Gustavus Adolphus College

The Rev. Grady St. Dennis has been named Director of Church Relations at Gustavus.

The Rev. Grady St. Dennis, a pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, has been named Director of Church Relations at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. In his new position, St. Dennis will lead the college’s church relations efforts with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its congregations, particularly those in the Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations. He will begin his duties Feb. 19, 2007.

An ordained minister of the ELCA, St. Dennis has served as associate pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis since 1999. During his six years at the church, he developed and implemented several programs, including outreach ministry programs for young adults.

St. Dennis holds a master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College.

“We are thrilled that the Rev. Grady St. Dennis has accepted the invitation to join us in this important role,” said Gustavus President Jim Peterson. “I am confident that he will be an effective and enthusiastic leader who will strengthen our relationships with churches. Such connections are crucial to us as a college of the church whose core values are faith, service, justice, community, and excellence.”

St. Dennis commented, “As an ordained Lutheran pastor and graduate of Gustavus, I am keenly aware of the tremendous value of advancing the presence of the church in the college and the college in the church.”

As director, St. Dennis will help build, strengthen, and support Lutheran higher education in general and Gustavus in particular. He will also represent the college at ELCA gatherings, synod assemblies, and other church-related gatherings.