Social Ministry Organizations

Helping 1 out of 50 people in the U.S. and Caribbean each year

The ELCA, along with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and 300 health and human service organizations, participate in an alliance known as Lutheran Services in America (LSA). LSA serves more than six million people each year -- 1 out of 50 people in 3,000 communities in the United States and the Caribbean.

As part of its mission, the ELCA supports the more than 285 social ministry organizations through consultation on affiliation with this church body, interpreting and supporting the relationship between ELCA synods and bishops with social ministry organizations (see below), technical assistance to emerging diaconal or service initiatives, oversight of endowment funds (see below), liaison with Lutheran Services in America, participation with the ELCA Mission Investment Fund on capital projects of social ministry organizations, and crisis intervention for organizations.  ELCA social ministry links Lutheran social ministry organizations with Lutheran Disaster Response to address domestic natural and human-caused disasters.

For an updated list of the Social Ministry Organizations the ELCA works with, along with more information about the communities they serve, visit Lutheran Services in America on the Web.

Lutheran Services Endowment Funds

Lutheran Services for the Elderly Endowment
To catalyze the development of new methods of ministry primarily for and by older persons.

Lutheran Services for Children Endowment
Dedicated to services and ministries with children as provided by programs of the ELCA.
 
Criteria for Affiliation with ELCA
How to become affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), recognized by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS), a social ministry partnership. Click here to download the Social Ministry Partnership PDF document.

Social Ministry Organizations and Synods
Within the ELCA synods and bishops participate with social ministry organizations (SMOs) in a variety of ways, some of them quite informal and occasional while other relationships are formal and prescribed. Click here to download the Role of Synods as Corporate Members of Lutheran Social Ministry Organizations PDF document.