LSA Membership = Ministry Partnerships

All social ministry organizations affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and/or recognized by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) are, by definition, members of LSA.

Being an LSA member means sharing in mission with the Lutheran Church. In response to God's love, Lutheran individuals, congregations, judicatories and social ministry organizations seek to meet human needs, advocate for dignity and justice, and work for peace and reconciliation among all people. This ministry of service — which is part of God's mission to the broken world — is essential to the meaning of the church.

Being an LSA member means being a ministry partner; the social ministry of the church occurs wherever human caring takes place in Jesus' name. Each part of the church's ministry — congregation, social ministry organization, and judicatory — finds its place and offers hospitality and service. Each offers its own contributions, strengths, and opportunities. Because of a shared mission with differing strengths, ministry partners work interdependently. They communicate openly, support one another's ministries, and plan together. By working together, the individual ministries are strengthened and they address human needs which are beyond the resources of any of the ministry partners in isolation.

Click on these links for guidelines on becoming affiliated with the ELCA or recognized by the LCMS or click on one of the contacts below. Either contact can give helpful tips on such items as the need for IRS 501(c)(3) status, the role of 990s for health and human services organizations, such as information from Nonprofit Quarterly in 2009 that “if a nonprofit's gross receipts are in excess of $25,000, the organizations should file a 990 Form with the IRS every year."  Most importantly they can direct you to the ELCA or LCMS website pages for the documents needed for affiliation and/or recognition.  You may also use the links below for direct access to the ELCA or LCMS web pages.

Contacts:

ELCA Josselyn Bennett Director Community and Proverty Ministries 8765 W. Higgins Rd. Chicago, IL 60631 800-638-3522 x2689 773-380-2689
LCMS Dorothy Krans Director of Social Ministry Organizations 1333 S. Kirkwood Rd. St. Louis, MO 63122 800-248-1930 x1636
LSA Charlotte Haberaecker President and CEO 700 Light St. Baltimore, MD 21230 800-664-3848 410-230-2702