PASTORS & STAFF

Pastor Olaf Roynesdal was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. He attended Augustana College (Philosophy), Sioux Falls, SD; Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN and received his Ph.D. (Historical Theology) from Marquette University. Pastor Olaf has been married to his wife, Marcia, since 1973. They have three children and two grandchildren. He has served parishes in Viborg, Baltic and Sioux Falls, all in South Dakota. He began his ministry at Kountze Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church on September 1, 2017.

Academia Page In addition to leading and planning worship services in consultation with the Senior Pastor, his primary focus is to develop and coordinate adult theological educational opportunities for the congregation and for the community. These include Biblical studies, Lutheran Confessions, Lutheran heritage, ecumenical conversations, liturgical studies, social justice concerns, and contemporary theological reflection. The position is part time, in addition to Hall’s regular full-time duties as an Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Creighton University. The position at Kountze includes his work as Chaplain for Creighton’s Lutheran Campus Ministry at Creighton and serving as Chairman of the Board for the Healing Gift Free Clinic, L.L.C. Hall is a delegate in the official dialogue between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A native of Houston, Texas, Hall was raised in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and joined the ELCA in college. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in history from the University of St. Thomas in Houston.  After college, he worked for three years at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Houston, where he was the communications director and assistant to the director of The Melanchthon Institute, a center for theological education.  He received his Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Fordham University in The Bronx, N.Y. (2009). He started his training for seminary at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and completed it through the TEEM program, receiving his degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in 2010.

Pastor Inbarasu grew up in Vellore, a town near Madras (Chennai) City, South India. He is an ordained minister and affiliated with Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He began his ministry as a theological educator, Pastor and later moved into hospital chaplaincy ministry in India. He served as a senior chaplain in the Christian Medical College and Hospital Vellore, India.  This is the second largest Medical College and Hospital in Asia. He provided leadership in Chaplaincy education for ten years, and had the opportunity to be the pioneer in coordinating the first kind of Clinical Pastoral Education in India. His love for pastoral education and ministry led him to the CPE Supervisory education. Inbarasu began his CPE supervisory journey in the Advocate Health System, Chicago and completed his training at the Iowa Health System, Des Moines. He had many opportunities to work at various hospitals in these systems and supervised Interns and Residents in the Institution and communities.  In May 2007, he was certified as a CPE Supervisor with Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). He is also certified as a Board Certified Chaplain in the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC).   Inbarasu specialized in Clinical Pastoral Education, Chaplaincy ministry, Theology, Missiology, Counseling, Pastoral care, and Palliative care. His doctoral work focused on the Asian Indian Perspective of Nishkamakarma  in Clinical Pastoral Education. He is married, and his wife is a bio-medical scientist and an educator.  They have a son who is currently doing his Medical Education. Inbarasu is also interested in the development of cross cultural and international CPE.  He has traveled extensively in India involving in the  missionary work. He is actively involved in our local community and church and has a passion for providing pastoral care and training to individuals who give pastoral care.   He received a D.Min., Doctor of Ministry in Religion and Health , Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago (2007): M.Th., Mastor of Theology in Missiology, SAIACS, Bangalore, India  (1991); M.A.,  in Public Administration, S.V. University, Tirupati, India (1989); M.A., in Philosophy, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India (1986); B.D., Bachelor of Divinity, Bishop’s College, Calcutta (1884); B.Th., Bachelor in Theology, in South India Biblical Seminary, Bangarapet, India (1983).  Pr. Inbarasu says, "I am grateful to God’s call in my life and for our church to extend this call for me to serve in the specialized ministry setting.  I am serving as chaplain educator and Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor (CPE supervisor) and program Director in Alegent Creighton Health System. I do God’s mission by providing pastoral care and training others in providing pastoral care.  I am grateful to God and our Church for this call to serve in this specialized ministry setting and be faithful to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ through my pastoral care, education and Leadership."

If anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation…This is from God, who in Christ was reconciling the world to himself and entrusting the ministry of reconciliation to us. - 2 Corinthians 5. This basic declaration of the Christian faith serves as my mission statement, for my profession and my life.  I am grateful to be part of the pastoral team during this time of transition at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church. After thirty years as Senior Pastor of Saint Andrew’s, Columbia, Missouri; and of congregations in Oklahoma and Kansas before that, I am returning to my homeland of Nebraska.  My wife, Donna, and I are temporarily a two-house family, as she provides child care for our grandsons in Columbia.  Our family includes two daughters and their families:  Krista and Eric Boyd, Hugo and Vera, in Plymouth, Minnesota, Anja and Steve Walentik, Benjamin and Jacob, in Columbia, but moving to Saint Louis. My education includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln;  a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary;  and a Doctor of Ministry from Luther Seminary. Here at Kountze, I get to serve in a variety of community and congregational ministries as Pastor Bard guides.  We trust this all brings honor to God and joy to you, God’s people.