Welcome The Rev. Imani Olear

Director for Evangelical Mission, unys

With thanksgiving to God for the gifts of all of God’s people, the Upstate New York Synod shares the news of the call of The Reverend Imani Olear to serve as our ELCA Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to the Bishop.

Reverend Olear comes to us via her call with God’s people at Reformation Lutheran Church in Rochester where she has served since 2012. While serving with Reformation Pastor Olear cared for members of the congregation while integrating their ministry into care for, and accompaniment with, the community.

Reverend Olear organized and engaged in interfaith, civic, educational, and recreational partnerships and collaborations. She created and facilitated workshops and bible studies around community engagement and social justice, developing ways in which the congregation may be an instrument of healing in the community.

Experienced in creating partnerships and new communities, Pastor Olear is the founder of Yoga 4 A Good Hood, a first of its kind “pay what you can” yoga studio in Rochester, NY. Pastor Olear developed a 200-hour Essential Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum based in Social Justice principles and practices and which is income based for its participants. In addition to experience building community organizations Reverend Olear has completed training in grant writing and strategic planning for non-profits as well as SMART Goals training.

Reverend Olear holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, and received her Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus.

Please keep Pastor Olear and her family in your prayers during the transition in addition to all of God’s people at Reformation Lutheran Church in Rochester. We expect her ministry as Director for Evangelical Mission to begin among us at the end of January.

We are church together. St. Paul writes, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Special thanks to all of those who considered the position. We are blessed by your shared gifts for the sake of the gospel.

Let us welcome Pastor Olear to this new call; together, we are activated by God’s love to share this liberating Gospel with all the world.