welcome in the New Year than with you in the worship of our Lord God!  It’s a special weekend to come and receive the Lord’s Supper on this first day of the New Year, as it's a visible reminder that, indeed -  our time begins with Jesus!  We don’t step out alone but we step out with Jesus and with each other as we seek the will of God in our community, our church, and in our homes.

This New Year, we will elect new leaders in our church and in our local and national governments.  We will tolerate all those concerned about the Mayan Prophecies and the “end of the world.”  We will celebrate our fifth Easter together!  There will be graduations, weddings, and sadly, some funerals, too.  The new year provides us an opportunity to start afresh with new calendars, new priorities, new commitments to old spiritual
practices or attempts at some new ones.

Catholic theologian and mystic, St. Ignatius of Loyola once heard in a dream that Jesus shows us how to be an instrumentum conjunctum cum Deo, i.e. “an instrument shaped to the contours of the hand of God.”  This is what I want us to think about as we come to the table.  Let’s ponder about how we can be an instrument – as a church and as
individuals – shaped to the contours of the Lord’s hand.
   
Beloved, remember who you are (You are a child of God!). Pray hard. Read the Scriptures daily. Be the hands and feet of Christ in a broken and hurting world.  I am...

Your pastor and friend,

Rev. Dr. Patrick H. Wrisley

SPECIAL EVENT:

January 12 | 6 – 8 PM | Westminster Presbyterian Church
1925 Boulevard Rd, SE | Olympia
Olympia Presbytery invites you to a Panel Discussion entitled, "Why I'm
Staying in the PC(USA) and Hope You Do Too!" The evening begins at 6:00 PM with snacks and fellowship. The panel discussion begins at 6:30 PM.  You are invited to come listen, ask questions, and enter into a discussion about the strengths and challenges of the PC(USA).  The gathering will be an opportunity to really examine understandings and perceptions about our denomination and what the future may hold. 
The panel will be comprised of pastors and elders from Olympia Presbytery who may not agree with all the recent decisions of the General Assembly, but who are clear about the advantages of the denomination and wish to remain members of the PC(USA).  Mark your calendars and save the date! Questions? Contact Rose Erickson at decemberrosee@tds.net.

Merry Christmas

My Beloved,                       

We are all so glad you will be joining us in worship this most wondrous and glorious weekend!  The very crispness of the air outside helps to silence all the noise in our lives so that we can come and celebrate the Good News that today in the City of David, Christ Immanuel – is born!

If you are a guest this Christmas weekend, we feel blessed and privileged to have you join us in worship.  Some of you may be visiting family who are members here.  Others of you might join us because you do not have a regular church family.  Please know that our home is your home!  If there is anything we can do for you or if you have any questions about our ministries for any age, let us know.  Our desire is to get as many people involved in community and worship as possible to serve our Lord with grace and passion.

University Place Presbyterian Church is guided by our desire to be a community that Learns, Lives, and Shares the Story of God in Jesus Christ.  We are committed to

Ad Fontis,  Return to the Source – which is Christ.  If you are looking for a church home in the Tacoma metropolitan area, we invite you to join hands with us in ministry, worship and service.  If you desire to learn more about UPPC and discover how you can get involved here, contact Jill McMullen: 253.564.2522 ext. 139, jmcmullen@uppc.org or Susan Clarke, 253.564.2522 ext. 147, sclarke@uppc.org.

As a reminder, we are having a casual "come as you are" Christmas Day service at

10 AM Christmas morning. The kids can come in their jammies and we will have a

service of carols, children’s time and Christmas Day meditation.  You’ll be home before Christmas brunch!

From my home and heart to yours, I wish you a blessed and joyous Christmas and

New Year.  I am...

Your pastor and friend,

Rev. Dr. Patrick H. Wrisley

Join us on January 1st for a Family Worship Sunday!

SPECIAL EVENT
January 12 | 6 – 8 PM | Westminster Presbyterian Church
1925 Boulevard Rd, SE | Olympia
Olympia Presbytery invites you to a Panel Discussion entitled, "Why I'm
Staying in the PC(USA) and Hope You Do Too!" The evening begins at 6:00 PM with snacks and fellowship. The panel discussion begins at 6:30 PM.  You are invited to come listen, ask questions, and enter into a discussion about the strengths and challenges of the PC(USA).  The gathering will be an opportunity to really examine understandings and perceptions about our denomination and what the future may hold. 
The panel will be comprised of pastors and elders from Olympia Presbytery who may not agree with all the recent decisions of the General Assembly, but who are clear about the advantages of the denomination and wish to remain members of the PC(USA).  Mark your calendars and save the date! Questions? Contact Rose Erickson at decemberrosee@tds.net.

NEW MEMBERS - December 2012

On Sunday December 18, 2011, we received the following wonderful people into membership at UPPC. Again, our church family has been blessed.

Bill and Nancy Foley were introduced to UPPC by good friends Bob and Marie Robinson who are also members here. The Foley’s have been travelling from Olympia to attend for over a year and decided they wanted to have UPPC as their home church. Bill and Nancy are both retired.

Dave and Kris Harkness have found a good compromise between separate backgrounds in the Lutheran and Baptist traditions.  They love the music, the messages and the people. Dave is a lawyer and Kris is a Community Nurse Specialist employed at Western State.

Arthur and Jean Henry are very attracted by UPPC’s youth programs. Their two daughters are actively involved here.  They both see the positive influence that these programs have on many youth. They enjoy the Praise Band and the fellowship at the 11:00 AM service. Arthur is an IT specialist and Jean is a teacher.

Jack Ecklund and Jennifer Smith are attracted to our youth programs. Jack is actually a former member who is having his membership reactivated. Jack is an Engineer. Jack’s wife, Jennifer Smith, is  a new member.  Jennifer is an MD in Family Practice in Gig Harbor. Their daughter Lillian is in Kindergarten at Chambers. Younger daughter Sophia is in Sunset Christian Preschool here at UPPC.

Please take a moment to greet them and help welcome them into membership here at UPPC.

Attention: News Flash

Our Essentials Class and material that we use today is different from those who joined before. Starting on Wednesday evening January 11, the Essentials Membership Class is going to be taught as an Adult Discipleship class offering. It will be open to established members, and those who are thinking about  whether to become a member.  The curriculum is terrific  and sign-ups have begun online and at the Connect Center. Look for the name “Pillars” and know that childcare will be available for 4 months to 4 years.  Youth activities are on Wednesday nights also.