Pastor Elizabeth Gallen
Pastor Elizabeth Gallen was called to serve New Journey Lutheran Church on February 16, 2021 and was installed as pastor on March 16, 2021. She completed her Masters of Divinity at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota with an emphasis in Congregational Leadership and Mission in May 2020.
Prior to stepping into her role at New Journey, Pastor Elizabeth served as a Youth and Family ministry leader in a Lutheran congregation in Southern California and currently serves as a board member of The Lydian Way, a faith based non-profit in Saint Paul, MN.
She has deep interest in the future of the church, and in developing spiritual practices that encourage and deepen communal response to the Holy Spirit’s leadership in the world. “We get to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, and the Holy Spirit is alongside us encouraging us to love, exercise creativity, and seek justice and peace in a broken world. I am thrilled to join the New Journey community and wonder together how the Holy Spirit is beckoning us forward to as emissaries of God’s love, justice and peace.”
Pastor Elizabeth and her spouse, Stephen have been partnered for nine years and have two children: Amelia and Oliver. Their family is excited to join New Journey and grow in relationship with the congregation and broader community.
James Asmus
Jamie joined New Journey’s staff June 2018. Jamie has church musician experience from numerous Episcopal, Catholic, and Lutheran churches. Jamie has lived and taught music in Sioux Falls, SD; Scottsbluff, NE; and Tempe, AZ.
He has been a music teacher for 31 years. In addition, he has also been a church organist and choir director (children, adult and bell) for 39 years.
Jamie graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music in Education with a major in vocal music and a minor in organ.
Sarah Morris
Sarah became New Journey’s Communication Coordinator in late March 2021. She is a native to Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Psychology and the University of Arizona with an MA in Information Resources and Library Science. She spent 20 years as a legal research librarian and has recently transitioned to becoming the director of an educational non-profit association.
Sarah is a member at Our Saviour’s Lutheran in Phoenix where she also currently acts as their council President. She has two sisters who have given her five nieces and nephews to love, whereas she has given them a multitude of dogs and cats to enjoy. (Her current household includes one dog and two cats.) In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, visiting with friends, cooking and eating good food, and reading all the books.