Andries “Dries” Coetzee started his ministry at UPC in January 2018. Dries was born in South Africa, here he attended school and seminary before coming to the U.S. in 1998. Dries’ love of all people in the human family, and his passionate advocacy for a just world informs his life and ministry and led him to UPC. Before his call to UPC, he served churches in Houston, Bloomington, MN, and Wooster, OH. Dries and his wife Beth are the parents of five children, and became grandparents in 2017. With relatives and children spread out between two continents and three American states, they value any precious time spent with family. The couple enjoys sharing meals with family and friends, and time together cooking, gardening, traveling, and jogging.
“I am privileged and humbled to serve UPC as pastor. It is a tremendous gift to be part of a community of faith who values you for who you are and treasures all people as beloved children of God. With the many opportunities to build a more compassionate world, there is a place for everyone at UPC.”