Pat and Pastor Wayne Viereck
David Stanard
It is two years since Resurrection Church came to our community and in the course of those two years a mature congregation has emerged. Today there is a full schedule of Bible studies; a strong, large and vibrant choir; a burgeoning women’s program; a full cadre of pastors who assume the pulpit on a rotating basis and a number of social activities. With peak season attendance well over 200, the Church holds one Sunday service from May through September and two services from October through April.
There is no doubt that all-denominational inclusiveness combined with a balanced social and spiritual message have contributed to the success of the church. At Resurrection Church the services last no more than an hour and Communion is open to anyone, regardless of denominational background or where one is in their spiritual journey.
A key figure in the success of the church has been Pastor Wayne Viereck. Wayne and his wife Pat moved to SaddleBrooke in 2002, coming here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Wayne had served for twelve years as Pastor of Fox Point Church. Prior to that Wayne and Pat had served congregations in Woodstock, Lockport, Skokie and Rockford, Illinois.
The Vierecks were both born and raised in Milwaukee. They met in high school and graduated together from the University of Wisconsin. They married in 1956 and Pat supported them while Wayne attended both seminary and graduate school in Chicago, working at various times as a secretary, pre-school teacher and an accountant. Over the years the Vierecks had three daughters. These daughters married and eventually four grandchildren were added to the family. This past June the whole clan joined Wayne and Pat on a sixtieth wedding anniversary Alaskan cruise.
When Wayne and Pat moved to our community, they did so at the invitation of the Community Church at SaddleBrooke who had called Wayne to become their Pastor. While there he presided over Sunday service growth from about 50 attendees to somewhere in the neighborhood of 400. When he retired from CCSB in 2007, he became the interim Associate Pastor of Resurrection Church in Oro Valley. It is this same church that Wayne serves today as one of the pastors for its congregation in SaddleBrooke.
An extremely humble man by nature, one would be hard pressed to know that Wayne is highly accomplished academically. His time at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago was time well spent and his years of study found him earning both a Master of Divinity degree as well as a Master of Psychology degree. He then capped off his time in academia when he was granted a Doctor of Ministry degree, this one awarded Cum Laude or With Distinction. Ministry degrees are now available online, drastically increasing study options for those who are unable to commute, or do not live nearby to a suitable college. This christian college in Grand Rapids Michigan offers online courses, so if you’re interested you may want to investigate further.
Wherever Wayne has been, he has conducted a successful ministry. This has been accomplished by building strong, friendly and welcoming congregations and by delivering profound and well thought out sermons which are both inspiring and challenging. Not for the mentally idle, Wayne’s Bible-based sermons demonstrate his own intellectuality and deep understanding of both the Scriptures and life’s issues. This year Wayne is celebrating his fifty-fifth year of ordination. Those who have been honored to know him are wishing for many more.
Resurrection Church at SaddleBrooke holds its traditional all-denominational Sunday worship at 10:00 a.m. in the Vermilion Room at the HOA 1 Clubhouse. Starting mid-October and continuing until the end of April there will be services at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. All are welcome.