Pastor Olin received his B.A. Degree from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD. He attended Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN and received a Master’s of Divinity Degree in 1973 and a Master’s of Theology Degree in 1987. Pastor Olin received Augustana’s honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree on May 25, 2008. Pastor Olin has distinguished himself both as a pastor and as a missionary. Devoting 15 years to mission work in the Central African Republic, 12 years to the ELCA church-wide office, and 7 years to parish work, he has spent more than 35 years sharing God’s word and hope for the future with congregations and townships worldwide. In addition to his public ministry, Pastor Olin has demonstrated in a very concrete way his contribution to civilized human existence, building schools, teaching agricultural skills and food preparation, raising money to drill wells, and establishing health centers. The world is a much better place because of his determined and caring work.
Pastor Olin and his wife Connie served as missionaries in the Central African Republic from 1974 to 1989. Returning from Africa, he served as a Division for Global Mission Program Director for French-speaking Africa and Madagascar until 2001. He has served at Holy Trinity for nine years.
Pastor Olin has published a children’s book, God’s Holy Breath, that illustrates the concept on oral tradition used by the Gbaya people.