Pastor Sharon Stalkfleet

Photo by Vince Donovan
Sharon was ordained May 12, 2002 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oakland, CA and installed as Pastor to the Lutheran Ministry to Nursing Homes at the same service.

Sharon received calls to this joint ministry from St. Paul Lutheran, Resurrection Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran in Oakland,CA and Trinity Lutheran Church Alameda, CA. Sharon was the first pastor to this ministry. "It was a growthful, challenging experience to start a ministry from its first day. It was a pleasure to work with the people from the supporting congregations to share the love of Christ with so many people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and experiences. I learned that fifteen minutes a week of one's time can make a big difference in one's life." Sharon ended her call to the ministry in December of 2008 for personal reasons. Sharon currently is open to call and preaching most Sundays at congregations in the East Bay of San Francisco.

Sharon, first came to a Lutheran congregation in Iowa City, IA in 1988. "It was a marvelous experience hearing of God's love week after week and that God's love for me was not dependent on what I have done, do or will do. With this good news, I believe Lutherans have much to share with the world."

Becoming a pastor is a second vocation for Sharon. She worked many years as a registered nurse and nurse clinician at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, in Iowa City. Sharon has experience working with AIDS service organizations and Domestic Violence Shelter while in Iowa.

In 1995, Sharon went to Chicago and studied at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Many of her activities were focused on urban ministry such as attending ACTs Urban Clinical Pastoral Education program in Chicago and completing an internship as a jail chaplain in Richmond, CA and a vicar at St. Paul's Lutheran in Oakland.

Sharon remains active in the community. Currently she is the is a member of the Sierra Pacific Synod Racial Ethnic Ministry Team focusing on Strategic Planning. She is President of the Northern Alameda County Thrivent Chapter Board and a member of the Board of the Alzheimers Service of the East Bay.

Sharon has been on the roster of ELM since 2001, identifying as bisexual. "I am glad to live out the fullness of my life as I am." She lives in Alameda, CA with her partner Larell Fineren and their most adorable dog Greta. She has one son, Nikolai and his wife Sarah, who have two amazing children, Johnny and Alison. She loves to have contemplative time, as well as walk, do expressive art, swim and read fantasy and science fiction. Sharon has the complete DVD set of the series of Star Trek Voyager.