Mount Olive’s staff and its 13-member parish council, the Vestry, together lead the congregation in carrying out its mission: In the presence of God, being the presence of God.
Staff
Pastor: The Rev. Joseph G. Crippen
Mount Olive’s pastor since 2010, Joseph is a gifted presider, counselor, and preacher who’s passionate about proclaiming God’s love for all people and serving the church as it seeks to faithfully pursue its mission.
- Hometown: Worthington, Minnesota
- Education: Gustavus Adolphus College, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
- Previous parishes: Our Savior’s, Cleveland, Minnesota; St. John’s, Northfield, Minnesota; Vicar at Luther Memorial, Syracuse, Nebraska
- Family: Married to Mary, four adult children, lives in Bloomington
- Hobbies: Movies, novels, music, and enjoying an exceptional cup of tea
Cantor: Daniel E. Schwandt
A rising talent among elite church musicians, Daniel was installed as Mount Olive’s fourth cantor in 2025. Well-known as a thoughtful and engaging voice in the organ world, he has also drawn praise for his work as a choral conductor, teacher, performer, composer and advocate for congregational singing.
- Hometown: Appleton, Wisconsin
- Education: St. Olaf College, University of Notre Dame
- Previous positions: Church musician for congregations in the Twin Cities, Chicago, and Indiana; university organist and lecturer, Lawrence University; seminary cantor, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
- Family: Married to Emily Bird, musician and teacher. They live in Minneapolis with their dog, Otis.
- Hobbies: Cooking, hiking, woodworking, gardening
Coordinator of Neighborhood Ministry: Jim Bargmann
neighborhood@mountolivechurch.org
Mount Olive’s coordinator of neighborhood ministries since 2019, Jim has training and experience in leading educational ministries and extensive experience coordinating community service programs and initiatives. Jim is passionate about caring for those in our South Minneapolis community, making connections with other social service organizations, and helping the people of the Mount Olive community use their gifts for service.
- Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
- Education: Concordia University, St. Paul
- Experience: Director of Christian Education
- Family: A son and a daughter, lives in Woodbury
- Hobbies: Hiking, photography, and reading
Administrative Assistant: Cha Posz
Drawn to Mount Olive in 2001 by her love for liturgy and music, Cha has been a talented and cheerful servant of Lutheran congregations for many years. Her tasks include overseeing the office, preparing publications, and caretaking many behind-the-scenes aspects of parish life.
- Hometown: New Brighton, Minnesota
- Education: Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Experience: Former associate in ministry, church musician, youth director, synod worship committee member, and parish administrator
- Family: Married to Kurt, two adult sons, lives in New Brighton
- Hobbies: Photography, gardening
Sexton: Jose Morocho
Arriving at Mount Olive in 2022, Jose brings a wide range of experience to the congregation. He has managed kitchens, driven delivery trucks and taxis, and has worked in concrete construction, remodeling and house-cleaning. In his off-hours, Jose enjoys spending time with his wife, Maria, and their three children—two daughters and a son. The Morochos live in south Minneapolis and are close neighbors to the church.
- Hometown: Cuenca, Ecuador (a city of 650,000 people high in the Andes Mountains )
- Education: Cuenca public schools
- Experience: A wide variety of jobs, from kitchen management to food delivery and construction
- Family: Married, three children, lives in south Minneapolis
- Hobbies: Visiting parks and pursuing outdoor activities with family and friends
Vicar: Erik Nelson
Erik is Mount Olive’s 56th vicar. Vicars are seminary students assigned to parishes for a year of pastoral experience and learning. Seminarians may serve as vicars either in their third or final year of seminary. A successful internship is one of the ELCA’s requirements before earning approval for ordination.
- Hometown: St. Francis, Kansas
- Education: Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary, Plymouth; University of Northwestern, Roseville; Luther Seminary, St. Paul
- Family: Lives in St. Paul; partner is Wesley Noble
- Hobbies: Gardening, hiking, dining out, Minecraft
Click here for a list of vicars who have served at Mount Olive.
Vestry
The vestry meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the East Assembly Room. Occasional highlights from each meeting can be found in the Olive Branch. Contact the church office for information about serving on a vestry committee.
Officers
President: Cynthia Prosek, president@mountolivechurch.org
Vice President: Matt Krueger-McCuen, vpres@mountolivechurch.org
Secretary: Jan Harbaugh, vsecretary@mountolivechurch.org
Treasurer: Ted Thompson, treasurer@mountolivechurch.org
Directors
Community Well-Being: Erica Johnsen-Buss, community@mountolivechurch.org
Education: Greg Murphy, education@mountolivechurch.org
Justice Ministry: Candy Husemoller, justice@mountolivechurch.org
Global Ministry: Lisa Ruff, global@mountolivechurch.org
Hospitality: Tricia Van Ee, hospitality@mountolivechurch.org
Neighborhood Ministry: Al Bipes, neighmin@mountolivechurch.org
Property: Carol Martinson, property@mountolivechurch.org
Shared Ministry: Lora Dundek, shared@mountolivechurch.org
Worship: Andrew Stoebig, worship@mountolivechurch.org
