Interim Associate Pastor
Pastor Joseph Park
I am Pastor Joseph, and I am delighted to be the TUC’s interim associate pastor. Every spiritual journey has an origin story, and mine begins with my great-grandmother, who was the first Christian convert in my family. When she received Jesus Christ, she boldly prayed and hoped that her children and their children would serve God and the church. So far, her prayers have been answered by three generations of pastors, starting from my grandfather and continuing through my father and me.
I was born and raised in Seoul, but have lived in Northern New Jersey, Boston, Mozambique, and Hong Kong. My itinerant experiences have profoundly shaped my understanding of God, allowing me to perceive God as a mystery full of paradoxes. God was the Great Constant in whom an immigrant kid from Korea discovered a sense of belonging and connection in America; God was the Everlasting Fire that roused the kid’s slumbering spirit to devote his life to the service of God’s kingdom and its people. God was, is, and will always be the life’s question and answer, the journey and the destination, the one source of life-changing grace and life-affirming steadfastness. And it will be my honor and privilege to share this amazing story of God’s love and beauty with you.
I got my M.Div. from Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary (PUTS) in Korea. I’ve worked with a diverse group of believers, including children, teens, college students, young professionals, and seniors. As I begin my adventure in Tokyo, at TUC with my wife, Jiyoon, I pray that God would be exalted and the church would be edified as we lift each other up in love and wisdom.