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Doug Olson​
​Pastor Doug Olson was called as a coordinating pastor to Yellow Lake Lutheran Church in June 2008. He describes the life and work of Yellow Lake Lutheran Church as living the good life in the love of God in Jesus for all people. Pastor Olson is married to Dawn, and together they have four children and 13 grandchildren. They have served congregations in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. He graduated from Augsburg College and Luther Theological Seminary. Pastor Olson hails from St. James, Minnesota. He enjoys art, hunting, fishing and cutting wood.

Ralph Thompson

Pastor Ralph Thompson came to Yellow Lake Lutheran in January of 2017.  He previously served Ridgeland and Hay River Lutheran Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Glenwood City and Luck Lutheran Church. Pastor Thompson grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from Luther College and Luther Seminary. Pastor Ralph and Carol are the parents of three children:  Kristin is a Social Studies teacher in Chicago. Jennifer is a former English teacher and currently a dean in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Erik is a former Spanish teacher and is a dean in the Burnsville Minnesota School District. All the kids followed their mother and became teachers. Pastor and Carol have five grandchildren, Ty, Ben, Kennedy, Emerson, and Madison. Pastor and Carol live in Shell Lake.

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Pastor Rebecca Ellenson

Pastor Rebecca Ellenson joined the ministry team at Yellow Lake Lutheran Church in October 2020.  She also serves as the guest pastor for a seasonal congregation of English-speaking residents and tourists in Mazatlán, Mexico.  Pastor Ellenson is a graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, MN and Wartburg Theological Seminary.  She started her ministry career at Mansfield Lutheran Church, Alden MN followed by a call to First Lutheran Church, Duluth MN.  In 2001 Rebecca left parish ministry to work as a Project Developer at Center City Housing Corp., creating affordable housing for at risk populations.  She started her own consulting business specializing in grant writing and program evaluation before becoming the Executive Director of SOAR Career Solutions.  In 2012 Pastor Ellenson returned to parish ministry at Finlayson United Methodist Church, Finlayson MN and Sandstone United Church of Christ, Sandstone MN.   She and her husband, Steve Cherne, live in Voyager Village.  She enjoys golf, fishing, gardening, painting and travel.  Steve is retired from a career in law enforcement and enjoys golf, fishing, playing saxophone, writing and travel.  They are the parents of four adult children.
                                        

Pastor Sandy Carpenter

​Pastor Sandy Carpenter, a graduate of Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, retired from full-time ministry in June of 2020, and moved to the Luck, Wisconsin area with her young Lab/German Shorthair pup Molly. She began part-time ministry at Yellow Lake Lutheran Church in November 2020. Previously, she had served congregations in North Dakota and Minnesota. Pastor Sandy has two sons, Troy and his wife Abbey who live in Lakeville, Minnesota, and Mike and his wife Amanda who live in Woodbury, Minnesota. She also has four grandchildren, Tyler, Dylan, Nick, and Michaela. She has many hobbies and interests, but spends most of her time these days walking in the beauty of the Wisconsin woods and grasslands with Molly.