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Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea and First Shell Rock Lutheran Church in Northwood announce the arrival of their new pastor, the Rev. Samuel Johnson. He will be installed at a 4 p.m. service on Jan. 5 at Our Savior’s, 320 W. College St. in Albert Lea. The public is invited to the special service.

Johnson grew up in rural Nicollet. He was homeschooled through high school and then attended Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato. He majored in music with an emphasis in piano performance, graduating in spring 2016. At Bethany he was in concert choir, gave two piano recitals and played in the honor recitals held each semester.

He enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in 2017. He spent his vicarage at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He then was called to serve at Abiding Word Lutheran Church in Bowling Green Ohio, where he served for 3 1/2 years before being called to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea and First Shell Rock Lutheran Church in Northwood.

His family includes his wife, Elisa, and their two daughters Tovah, 7, and Moriah, 6. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing piano, jogging and camping.