beginning a Lutheran mission church in Saline County. In 2008 he was one of six Concordia students selected to participate in a 10-day “Mercy Mission” to the Lutheran Church of the island nation of Madagascar.
A native of Springfield, Ill., Pastor O’Brien was born, baptized and raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. He is a 1972 graduate of the University of Illinois, and he spent 33 years as an advertising and promotional manager for several large life insurance companies, including the former Franklin Life Insurance Company in Springfield and, most recently, American General Life Insurance Company of Houston, Texas. He retired from American General Life in 2005 prior to beginning his seminary studies.
Pastor O’Brien and his wife of 31 years, Sharon (Jackson) O’Brien, are the parents of two children, Bethany O’Brien Italiano (husband: Joel) of Glen Carbon, Ill. and Todd O’Brien of Pana, Ill. They also have one granddaughter.
