Senior Pastor
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Ron Barnett
Ron Barnett began working as Senior Pastor at St. Olaf in June of 2002. He is responsible for leading worship, preaching, pastoral caring, counseling, leading the staff, advising the Executive Committee, and working with the Reaching and Caring Boards.
He graduated from Austin High School, attended Air Force Academy Prep School, graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, worked as a counselor at Willmar State Hospital, worked as a loan officer at First Bank Willmar, Minnesota, was Assistant Vice President, First Bank of Worthington, Minnesota, and graduated from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.
As a pastor, he served congregations in Graettinger, Iowa, Albert Lea, Minnesota, and Atlantic, Iowa.
Pastor Barnett says, “After being gone from Austin for thirty years, it has been a real joy to return to St. Olaf Lutheran Church where I was confirmed, married, and our first child was baptized. I find that I have had many opportunities to minister to high school classmates, and their families which is something I was not really expecting. Also returning to Austin allowed me and my family to be with my father as he battled cancer, treatment, and follow-up surgery before he in died in August of 2007.”
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Associate Pastor
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Kristi Koppel
Kristi Koppel began work at St. Olaf in November of 2005. She is responsible for leadership, preaching, and presiding at weddings, baptisms and funerals. She works with the Growing Board, staff, and congregation members.
She graduated from the University of Nebraska in Environmental Science and graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, with a Master of Divinity degree.
Pastor Koppel says, “A great joy is to be a part of someone’s spiritual ‘a-ha’ moments. I have found this to happen frequently when one gets out of one’s comfort zone – whether it’s right here in Austin or in Mexico – and gets to know their neighbor!”
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Business Administrator
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Eric M. Buntrock
Eric is responsible for accounting and financial operations and personnel and payroll administration. He assists the Church Council in strategic planning, short and long term budgeting, and investments. He purchases and administers maintenance contracts and administers information technology. He purchases supplies, and plans and manages facilities and equipment.
He graduated from Riverland Community College with an AA degree. He pursued a Bachelors in Business Administration degree from Southwest Minnesota State University. Eric spent five years managing a Sears retail store and continues to be employed by them. He has served the last ten years in the Army National Guard with one deployment to Iraq.
Eric says, “It’s been very exciting and rewarding to be a part of St. Olaf’s strategy shift from boards to core areas. Along with that has been a dramatic esthetic transformation of St. Olaf, a six million dollar addition and expansion project which netted an additional twenty thousand square feet in which to increase ministries. The retirement and loss of some long time staff has been a very sad experience; however, the addition of new staff has brought along some new joys.”
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Custodian
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Richard Belknap
Rich began working at St. Olaf in 1987. His position requires him to maintain the church van, the mechanical systems in the church, do daily cleaning of various areas of the church as well as answer requests from others.
He graduated from Austin High School and studied two years at Austin Community College.
Rich says, “St.Olaf is a wonderful place to work and also to attend church. Most of the people are great people to get to know.”
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Music Ministry
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Neal Erickson
Neal worked at St. Olaf from 1981-1984 and again from 1996 through the present. His responsibilities include playing the organ for worship, weddings and funerals, directing the St. Olaf Church Choir and Grace Notes and High School and Middle School Bell Choirs. He accompanies the Saints, Jubilation and Children’s Choirs. Neal also plans worship for both the traditional and blended worship services.
He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, a Master of Music from Drake University, and an MBA from Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He has held organist and choir directing positions at Plymouth Congregational, Fargo; St Mark’s Lutheran, West Des Moines; First Methodist, Des Moines; Catholic Ministries of Muskogee-Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Prince of Peace Lutheran in Roseville, Minnesota. Neal also spent ten years in Minneapolis with First Bank System (now US Bank) in consumer product management and Training and Development.
Neal says, “The most satisfying part of the job is leading the congregation’s song (St. Olaf sings splendidly.) and inviting/training the many talented vocalists and instrumentalists of our congregation and community to participate in worship leadership roles.”
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Senior Adult Ministry
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Todd Portinga
Todd Portinga became a full time member of the St. Olaf staff in July 2006. For the six months prior to that, he interned with this congregation. He assists with worship and preaching, provides leadership to the Caring Board, and works closely with the Caring Ministry Team. He is available for visitation and counseling.
He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he majored in sociology. He has twenty years of professional experience in human services with more than half those years in administration and program development. Todd served as executive director for Shepherd’s Center, a non-profit, senior volunteer organization in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Todd is also a graduate of Luther Seminary with a Master of Arts degree in Aging Ministry. He has completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis.
Todd and his wife Kris own a small farm near Red Wing, Minnesota, where he nurtured a flock of sheep for fourteen years. In addition to farming and gardening, Todd’s passion is “chickin pickin” on one of his favorite Telecaster guitars.
Todd says, “Nothing propinqs like propinquity.”
(You’ll need to talk to him about that.)
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Shared Ministry/Office Support
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Pam Apold
Pam has worked at St Olaf since October of 1983. In this position Pam helps the congregation discover their God-given gifts and offers them the opportunity to share their gifts in the ministries of St. Olaf. She assists the Decorating Team during the various seasons of the church year, as well as with their interior design plans. Pam also has various office responsibilities including church membership.
Pam has a BS degree in Business Education from Mankato State University. She attends numerous workshops and other educational opportunities in the area of shared ministry.
She and her husband Dallas have three children and seven grandchildren.
Pam says, “I love working with and interacting with the members and non-members of the congregation to help them ascertain their gifts and talents in the various ministries of this congregation and our community. I don’t believe that I will ever stop being amazed at the variety of gifts and talents the congregation has. I hope each of us will continue to encourage and invite others to participate or serve in some area of ministry.”
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Wedding Coordinator
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Sara Steinhoff
Sara started her work at St. Olaf in August of 2009. She works with and provides assistance to couples for their marriage ceremonies at St. Olaf.
Sara graduated from Austin High School and earned a BA degree in English Writing from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. She has worked management roles in several organizations and companies over a period of years and is currently employed with Jensales Inc., in Manchester, Minnesota, as the company’s Director of Operations. She has worked with engaged couples in the past as a wedding consultant for a bridal shop in the Twin Cities.
Sara says, “I feel very fortunate to have a role in assisting couples with their wedding preparations, as well as with the rehearsals and the ceremonies themselves. It is a blessing to have this opportunity to provide a connection between the church community and these couples during such a joyful time, as they make their commitment and begin to plan their lives together.
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Director of Children's Ministry
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Jann Schroeder
Jann became the Director of Children’s Ministry at St. Olaf in January of 2000. She directs and coordinates all programming for children, birth through 5th grade. This includes educational programs on Sundays and Wednesdays, summer programming for children, our Splash! program for our birth through three year olds, as well as events and activities for both children and families.
Jann graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a BS in Education with endorsements in English, Language Arts, Speech and Journalism. She did additional class work earning her teaching certificate at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Nebraska. Before she took her present St. Olaf position, she was Chairman of the Board of Youth Education and a member of St. Olaf Church Council. In 1995 she began teaching Sunday School here.
Jann says, “I accepted the call at St. Olaf because I believe every child needs a strong faith foundation. I want St. Olaf to help children and their families grow together in Christ.”
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Director of Youth Ministry
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Elise Chesley
Elise began her work at St. Olaf in September of 2006. Her responsibilities include programming for middle and high school youth and leading the Wednesday night Rejoice team.
She graduated from Luther College with a degree in religion. During college summers she worked at various Bible camps in Wisconsin and South Dakota. Before coming to Austin, Elise traveled the east coast of the United States for a year with a Youth Encounter Team, Captive Free, playing in the band and doing ministry.
Elise says, “I have been blessed to be able to get paid for what I love to do. I walk away almost every Wednesday night, after a twelve-hour day, feeling satisfied and fulfilled and with the knowledge that I am doing what God has called me to do. The only thing that could make this ministry better is if there were more adults around to experience and help out with these amazing youth.”
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Wee Learning Center Director
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Jenny Smith
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Wee Learning Center Teacher
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Sara Burkhart
Sara began work at St. Olaf as an assistant in August of 2007. In August 2009, she became the teacher.
She coordinates and plans the curriculum for the students of the Wee Learning Center. She assists the WLC Director with new student registration and administrative duties as they relate to the overall function of the center.
Sara says, “I love children and have always wanted to be a teacher; I feel blessed to have the opportunity to do so in a Christian environment. I have coordinated and developed curriculum for all age groups at my home church. My interests include music and movement, faith formation, arts and crafts and academic development. I strive to provide the children new experiences that enrich their spiritual, social and cognitive development.”
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Administrative Assistant
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Trisha Blaser
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