Martin Luther was eight years old when Christopher Columbus set sail from Europe and landed in the Western Hemisphere. Luther was a young monk and priest when Michaelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel in Rome...
Full communion is when two denominations develop a relationship based on a common confessing of the Christian faith and a mutual recognition of Baptism and sharing of the Lord’s Supper...
Completion of the first call process completes candidacy for all people, including those ordained in another Lutheran church or Christian tradition, moving them toward first call and admittance to the appropriate roster in the ELCA.
With gratitude for those who have gone before and hope for the future, the ELCA gives thanks to God for the ministry of women. In 2019 and 2020 we celebrate 50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the United States, 40 years of women of color being ordained, and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to serve freely.
In its simplest form, becoming a sanctuary denomination means that the ELCA is publicly declaring that walking alongside immigrants and refugees is a matter of faith. In baptism, we are brought into a covenantal relationship with Jesus Christ that commits us to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
“AIDS and the Church's Ministry of Caring,” was the first social message of the newly formed ELCA in 1988. Although now clearly dated, it speaks of the ELCA's concern for human suffering, anxiety and well-being, and recognizes that AIDS is a disease that affects women, men, children and entire communities around the world. The body of Christ has AIDS, and this social message continues to urge the church and all people to be well-informed and active in this ongoing issue of health and justice.
This message commits the ELCA to a ministry of caring that welcomes all people into the life of our congregations and supports efforts within the church, communities and society to eliminate the spread of AIDS and care for those who are affected by AIDS.
You can read or download the full social message on “AIDS and the Church’s Ministry of Caring.”
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