Find a Congregation

Your Center for Life and Faith

Attending a church is foundational to a life of faith. Worshiping together unites us in celebration, engages us in thoughtful dialogue, helps us grow in faith and grounds all of us in our Christian and Lutheran roots, while demonstrating practical relevance for today’s world.

Different Places, United in Jesus

While approaches can differ among ELCA congregations, central to our worship life is the presence of God through word and sacrament—both Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. We believe that Jesus Christ is present in these means of grace through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gathering to Share in God’s Grace

We gather to hear God’s word, share a meal at the Lord’s table and carry the Holy Spirit into the world. Our worship is an encounter with God, who saves us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Worship is fundamentally about what God is doing and our response to God’s action.

photo from a church pew looking toward the altar with a view of a man and woman with gray hair, the man wearing a red flannel with his arm around the woman as they look forward.

What to Expect From Going to Church

African American woman with short gray hair wearing a gray jacket plays a tambourine with the word “MOM” and various stickers of bows and bowties.

Worship styles, languages and venues vary widely across ELCA congregations. In our diversity, we have common worship elements, including gathering words and music, sharing the word of God through Bible readings and sermons, receiving Holy Communion and delivering sending blessings.

Worship Services

What to expect at a worship service.

Older man with white hair and a mustache wearing a yellow shirt that reads “God’s work our hands” in black text shakes hands with a young female as she walks out of a church sanctuary.

Lutherans are people who actively practice their faith in the Lutheran tradition or join a Lutheran congregation. Becoming a member is a joyful long-term commitment to the life of the church and of resources toward the work of the congregation and the national and global church.

Becoming a Lutheran

What it Means to Be a Lutheran

The ELCA sincerely welcomes all types of people and families. We teach that it doesn’t matter what your experience with religion has been or what kind of doubts or questions you might have about faith. We strive together to be a church that celebrates diversity. You are welcome as you are.

Who Can Join?

Who attends church in the ELCA?

Locate Your Place in the Church

Man with a beard wearing a wireless microphone sits among a group of children at the front of a church.

Providing a Home to Build and Share Your Faith

There are thousands of ELCA churches, all of which can be a welcoming place for you to join with others to worship Jesus Christ and discover the good news. Use this tool to find the best one for you.

Find a Congregation

Quick Links

Learn More About Our Congregations

The ELCA Annual Congregation Report collects data about the church’s people, finances and resources.

Congregational Report

Worship Resources

Find resources used in worship.

Worship with Us

Joining Together for a Day of Service

“God’s work. Our hands.” is an annual day of service when our congregations celebrate who we are as a church.

“God’s Work. Our Hands.”

A Place for Young Adults