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Our Pastor

Dennis M. Oglesby Jr., Lead Pastor

dennisOglesby@parkavechurch.org

(612) 825–6864 ext. 566

Pastor Oglesby is an ordained elder and member in full connection of the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and began his appointment as Senior Pastor of Park Avenue in June, 2006.

Prior to this appointment, Pastor Oglesby served six years as Senior Associate and Minister to the City at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church. He established the Hennepin Avenue UMC Dignity Center, an outreach ministry that serves the needs of the poor and disenfranchised and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture Series on Racial Reconciliation as an annual event in the life of Hennepin Avenue UMC.

Prior to his appointment to Hennepin Avenue, Pastor Oglesby was a member of the Northern Illinois Conference and served as Pastor of Sherman United Methodist Church in Evanston, Illinois from 1991-1997 and Faith United Methodist Church from July 1997-August 31, 2000.

Believing to whom much is given, much is required, Pastor Oglesby seeks to make a difference in the world through his preaching, his leadership abilities and through community service.  He currently serves as a member of the Minnesota Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as Conference Relations Chair, and as the Chair of the Religion and Race Action Team. Pastor Oglesby was elected as Vice Chair of Black Methodist for Church Renewal, Inc. during its 2006 annual meeting in Dallas, Texas and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville, Tennessee.  His community service has been reflected in his participation as Board member of the Neighborhood Involvement Project, the Center for Urban Education for Hamelin University, the African American Men’s Project of Hennepin County and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, where he has been honored this year with a 25 year service award. 

Pastor Oglesby earned his Master’s of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and a Bachelor of Art in Mass Communications from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. 

Pastor Oglesby’s professional experiences include Human Resources, Research and Program Development, Public Housing Management, Training/group facilitation and Youth Leader­ship Development for more than 17 years. Pastor Oglesby has also served as an adjunct faculty member of St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis in the school of Business and Information Technology.

He is married to Greta Oglesby, awarding winning actress and vocalist and together they share in the parenting of their two children, Meghann Dominique, age 20, who has completed her junior year at Rust College and Chase Michael, age 16 who has also completed his junior year in high school.