Meet The Pastor
Rev. Scott F. Donnelly
Pastor Scott Donnelly brings a unique blend of qualifications and experience to the senior pastor position at Arlington Hills. Over the past six years, Pastor Donnelly has served as a solo pastor at Christ Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Somerset, WI and in the same capacity at Community Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Enfield, NH. Prior to his formal call to ministry, Pastor Scott served several communities as a clinically-trained social worker, specializing in urban-based medical settings and end-of-life care.
Born with a cleft lip and palate, Pastor Scott grew up in northern New Jersey.; and received his Bachelor’s in Social Work from Kean University where he graduated with high honors in 2004. Two years later he received a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from New York University, where he worked with parents whose children had been removed from their care by the legal system. Pastor Scott also served as a social work student intern at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis of New York City, one of the nation’s oldest and most reputable agencies for individuals living with HIV and AIDS.
During his coursework at NYU, Pastor Scott befriended a fellow graduate social work student, Lindsey Nelson. Their friendship soon blossomed into romance, and upon completion of their studies Scott and Lindsey returned to Lindsey’s hometown of Minneapolis, MN to begin their life together in 2006.
With Lindsey’s support, Pastor Scott discerned a call to formal ministry; and he soon entered the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. In 2009, Pastor Scott was awarded an Arts & Innovation Fellowship, and in May of 2013 he successfully completed his pastoral coursework. Pastor Scott has truly enjoyed serving as an ordained minister of Word & Sacrament in the ELCA ever since.
Pastor Scott and his wife Lindsey have two children, and the family resides in South Minneapolis. Their daughter (age 10) was adopted from Colombia in 2011, and their son (age 7) was adopted from India three years later. Lindsey works as a licensed clinical social worker, and the family enjoys getting out into nature together as frequently as possible.
When he is not serving in a pastoral capacity or watching soccer on television, you might find Pastor Scott training with his daughter in a local karate dojo. They train in Shotokan Karate together, and both dad and daughter are well on their way to attaining intermediate levels of mastery in this rigorous martial art. They are committed to the challenge of one day earning their black belts, and Pastor Scott especially enjoys both the stress relief and the mental discipline that comes from studying such an ancient art form.
We invite you to contact Pastor Scott at 651-771-5501, at extension 102, to discover how Arlington Hills Lutheran Church can help nurture your faith today!