Our Staff

Lead Pastor Robert Goldstein joined the staff of St. Francis in November, 2005. He was installed on March 26, 2006.

Before coming to St. Francis, Pr. Goldstein served congregations in New Jersey and Chicago for the past 30 years. Born in Melbourne, Australia, he received his B.A. in Biblical Languages and Literature from Abilene Christian University in 1965, and a B.D. and S.T.M. at Yale, where he specialized in the philosophical writings of Wittgenstein and Kierkegaard under Professor Paul Holmer. He received a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1982 in Philosophical Theology. Pastor Goldstein has been a proponent of equal rights for women and LGBT people in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Pastor Dawn Roginski was ordained at St. Francis on June 16^th, 2007, and installed the following day, Sunday June 17^th. Pastor Dawn fills the position of Pastor of Parish Programs, which the congregation of St.Francis recognize as an important component to it's ministry in the community.

Rev. Dawn Roginski grew up Catholic in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned an undergraduate psychology degree from the University of Minnesota and began a career in counseling. Dawn then earned an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Dawn was promoted to program director at a residential treatment facility for seriously mentally ill patients at Boston Health Care in Minneapolis. After nearly 10 years of full-time employment at Boston Health Care, Dawn was called to ministry after presiding at a prayer service and further exploration.

Following a discernment process, Dawn became Lutheran because she felt a deep connection with the theology of Martin Luther and the way he envisioned the Gospel, and because of the Lutheran church’s strong theological grounding. She also did research, read materials and talked to other Lutherans and pastors.

Dawn transferred to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and came out while attending there. Despite obstacles due to her sexual orientation, Dawn received her Master of Divinity degree, at Luther Seminary December in 2002, completing her internship at Lord of Light Lutheran Campus Ministry in Ann Arbor, MI. As the only out M.Div. student she was aware of in her first year at Luther, other closeted students actively avoided her, leaving her isolated from their support. She gained strength from Pr. Anita Hill and the congregation of St. Paul Reformation, where she became a member. In 2002, Dawn embarked on the course of eventual indefinite postponement of her approval for ordination in the ELCA. Her approval committee has never followed-up. Dawn joined the ECP Roster in 2002.

In 2003, Dawn became a part-time chaplain and part-time youth care worker at a residential treatment center for children in Kansas City, MO, providing care for seriously emotionally disturbed children and youth. Dawn developed a youth ministry program from the ground up, including groups and worship. As her programs grew, she was offered the position of full-time chaplain.

As a volunteer, Dawn’s service includes having served in leadership roles on the national Lutherans Concerned/North America board, and currently as an ECP roster representative to the Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministries (LLGM) board and convener of the leadership team for the ECP roster. Dawn loves music and plays in the Mid-America Freedom Band.

Dr. David Schofield (http://davidschofield.info) is Director of Music, and is the choir director and organist. David Schofield is known for his affinity for the music of Charles Tournemire. Schofield’s performances of Tournemire’s seldom heard Sept Chorale-Poemes sur les Sept Paroles du Xrist at the Riverside Church and the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York received much acclaim. He performed for the American Guild of Organists Organists Against AIDS concerts in 1989,1990, and 1991. His Bach performances have been featured on National Public Radio’s Pipedreams.

Schofield held posts as Director of the Sacred Concerts and Chaplain’s Organist at Columbia University in New York and Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Dominic’s Church and Music Director of the Arts at St. Dominic’s Concert Series in San Francisco.In addition to serving as Director of Music at St. Francis, he is also Master of the Schola at St. Savior's Anglican Community in San Francisco.

Dr. Schofield attended the University of Cincinnati, l’Université de Paris, Sorbonne and the Manhattan School of Music where he studied composition with Lukas Foss and John Corigliano, and organ with John Walker.