Synod and District Map

ELCA SYNOD AND FEDERAL DISTRICT MAP – TIPS FOR USE

Check out the interactive Synod and District map application!

WHAT AM I SEEING?

This map overlays two basic things: the boundaries of ELCA synods and the boundaries of U.S. Federal Congressional Districts as identified by Sept. 2022 data.

• ELCA synods are filled in with purple.
• U.S. Federal Congressional Districts are outlined in black.

HOW DO I USE THE MAP?

You'll find synod websites, the name of an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office if active in that synod, as well as the district of your federal lawmakers.

Some of us may jump right in to explore map features! For example, use the zooming features "+" and "-" on the left to explore your vicinity. For more detailed instructions, use tips on our “Use of Synod and District Map” resource.

HOW MIGHT THIS HELP ME?

As you think through actions open to you to respond to concerns that surface through your prayer life, accompaniment in your community, and experiences with coalitions and partners in ministry activity, knowing who is elected to represent your area and who you are connected with in ELCA ministry can be key. It is part of learning about how policy is decided in your locality and alerts you to other faithful Christian neighbors.

• Asking for a meeting with your lawmaker
• Reaching out to an ELCA-affiliated state public policy office and/or synod leader to collaborate
• Inviting your lawmaker to a forum or event in your congregation or with partners, listening to their perspectives and sharing your experiences
• Writing an opinion editorial (op-ed) expressing your call to action and naming the role your lawmaker can play

Thank you for your advocacy.

“ELCA social teaching holds that all residents of the United States have a responsibility to make government function well—not to abandon our democracy but to engage it in a spirit of robust civic duty. For Lutherans, this responsibility is lived out as a calling from God, expressed in the discipleship described in our baptismal promises. It is based on our understanding of how God governs human society.” - ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” (p. 4)