Curriculum Vitae

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David Carl Olson
1202 Roundhill Road
Baltimore, MD 21218

Lead Minister
First Unitarian Church of Baltimore
(Universalist & Unitarian)

 

davidcarlolson@mac.com
davidcarlolson.com

(410) 350-9339 (cell/text--preferred)
(410) 685-2330 (church telephone)
(410) 685-0449 (church facsimile) 

 

Education

• Wesley Seminary, Washington, DC, current, D.Min. student in the “Howard Thurman” track
• St. Mary’s Seminary Ecumenical Institute, Baltimore, MD, “Perspective In Black Theology,”
class with Dr. Arthur Sutherland, Spring 2019
• Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA, seminar in Discernment-Based Strategic Leadership,
with Dr. Frank Rogers, January-March 2017
• Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY, seminar with Dr. Cornel West, Spring 2016
• Andover Newton Theological School, Newton, MA, M.Div., 1998
• St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA, CPE, one unit, 1995-96
• Brown University, Providence, RI, A.B., 1977

Work experience

• Lead Minister, First Unitarian Church of Baltimore (Universalist & Unitarian), Baltimore, MD (2009-present)

  • Installed to called (tenured) position in historic Unitarian Universalist congregation; paid staff of Music Director, Children’s Religious Educator, (occasional Ministerial Intern), Office Manager, Building Manager, and non-stipendiary ministerial staff of 4 Affiliate and Community Ministers, 2 co-ministers emeritus, and 1 Seminarian

  • Adjunct Professor of Ministerial Formation, Meadville Lombard Theological School, Chicago, IL (2014-17), part-time position mentoring and supervising Unitarian Universalist seminarians in the Mid-Atlantic region

  • Participant, New Year’s Eve Interfaith Service of Prayer, sponsored by Archbishop Lori and hosted by St. Ignatius Parish, Baltimore (2010-2020), Featured homilist (2019) in honor of bicentennial of Mr. Channing’s “Baltimore Sermon” in 1819

  • Co-Chair, BRIDGE Maryland Religious Leaders Caucus (2019-present)

  • Founder, BRIDGE Maryland clergy sponsoring committee (2015-2016), re-inventing B.R.I.D.G.E. (see below) after death of founding Organizer, and with expectation of building state-wide relational power among congregations in the greater Baltimore region, Annapolis and Prince George’s County.

  • Co-Chair (2012-2014), Baltimore Regional Initiative Developing Genuine Equality, active leadership on B.R.I.D.G.E. Executive Team (2010-2015), Clergy Caucus, Raise Minimum Wage Support Team (with Jews United for Justice and Central Maryland Ecumenical Council, working with Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Office to assure successful legislation), Pilgrimage for Jobs and Justice Task Force (working with national transportation organizations and local unions, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, to assure support for transit improvements in greater Baltimore), Building One Maryland working group, Public Action Agenda team, etc.

  • Week-long training in Community Organizing with Building ONE America (2012)

  • Initiator with key lay leaders of Baltimore ADORE (A Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity) and participant in #BlackLivesMatter activites in Baltimore; frequent consultation with #BLM activists and such organizations as Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle and student organizations at colleges and universities in greater Baltimore and City College High School.

  • Board of Directors, Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland (2011-2021), working on successful campaigns on Marriage Equality, DREAM Act assuring in-state tuition, raising Minimum Wage, Transgender Civil Rights Protections, Paid Sick Leave, etc.

  • Steering Committee, Maryland Coalition for Trans* Equality

  • Host pastor and organizer, Greater Baltimore Transgender Day of Remembrance (2010-present) and partner with the Transgender Response Team coalition

  • Frequent consultation with Maryland Interfaith Fairness Coalition, Equality Maryland, and Baltimore Faith Communities with Pride.

• Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Flint, Flint, MI (2005-2009)

  • Installed to called (tenured) position in Unitarian Universalist congregation

  • Organizing leader (2006-2009), Flint Area Congregations Together, active leadership on FACT Clergy Leadership Team, Action for Public Education task force, Public Action Agenda team, etc.

  • Board Member At-Large, Heartland District of the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees (2007-2009)

  • UUA Diversity of Ministry Team (2004-2007), representative of the UU Ministers Association Executive Committee on a team committed to increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of Unitarian Universalist seminarians and ministers

  • Keynote Speaker, Star Island Lifespan Religious Education Conference (2008)

  • Keynote Speaker, Michigan UU Social Justice Network (2006)

  • Keynote Speaker, World AIDS Day, Flint, MI (2006, 2007)

  • Participant, PICO National Network National Days of Action for SCHIP extension, Washington DC

  • Participant, PICO National Network Mid-America Clergy Caucus

  • Workshop Leader on Congregation-Based Community Organizing (Theme: Private vs. Public) at Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly (2009)

  • Frequent presenter at Conferences, Ecumenical Dialogues, Urban Ministry colloquia, etc., including Saginaw State University School of Social Work, University of Michigan/Flint LGBT Caucus, Flint Interreligious Council, Gandhi Peace March

• Minister & Leader, Community Church of Boston, Boston, MA (1998-2005)

  • Ordained and installed to called (tenured) position in Unitarian Universalist congregation

  • President (2002-2005), Greater Boston Interfaith Organization; active leadership on Sponsoring Committee (1997-1998) and Strategy Team (2000-2005); SEIU Janitors Strike Support Team, Homelessness Task Force, Central Boston Area leadership team, Public Action Agenda team, etc.

  • UUA representative, Massachusetts Council of Churches, Strategy and Action Commission (1999-2004), special focus on health care expansion

  • National Board, Latino/a Unitarian Univesalist Networking Association (LUUNA) (1998-2001)

  • National Board, United States-Cuba Sister Cities Association (1999-2004)

  • Steering Committee, Boston Clergy and Religious Leaders Group for Interfaith Dialogue (1998-2004), which group participated in United Religions Initiative

  • Initiator, First Night Interfaith Service of Prayer, Boston, MA (1998-2004)

  • Initiator, Unitarian Universalists for the Normalization of US-Cuba Relations (2000-2003)

  • 10-Day training in Community Organizing with Industrial Areas Foundation (1998)

  • Frequent presenter at Conferences, Ecumenical Dialogues, Urban Ministry colloquia, etc., including Keynote Speaker, Vermont/New Hampshire Unitarian Universalist District Annual Meeting (2002), Panelist, Vermont Law School Conference onScience, Sexuality and the Law (2002), Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly (2002), Harvard University Graduate School of Education (2001), National Conference on the Urban Church (2000), Harvard University Law School (1994), Prayer Vigil at White House in Support of Puerto Rican Political Prisoners (1999), United Nations Observer of National Elections, El Salvador (1994)

• Associate, Institute for Theology and the Arts, Newton, MA (1994-1998)

  • Developer of programming and enrollment for summer intensive program hosted by Andover Newton Theological School

  • Co-curator of “Owning Each Other,” national exhibition of new works based on engaging the stories of Amnesty International identified prisoners of conscience

  • Coordinator of community-building exercises using performing and visual arts for personal and group theological reflection

  • Advocate for funding and institutional support for underrepresented constituencies

• Producing Director, Little Flags Theater, Cambridge, MA (1989-1995)

  • Community-based theater company working for empowerment through culture and organization

  • Community and college workshops while on national tour, including U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Oberlin College, U. of Maine at Orono, U. of Rhode Island, The Grand of Ellsworth, Maine,
    Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, National Convention of the United Electrical Workers, United Farm Workers, etc.

  • Pastors for Peace Friendshipment to Cuba (1993); presentations at Harvard University Law School (1994), Tufts University (1994), United Nations Observer of National Elections, El Salvador (1994)

•  Resident Musical Theater Artist, Artists Foundation/Cultural Education Collaborative, Boston, MA (1981-1989)

  • Community-based artist creating performing arts culture with urban youth and intergenerational art with community centers

  • Urban residencies in Roxbury, Lawrence, New Bedford, Worcester, Westfield, Dorchester, and Boston’s North End, all in Massachusetts

  • Rural/suburban residencies in Leverett and Shutesbury, Massachusetts

• Core Group Leader, Little Flags Theater, Roxbury, MA (1979-1985)

  • Community-based theater company working for empowerment through culture and organization

  • Tour manager of tour to Azerbaijan and Russia

  • Tour manager of 3 tours (total 15 appearances) to prisons and corrections facilities throughout Massachusetts

  • Responsibilities included education department, community workshops

  • Principal actor, associate stage director

  • Choral conductor, costume designer, choreographer

Awards and Recognitions

  • Preaching Award, Heartland District Annual Meeting (2009)

  • Lew Johnson Award for lifelong leadership in the struggle against racism and for peace, Cambridge, MA (2005)

Ordination, Fellowship and Certifications

  • Ordained in the United Church of Christ; Final Fellowship in the Unitarian Universalist Association

  • Meadville Lombard Theological School, appointment as Teaching Pastor and Adjunct Professor of Ministerial Formation (2015)

  • Harvard University Divinity School, certification in supervision of divinity students (2003)

  • Andover Newton Theological School, basic certification in Clinical Pastoral Education (1995)

  • Foundation for the Extension and Development of the American Professional Theater (FEDAPT) Massachusetts Action Management Program, certification in arts management (1983)

Languages

  • English fluency; liturgical Spanish

REFERENCES furnished on request