Partner/Related Organizations
Sharing in God's mission with the global network
Though the ELCA is one church body comprised of three expressions -- congregations, synods, and our churchwide organization -- our shared mission also depends on partner organizations. The ELCA shares important relationships with the following groups:
Church Networks
The ELCA is a member of the
World Council of Churches (WCC), a fellowship of nearly 350 Christian churches in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world. You can learn more at the
WCC Web site.
The ELCA works and prays together with fellow members of the
National Council of Churches of Christ - USA, a century-old ecumenical network of churches throughout the United States. Visit
www.ncccusa.org to learn more.
Service Agencies
The ELCA supports and shares mission with nearly 300 Lutheran
Social Ministry Organizations (SMOs) in the United States through Lutheran Services in America. Learn more about
how we work with SMOs.
The ELCA works hand in hand with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) to advocate and provide assistance for refugees, migrants and those seeking political asylum. Find out more about this important work on the LIRS Web site.
When disaster strikes, Lutheran Disaster Response works alongside and in support of
Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a collaborative ministry of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
When an international disaster strikes, the ELCA works with Action by Churches Together. This alliance of the World Council of Churches coordinates response to ensure that donations from the ELCA and other churches are used quickly, effectively and without duplication. Learn more at the Action by Churches Together Web site.
An independent Lutheran agency,
Lutheran World Relief (LWR) works with community-based partners to improve the quality of life in communities. In 2011 your gifts to ELCA World Hunger provided about $3 million in grants to directly support LWR projects.
The ELCA is one of 36 denominations that support
Church World Service (CWS), a U.S.-based ecumenical organization that works in places where there is no Lutheran presence, such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, and where CWS has U.S. government permission to work, such as North Korea and Cuba.
Why are these relationships important?
Many reasons, including:
Access. Because of these relationships, the ELCA works with agencies that have local contacts around the world -- so when crises occur, we have the infrastructure and networks in place to act quickly and to stay in areas of need for the long haul.
Focus. Our partners have developed specialized capacities in many areas of service.
Financial Efficiencies. By working together with partner agencies, we reduce duplication of efforts, and increase our capacity to help people all over the world.
Help for more people. Because of our ecumenical relationships, we can gain access to help people regardless of whether they share our faith tradition.
Stronger, more effective ministry. Together in mission, Lutherans -- and all of God’s people -- can accomplish much more.