About

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States with more than 3.8 million members in 10,000 congregations across the United States, the Caribbean and the U.S Virgin Islands. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ.

The future of the ELCA depends on its future leaders. Strong, creative leadership matters in a church that is called to live and serve in a world full of complexities and ambiguities. We need leaders who will ground us in God’s love and forgiveness and send us out to do God’s work in the world.

About Youth and Young Adults

As a church that is energized by lively engagement in our faith and life, the ELCA offers a variety of opportunities for youth and young adults to grow, explore, claim and reclaim their faith and baptismal identity. We are a church that believes youth and young adults are not only the future they are the present. And as a church, we need to continually find ways to move youth and young adults into the fullness of our life together.

The Campaign for the ELCA give us the opportunity to expand our ministries among youth and young adults to cultivate young leaders, embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion, and build a robust network of support. Through the Youth and Young Adults priority of the campaign, we are:

• forming faith in youth and young adults;
• developing and multiplying youth and young adult leaders;
• starting new ministries or enhancing current efforts;
• promoting collaboration and creativity;
• engaging youth and young adults of color; and
• accompanying communities and people living in poverty.

With your gifts to the Youth and Young Adults campaign priority, all of us about 3.8 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations can make a tremendous impact throughout this church and society. Through the $4 million goal, we will be able to support new and growing youth leadership academies, camps, labs and schools across the ELCA, provide funding for leadership internships with Lutheran Services in America and provide grants for collaborative and creative youth and young adult ministry initiatives.

About Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA

Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA is a five-year effort to raise nearly $200 million in support of new and expanded churchwide ministries, including Fund for Leaders and Youth and Young Adults.

Through The Campaign for the ELCA, we are heightening our efforts to accompany youth and young adults in their faith journeys and support talented, gifted students as they prepare to begin a life of ministry the future leaders of this church. With a five-year, $19 million goal, the campaign’s Leadership priority, including Fund for Leaders and Youth and Young Adults, gives us the opportunity to invest in the future of the ELCA. By hosting a Rostered Ministers Appreciation event in support of one or both of these ministries, you can help:

• ELCA Fund for Leaders $15 million campaign goal
  Grow the permanent endowment fund so that, for generations to come, hundreds more of the most promising leaders can respond to the call to serve our congregations.
  
  While the initial fundraising goal has been met, continued support is needed to achieve the program’s long-range goal of providing full-tuition support for every candidate at an ELCA seminary.


• Youth and Young Adults $4 million campaign goal
  Expand our ministries with youth and young adults to cultivate young leaders, lift up the importance of diversity and inclusion, and build a robust network of support for youth and young adults in our church.

Together, we are investing in the future of the ELCA!