Mount Olive Lutheran Church

Jon Strommen Campbell: Music Director

Cantor, Composer and Chef

Jon serves as Cantor at Mount Olive, which means that he organizes and leads the "singing" and other musical portions of worship. The primary musical group in worship is the congregation, and it is around their voice that all other music groups gather.

A west coast boy, Jonathon grew up in Salem Oregon about an hour from the Pacific Ocean. Jon is from a family of 6, and is the middle brother, of three boys with a younger adopted sister from Korea. Family vacations were a highlight for Jon and included family road trips to Central and Eastern Oregon. Jon describes these trips as, "where the Rocky mountains and open ranch land stood in stark contrast from the lush green of the coastal valleys". After graduating from South Salem High School in 1994, he attended University of Montana "for one horrible year". He transferred to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, which was a better fit for his personality/talents and where he met Pastor Siri. Jon graduated in 1998 with a BA in music, and then went to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, graduating with a Master of Sacred Music in 2002.

After Seminary, Jon served as music director at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester and came to Mount Olive 5 years ago. Our music and worship has been gifted with his vision, talents and insights that have created vibrant worship experiences. Jon says, "I love music, and how it intersects with the Word. I feel I have a talent for recognizing the theme of a Sunday, and fitting the music to that in an interesting way." Jon's beautiful tenor voice has graced our worship services as a Cantor, adding guidance and uplifting melodies and song to our worship life. Jon is also a talented composer and has published several musical pieces.

If Jon could choose another career, he would be a chef. To satisfy his cravings he cooks for his family, trying out a variety of savory recipes. Jon loves fresh seafood: shellfish, crab, oysters and sushi. Some of his favorite dining spots in Rochester are Sontes and Chester's. When not cooking or writing music, Jon loves movies, dreaming, camping and reading. For his listening pleasure, he chooses late Medieval, Renaissance and early 20th Century American and English music . Presently he is reading Christian Singers, The First Thousand Years.

Hoping the future brings opportunities for travel, Jon's destinations might include Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) and a pilgrimage of important Byzantine sites. Other dreams include trips to North Africa, Italy, Greece, Great Britain and Japan.

A kid at heart, Jon has an X-box and hopes to "keep up" with youth culture and his children, Theodore (6), in kindergarten and Lucy (4), at Rainbow pre-school. When asked "What would you do right now if you could?" Jon said, he would "like to go out to a nice restaurant with his wife".

Mount Olive is fortunate to have such a talented person guide us in worship through weaving Word, music and song to the glory of God. And for after church hours, let's encourage Chef Jon to make a meal or two for a pot-luck supper - bon appétit!