Nebraska Women of the ELCA

David was raised in a farming town in Northern California. He moved to the Los Angeles area in ‘94 to attend LIFE Pacific University. He married Brita in ’96 and have 3 adult children. They’ve pastored together at Pasadena Foursquare Church for over 25 years. His love for soul care led him to the ministry of Spiritual Direction with a specific niche in clergy care. He was trained and certified as a spiritual director through the School of Sustainable Faith. He graduated from Portland Seminary at George Fox University in 2020 (MASF). He also went through training using the Enneagram through the Deep Coaching program. David is passionate about soul care, spiritual leadership training, music and exploring their new home state of Nebraska!

Myrna Wells-Ulland was elected to the executive board for Women of the ELCA in September 2023. In addition to serving as president, she serves on the executive committee and the executive director evaluation committee.

Myrna is past president and board member of the Grand Canyon Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO). As president, she represented the SWO on the Grand Canyon Synod Council. She’s coordinated several retreats for the Grand Canyon Women. Myrna also served four years as president of the board of the Northeastern Minnesota SWO.

She serves on the leadership team of 2122: Growing Katie’s Fund for the next 100 years campaign. Myrna recently chaired a campaign for the Grand Canyon Synod, called “Growing Generosity,” to raise funds for a new generation of growth within the synod.

As an active member of Living Water Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, Ariz., she leads a weekly women’s Bible study, coordinates their Piecemakers mission quilting, sings in the choir, and serves in other leadership areas. Myrna also serves on the Grand Canyon Synod Council. She chairs the board of a small Minnesota-based non-profit, Peter’s Hope, supporting an elementary school and women’s empowerment center in Mombasa, Kenya. 

Myrna grew up on a small dairy farm in northeastern Minnesota. An alum of The College of St. Scholastica, she’s retired from a career in health care in Duluth, Minn., and following retirement, held the position of executive director of her professional association in Minnesota. Myrna and her husband, Bob Ulland, moved to Arizona in 2013. When not spending time with their families, their favorite travel destination is Maui, and they enjoy puzzles of every kind.

Pastor Linda is a Colorado native.  She lived in the Denver/Boulder area until she graduated from the University of Colorado.  She received her M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, and spent her “Lutheran year” at Wartburg Theological Seminary.  She began her ordained ministry at Dana College, has served several congregations (both in Nebraska and Colorado), and now serves as pastor to the Immanuel Trinity Community in Papillion.  You may have seen her filling the pulpit in your own congregation somewhere along the line, because she loves doing that!

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She’s actually a pretty boring person,  She likes books, writing,  crocheting and knitting (neither of which she’s good at), and having meaningful conversations with people.  

Her small biological  family consists of a twin brother who lives in Miami (and who has made sure she’s become a frequent  Disney World  visitor).  She is also blessed with a tight group of friends who are her “Omaha family”.

Linda tries to live by a simple set of rules:  Each day, she makes sure to belly laugh (the longer the better), say “thank you”, smile, and sing. 

The Rev. Scott Alan Johnson was born and raised on a family farm near Wakefield, NE. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary. Prior to being elected bishop of the Nebraska Synod in 2022, he served as pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Barrett, MN, as campus pastor of the University Lutheran Center at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, as pastor of St. Petri Lutheran Church in Story City, IA, and as Director of Campus Ministries at Midland University in Fremont, NE. Scott and his wife Kristin are the proud parents of two daughters, and they live in Fremont, NE.