We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work.
Our love and care – and God’s work – doesn’t end at the Ohio state line. We proudly join our brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ in coast-to-coast ministry and mission through our churchwide body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – Our Works
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 3.3 million members in more than 8,900 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region.
Freed by the transformative life of Christ, we support ELCA members as they give themselves freely in transforming service with the neighbor. Through a wide range of daily vocations and ministries, we nurture faith, build alliances and gather resources for a healed, reconciled and just world. As church together, we faithfully strive to participate in God’s reconciling work, which prioritizes disenfranchised, vulnerable and displaced people in our communities and the world. We discover and explore our vocations in relation to God through education and moral deliberation. We bear witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ through dialogue and collaboration with ecumenical partners and with other faiths. In all these ministries, God’s generosity flows through us into the life of the world.
Lutheran Disaster Response
We are a church that is a catalyst, convener and bridge builder. Lutheran Disaster Response collaborates with other disaster response organizations and religious entities in the United States and around the world. This enables the greatest stewardship of resources and maximum impact of response. We are a welcome partner because we respect the perspectives and strengths of others.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Witnessing to God’s love for all people, we stand with and advocate for migrants and refugees, transforming communities through ministries of service and justice. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) draws from the deep well of our Lutheran theological understanding, our cherished Lutheran heritage, our commitment to humanitarian relief and our identity as people with immigrant roots as we put faith into action in solidarity with migrants and refugees. We approach our work from a grounding in our deepest core values, reflecting our understanding of how we witness to God’s love for all people to realize a vision of just and welcoming communities.
ELCA Seminaries
The ELCA has a long history and tradition of training and preparing pastors and other rostered leaders to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to inspire and equip members to participate in God’s work in the world.
Seminary students are introduced to a deeper study of Scripture, tradition, Lutheran Confessions and the rich history of this church while encouraging humility of service and confidence in God’s power to reconcile and renew communities. They examine the complexities and questions of life, communities and the world so they can better communicate God’s living word in contexts that are always changing. Most importantly, students and leaders are called to be teachers in word and action, inviting and equipping people to participate in listening to God, each other and to the world so that together we can love and serve our neighbor with a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.
ELCA Colleges and Universities
The 500-year-old Lutheran intellectual tradition lives on in ELCA higher education. The 26 colleges and universities of the ELCA offer both undergraduate and graduate education in the best of liberal arts, pre-professional and professional education. Our schools are dedicated to the freedom of inquiry and the development the whole person. At ELCA colleges and universities, students are educated for a sense of calling or vocation, opening the path toward a meaningful life of contribution to the common good through whatever career they choose. Find yourself at an ELCA college or university.
Thrivent Financial
When it comes to financial services providers, you have plenty of choices. But while others see money as a goal, we see it as a tool – for serving God, your family and your community.
We are a membership organization of Christians, and our members are our owners.
Our purpose is to serve our members and society by guiding both to be wise with money and live generously.
We believe that all we have is a gift from God and that generosity is an expression of faith.
We succeed when our members, their families and their communities thrive.
We value our relationships, so we will: Be trustworthy in character and competence, and Act like owners and treat each other as owners, and Live balanced and generous lives.
Thrivent began as Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood. Many NWOS members are also Thrivent members, and Thrivent often gives to NWOS congregations and synod events. Thrivent is independent of the ELCA and NWOS.
Portico Benefit Services
As an ELCA ministry, Portico offers health, flexible spending, retirement, disability, and survivor plans to help rostered leaders and lay employees strengthen their well-being. By living well as whole people of God, we believe we can better enhance the lives of others.
Legislative Issues
The ELCA Washington office witnesses for social justice on domestic and foreign policy issues facing the nation; represents the ELCA’s positions within the area of public debate; educates, informs and enables interaction between the ELCA and the Federal government; educates, informs and enables full involvement of the church and its members in advocacy for social justice. Register for updates from ELCA e-Advocacy Network to keep informed.