Dr. Patrick Wrisley
Rev. Dr. Patrick Wrisley- Senior Pastor
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Patrick has served as UPPC’s Senior Pastor and Teaching Elder since October 2007. Ordained July 30, 1988, he has served four distinctive churches in over two decades of ministry. Beginning as a solo pastor and stated supply pastor for two small churches in the mountains of Georgia, he soon served over six years as one of two Ministers of Evangelism at the nation’s largest Presbyterian Church, Peachtree in Atlanta under the tutelage of the late Dr. Frank Harrington. It was Harrington who taught Patrick the most of what it means to be an evangelist and pastor of a larger church. In the mid-1990’s, he was selected to found a high-profile new church development in Celebration, Florida southeast of Orlando. Celebration is Walt Disney World’s incarnation of what the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (E.P.C.O.T.) was supposed to be like in Walt’s original vision. Chartered in just nine months with over 165 members, the Celebration Church grew into a regional influence for the Orlando area in ministry and service with over 800 members and that many in attendance at Sunday morning worship.
After eleven years, Patrick felt God leading he and his wife, Kelly, in a totally new direction. Providence connected UPPC’s Pastor’s Nominating Committee with the Wrisleys in summer of 2007 and Patrick accepted a call to become UPPC’s new Senior Pastor. “I see God doing great things among the people of UPPC and can see how it can be a regional influence in ministry and Presbyterianism for the area.”
Patrick and his wife Kelly have two grown children, Lauren Trenary and her husband Josh, and Katherine Wrisley, who is pursuing religious studies. He received a B.S. in Communication from Georgia Southern College (1982), an M.Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia (1988), and a D.Min. from Drew University where he was a Dean’s Fellow with Dr. Leonard I. Sweet (2000). Patrick has served as Adjunct faculty for both Drew University and Fuller Theological Seminary NW. He also is a trained Coach for New Church Development and a certified trainer for small groups.
He loves books, writing, hiking with his bride, and riding his motorcycle through the beautiful Northwest roads.
Check out Pastor Patrick's blog. Click here!
