God’s Surprising Abundance

Rev. Jeff R. Johnson

The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson was installed on December 9, 2023 as the 6th Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

A graduate of California Lutheran University (‘84) and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (‘88), Bishop Johnson was ordained extra ordinem in 1990, in violation of church policies preventing LGBTQIA+ leaders from serving as ordained ELCA clergy. When these policies finally changed in 2009, nearly 40 clergy ordained extra ordinem were eligible for admission to the ELCA’s roster of Ministers of Word and Sacrament.

Prior to serving as bishop, he was a pastor of University Lutheran Chapel in Berkeley, CA and First United Lutheran Church, San Francisco, CA. He has been deeply committed to interfaith collaboration and civic engagement around advocacy, justice, equity, and inclusion throughout his ministry. Resiliency, honesty, and boldness have been attributes of his tenures as bishop and pastor.

He is married and lives with his husband in a 1920’s stucco bungalow in the East Bay. In his free time, he enjoys renovating their home, attending theater, tracing family history, cooking (with recipes), studying Spanish, playing piano, salsa dancing, and visiting family, friends, places, and cultures.