The Rev. Anita Hill serves as Co-Pastor of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, Saint Paul Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with The Rev. Keith Olstad. Global and local (glocal) ministry have her attention via two sister parish relationships, one in El Salvador and the other in Nigeria. While going global in scope, her ministry is intensely local in her work with Isaiah (a Gamaliel faith based community organizing affiliate) to assure that the central corridor light rail line between the downtown areas of Minneapolis and Saint Paul will maintain and enhance the livability, diversity, and cohesion of the neighborhoods. Anita serves on the board of the Lexington-Hamline Community Council in the neighborhood of St. Paul-Reformation. Her priorities include racial, economic and GLBT justice, “glocal” ministry and immigrant rights.

Anita is currently serving a second term as a chaplain for roster members of the Extraordinary Lutheran (LGBT) Ministries. She was ordained “irregularly” on April 28, 2001 and was received as a member of the clergy roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on September 18, 2010. She has been on the pastoral staff at St. Paul-Reformation since 1994. In addition, she served as Ministry Associate with the Wingspan LGBT Ministry of the congregation from 1983-90. Anita was awarded a lifetime membership of Lutherans Concerned/North America for her years of service with the organization working full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church. Anita earned the M.A. in Religious Studies and M.Div. from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She completed Lutheran studies at Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, MN. She and her partner of 17 years, Janelle Bussert, are sponsoring and sharing their home with an African mother and son who are seeking asylum in the USA.

Pastor Keith Olstad was born in Sheboygan and raised in Manitowoc, WI. He attended St. Olaf College where he received his B.A. in philosophy. He attended Chicago Theological Seminary, did a two-year Danforth Foundation internship in campus ministry at Oberlin College, Ohio, and completed his seminary education at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, in 1979.

With his wife, Libby, Keith served a four year term in Lutheran campus ministry at the University of Minnesota before being ordained in 1979 to serve as Pastor of Community Outreach at Our Saviour’s Lutheran, Minneapolis. He also served as co-pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran and as Lead Pastor at University Lutheran Church of Hope, both in Minneapolis. Keith has also served nine appointments as an interim pastor in the Minneapolis Area Synod in a wide range of settings—from large, multiple staff suburban congregations to small, single pastor ministries. Rounding out his career, Keith spent six and a half years during the 1980’s as executive director of an ecumenical coalition of congregations in the Phillips Neighborhood of Minneapolis, working with congregations to address neighborhood outreach, housing, and job development issues.

Earthy HillGivens has worked as custodian at St. Paul-Reformation since 2002. Working 20 hours each week at the church, he is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the church building. Earthy also works a full-time job in maintenance for Thomson Reuters. Prior to that he worked at the St. Paul Hotel. Earthy was born in Mississippi and graduated from Mechanic Arts High School in St. Paul. He and his wife, Anita, have a son, Kato.

Jennifer Walding has been Office Administrator since 2008. Before coming to St.Paul-Reformation, she was the Administrator at the University Episcopal Center (UEC) at the U of M. The UEC and the Lutheran Campus Ministry, staff and students, were partners in interfaith activities, service projects and campus events. Jennifer completed a four year course of theological study, Education for (Lay) Ministry (EFM), through the School of Theology, University of the South, Sewanee,Tennessee. Jennifer is a member of Saints Martha and Mary Episcopal Church, Eagan, MN, where she has been involved as a choir member, lay reader, chalice bearer, confirmation teacher, youth group leader, Bishop’s Committee (vestry) member, Jr. and Sr. Warden. Jennifer is currently preparing to serve her congregation as a member of the Shared Ministry Team. She is a proud mother and grandmother to her granddaughter Wednesday, son Aaron, and daughter-in-law Charity. Jennifer has a B.A from Iowa State University.

Sharon Baker has been a member of St. Paul-Reformation since 2003, immediately joined the Wings of Grace Handbell Choir, and has directed the choir since 2005. She started playing bells in 1990, has played with two other church handbell choirs, and also played for two years with Genesis Ringers, a community bell choir. As a member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR), Sharon has attended numerous director’s seminars, workshops and festivals. She has served on the church council and enjoys singing with the chancel choir. Born and raised in California, Sharon moved to Minnesota in 1984 and earned her bachelor’s degree from Mankato State University. She has been employed by Thomson Reuters in Eagan since 1999. Sharon has three children: Caitlin, Stuart and step-daughter, Emily. Lately, she has taken up quilting and sewing, and loves to watch baseball and take road trips with her husband, Mark.