The Rev. John Odegard

Denomination: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Organization: Grace Lutheran Church, Mankato, MN

John Odegard grew up in St. James, MN. He was a carpenter for 10 years before changing careers to join Grace Lutheran Church as Minister for Discipleship and Faith Formation in June of 2014. In 2016 John entered the TEEM program, Theological Education for Emerging Ministries and attended Wartburg Seminary, graduating in 2019. Rev. Odegard was called to serve as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church on August 11, 2019.

John’s work as a carpenter has taught him the importance of Christian values in the workplace. He also learned that when you love something, you will always have more time for it, which is what led him to a career in ministry.

John lives Mankato, MN with his wife, Jenna and their two daughters. He can often be found helping out at Bumbelou, the children's boutique created and owned by his wife. He also enjoys camping, canoeing, woodworking, and driving his classic pickup among other hobbies. One of his greatest passions is building community in and with the neighborhood around the church itself. He especially enjoys the time he spends reading to children in the community and volunteering with schools. Getting to know new people and learning about their lives brings a lot of joy to Rev. John’s work at Grace.