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The Bridge in Plain Text

Issue To Be Used Any Time After Sept. 1, 2007

Below you will find all the text from The Bridge in plain text format, so you can easily copy and paste the information into your publications. Links to the graphics are available below the text.

The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

What It Means to be Part of the ELCA

You probably know that you’re congregation is part of the ELCA, but what does that mean? The ELCA – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – is an organization of nearly five million baptized members from 10,549 congregations.

Besides each of you, behind the scenes, there are a churchwide office in Chicago, 65 synod offices, 28 colleges and universities, a publishing house, and many other committees and offices devoted to the work of the church including evangelism, justice issues, and advocacy.

Think of the resources you have in your congregation. Now think about what you could do if all you had were the resources within your own walls. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” In this way, when congregations join together, they create a church that is stronger than any one part. Through being members of a larger church, congregations can be a part of larger social welfare, justice, and advocacy efforts; they don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time, but can rely on each other and the other entities of the ELCA as resources; and they have a system and support for their pastors – from educating, to finding pastor/congregation matches, to dealing with transitions for the pastors and the congregations.

Besides being resources, entities of the ELCA – congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization – are bound by sharing a common purpose and a statement of faith. The constitution of the ELCA says this about the nature of the church:

The Church exists both as an inclusive fellowship and as local congregations gathered for worship and Christian service. Congregations find their fulfillment in the universal community of the Church, and the universal Church exists in and through congregations.

As a church, our purpose is to proclaim the Gospel, serve those in need, worship God, nurture each other in faith, and join with each other in Christian community.

The statement of faith that we share is part of the constitution of all ELCA congregations, synods, and the churchwide constitution. It outlines what tenants of the Christian faith we believe, including belief in the Triune God, the nature of God and salvation, how we understand scripture, and what other documents – including the creeds and the Augsburg Confession – we value in understanding our faith.

The relationships between interdependent members like those of the ELCA can be complex, but we can each take comfort in knowing that as individuals, as congregations, and as other committees and agencies we are not alone. Thanks be to God for our fellowship! 

Featured Resource

  • Links to information about the ELCA – including history, fascinating facts, and the structure – are available at www.elca.org/about.html  

Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20

About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes 15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.

The Bridge is a monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information, contact the synod office:

Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org

This issue is designed to be used any time after Sept. 1, 2007.

Graphics from this issue
Right-click the link and choose "save to disk" to save the graphic, and then insert it into your desktop publishing program. Graphics are in high-resolution tiff format. If you require another format, please call 507-280-9457.