Ministry Partners

The following organizations and agencies partner with the Saint Paul Area Synod to further the mission of the church.

Augsburg Fortress Publishers
The official publishing house of the ELCA. Resources for rostered leaders, congregations, and individuals.

Bread for the World
Bread for the World serves as a Christian voice for ending hunger. A nonpartisan citizens' movement of 50,000 people of faith, including 2,500 churches, BFW members help hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers on legislation that addresses hunger in our communities and around the world.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
For resources about evangelism, stewardship, worship, global mission, social statements, churchwide news and information, clip art, news and information, and listings of leaders and congregations.

ELCA Mission Investment Fund
The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) enables congregations, members and ELCA-related organizations to earn interest on their financial resources while furthering the mission and ministry of the church. With these investments, the Fund provides loans to new mission congregations for purchases of land and construction of initial buildings, and to established congregations to expand existing facilities, renovate or repair church buildings, relocate or increase the accessibility of church buildings.

ELCA Board of Pensions
Serves those who serve in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As an ELCA churchwide unit, we provide health, retirement, disability and survivor benefits and related services for nearly 50,000 pastors, rostered laypersons and lay employees and their families, and nearly 11,000 congregations and other ELCA sponsoring organizations. The Board of Pensions is based in Minneapolis.

ELCA Colleges in Regions 3 and 5
A source for speakers for conferences, workshops, Sunday forums, music and worship leaders, and off campus opportunities for continuing education for adults and youth. ELCA colleges in Regions 3 and 5, include Augsburg College, Minneapolis; Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.; Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.; Concordia College, Moorhead; Grand View College, Des Moines, Iowa; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter; Luther College, Decorah, Iowa;  St. Olaf College, Northfield; Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa; and Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.

Faith in the City
Faith in the City is a partnership of seven major Lutheran institutions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan area committed to improving the quality of life of the communities in which they serve. Faith in the City seeks to be a catalyst for collaboration among people, neighborhoods, congregations, community organizations and others of good will to develop innovative initiatives that benefit the city and its people.

Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches
Since 1905, the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC) has battled poverty in Minnesota. It operates a family of social service programs and recruits support across denominational lines to help struggling Minnesota families remain self-reliant. GMCC is the largest council of churches in the nation and the largest direct-service volunteer organization in the state.

ISAIAH
A coalition of congregation-based community organizations through which Minnesota congregations can deal with local community issues and issues affecting the Minnesota growth corridor, spanning from St. Cloud through the Twin Cities to Rochester. E-mail isaiah@isaiah-mn.org or call 612.333.1260 for information.

Luther Seminary
The largest of the ELCA seminaries resides in the Saint Paul Area Synod and provides training and support for leaders entering or already serving the church as well as ongoing opportunities for laity.

Lutheran Campus Ministry
Provides and ELCA presence at more than 140 state and private colleges and universities, with partner congregations at an additional 600 campuses. Works as a partner with Lutheran Student Movement – USA (LSM), a national movement of college, university, and seminary students who worship in the Lutheran tradition. LSM strives to better understand and advance the gospel of Jesus Christ through the exploration of social and spiritual concerns.

The Lutheran Magazine
The magazine for members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Available by subscription or online.

Lutheran Social Service Minnesota
One of the state's largest faith-based charities, LSS is the church in service. More than 2,000 employees statewide offer compassionate, professional service through adoption, counseling, housing, debt counseling, crisis shelters for children, elderly assisted living, group homes for persons with developmental disabilities and many other services.

Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota
One of 18 state public policy advocacy offices of the ELCA. Its initiatives reflect the collective deliberations of congregations and other church bodies on public policy issues and are guided by scripture, Lutheran theology, and the expressions of the church's social statements and resolutions.

Lutheran World Relief
Works in overseas development and relief on behalf of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF now has 138 member churches in 77 countries all over the world representing 65 million Lutherans. ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is the president of LWF.

Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America (LSA) is an alliance of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and their related social ministry organizations. LSA strengthens and adds value to the ministries of its member organizations, facilitates ministries best done together rather than as individual organizations, and enhances the witness of Lutheran social ministry. The national office is located at the Lutheran Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs
Faithful to God's call, the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs fulfills the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's witness for social justice on domestic and foreign policy issues facing the nation, and through it, the world. With a commitment to a prophetic vision which stands with the poor and the powerless, the office represents the church's positions within the complex arena of public debate. To achieve effective interaction between the whole church and the federal government, the office educates, informs and enables full involvement of the church in this ministry.

MICAH
MICAH organizes congregations in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota to create policy solutions to the affordable housing crisis. Consisting of 150 members including congregations from the interfaith religious community and housing organizations, MICAH's central organizing principle is to think regionally, act locally, and live faithfully.

Minnesota Council of Churches
The Minnesota Council of Churches is a community of communions who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As such, it seeks to manifest within the State of Minnesota the unity of the Church in Christ. Relying on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the Council works to bring its members into life-giving fellowship and into common witness, study and action to the glory of God and in service to all creation.

Region 3 Camping Network
ELCA Region 3 Camping Network is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that supports outdoor ministry professionals in Region 3 and its nine synods and serves the people and congregations working with them. The Camping Network's ongoing ministry includes recruiting camp staff through camp fairs at midwestern colleges and universities, processing background checks for staff applicants, and publishing a periodic newsletter. The network participates in coordination of Region 3 and national Outdoor Ministry events, and maintains contact with church-wide offices, providing information regarding position openings, new hires, address changes and general news. In addition, the Camping Network is available to gather information and answer questions in an effort to connect people with sites and programs to meet their needs.

Saint Paul Area Council of Churches
The Saint Paul Area Council of Churches (SPACC) connects 168 Saint Paul area congregations from 23 denominations to help make the Saint Paul area a life-giving, just, and anti-racist community. SPACC administers programs which provide needed services in the community and engage congregations in service and justice work. Located on Summit Avenue. in St. Paul, since 1906 SPACC has been guided by the principle of cooperative action and believes that by working together, congregations have a bigger impact in creating a better Saint Paul community.

Southeast Asian Ministry
Provides assistance to the local refugee and immigrant community and opportunities for healthy connections between communities. Services include ESL classes, programs for Hmong and Cambodian elders, and other initiatives to assist immigrants. Located in Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill at 105 University Ave. West. Call 651.293.1261 for information.