Rev. Clark Olson-Smith

I'm Clark Olson-Smith. I live and breath in Davenport, Iowa, where the Mississippi River flows west.

I grew up near the Susquehanna River in suburban central Pennsylvania and went to school on Lake Cayuga in upstate New York. There, through life-affirming relationships in faithful community—and a graced practice of contemplative prayer—I experienced spiritual awakening, healing, and a calling.

I serve as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church here in Davenport. For a decade, I've practiced the arts and spiritual discipline of community organizing in congregational settings, for the sake of transformation of communities, congregations, and people.

I find Rev. angel Kyodo williams’ words an apt summary of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount:

“love & justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.”

Sara, my wife, is also a pastor. We have two children, Susannah and Amos.

I love playing games, messing around with computers, and watching soccer.