Pastor Jeffery Gallen was born in Denver to an Army Sergeant & his wife. He spent his toddler years in Landstuhl, Germany; his grade school years in Lawton, OK; and when his father retired out of the Army, the family moved back to his mother’s hometown of Milwaukee, WI. The years in Milwaukee saw Jeff graduating from Don Bosco HS, attending Concordia College in Milwaukee for one year, meeting his wife-to-be, Renae, and enlisting in the Army as a Chaplain’s Assistant, becoming stationed in San Antonio, TX after military schooling.
Jeff & Renae married; new orders came for Okinawa, and after that tour, the couple settled in Milwaukee, where Jeff completed his Bachelor’s degree at UWM.
Following college graduation, Jeff attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, IA, with an internship in Beatrice, NE It was in Dubuque he & Renae welcomed their first child (& only daughter). Pastor Jeff’s first call was to a rural congregation in Windom, MN, where they welcomed their second baby. During this time, Jeff was in the Air Force Reserves, & spent some time in Omaha, NE as a Chaplain Candidate. After 3.5 years in Windom, Jeff was commissioned as an Air Force Chaplain and stationed at Laughlin AB in Del Rio, TX. These were busy years, welcoming two more sons, and obtaining a Doctorate of Ministry in Marriage & Family. Throughout Pastor Jeff’s chaplaincy & ministry, Marriage Enrichment was a large part of his & Renae’s life, leading many retreats, counseling couples & teaching classes.
From TX, he was then stationed at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC where he completed a Clinical Pastoral Education course. He also seemed to end up being the “hospital chaplain” at different assignments, & since he had trained one summer in seminary with a thanatologist, he became comfortable ministering to the ill & dying, a gift which continues to be valuable throughout his ministry.
The next AF assignment brought us to Yokota AB in Japan, where we had the pleasure of participating in the 100th anniversary of the Lutheran Church in Japana, and the privilege of meeting Billy Graham, not to mention a wonderful living and travel experience. Following our three years there, Jeff concluded his military career with 4 years at Luke AB here in AZ. The family was growing, and were happy here, so when early retirement was offered, Jeff took advantage of it & we settled here in the Phoenix area permanently. Pastor Jeff then took a call to CELC in Goodyear, serving for 26 years.