Grateful for the redemptive deed which God has done in Christ…, the Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage of the ELCA has its mission the creation of a ministry of witness and service with and among persons of Arab and Middle Eastern heritage both with the ELCA and these ethnic communities in the United States that will affirm the dignity and worth of these people and their cultures.

Our mission is accomplished by the following:

• Social, cultural and educational activities for members
• Encouraging the formation of Arabic-speaking Lutheran congregations and outreach to persons of Arab and Middle Eastern heritage
• Connecting with the Lutheran Church in the Holy Land
• Advocating on Arab/Middle Eastern issues
• Supporting Middle Eastern cultural values in the ELCA
• Supporting a reconciling ministry among all people but especially the people of the Middle East
• Offering consultation for ELCA units on matters related to the Middle East and its peoples.

Who are we?
The acronym ALAMEH which is formed by our name is also a transliteration of the Arabic word which means “a sign or emblem”. The members of ALAMEH seek to be a sign of God’s love in Christ as we celebrate our ethnic heritage in the Middle East and seek to share our gifts with the Church and our brothers and sisters everywhere. We invite others of all backgrounds to join us!

Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Our origins extend back many millennia to Mesopotamia, the land “between the rivers,” often considered the biblical garden of Eden and the cradle of human civilization. Passing through this land to Canaan was a man with roots in Ur in the northern Arabian peninsula: Abraham is the father through tradition and faith of Jews, Christians, and Muslims and the ethnic father of Jews and Arabs through his sons Isaac and Ishmael. Centuries later Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, gave his life for all humanity.

His followers led the mid-first century Jewish movement that became universal Christianity. Even in the earliest days of the Christian community, the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was witnessed by Arabs and Middle Easterners along with others living during the Roman Empire in the multi-ethnic Palestine and Fertile Crescent. As this dramatic event unfolded, the observers asked, “And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?

How to Join
Please complete this membership application to join our association.

 Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Multicultural Ministries
8765 West Higgins Road
Chicago, Illinois 60631-4185
(773) 380- 2830