The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues several varied streams of Lutheran church life introduced to America during the Colonial era. The ELCA was formally constituted in 1988 as a merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the American Lutheran Church.
Official Documents on Worship
- The Use of the Means of Grace: A Statement on the Practice of Word and Sacrament, approved by ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 1997
Key Worship Resources
- Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg Fortress (annual print volume or online subscription)
- "The Sunday Assembly," using Evangelical Lutheran Worship vol. 1, Augsburg Fortress, 2008
- "Keeping Time," using Evangelical Lutheran Worship vol. 2, Augsburg Fortress, 2008
- "The Christian Life," using Evangelical Lutheran Worship vol. 3, Augsburg Fortress, 2009
- Musician’s Guide to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2007
- Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2010
- Indexes to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2007
Denominational Hymnals/Worship Books
- Occasional Services for the Assembly, Augsburg Fortress, 2009
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2006
- Chinese Lutheran Book of Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2005
- This Far by Faith, Augsburg Fortress, 1999
- Libro de Liturgia y Cántico, Augsburg Fortress, 1998
- With One Voice, Augsburg Fortress, 1997 (supplement to the Lutheran Book of Worship)
- Lutheran Book of Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 1978
- Service Book and Hymnal, Augsburg Fortress, 1958
General Background and Statistics
Website: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Associations: Lutheran World Federation
Origin: 1988
Mergers: American Lutheran Church (ALC), Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC), 1988
Separated from: N/A
Separations:N/A
College: There are many ELCA Colleges.
Seminary: Luther Seminary, MN; Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, IL; Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, PA; The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, PA; Wartburg Theological Seminary, IA; Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, SC; Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, CA
Congregations: 10,348 (Association of Religion Data Archives)
Members: 4,542,868 (Association of Religion Data Archives)
Publication(s): The Lutheran
Denominational Offices:
8765 West Higgins Rd.
Chicago, IL 60631