“Synod” is not an everyday word but one that describes us well. It means “together on the way.” We are Lutheran Christians following together on the way that Jesus is leading in this moment of time. We have been blessed by God’s unconditional love shown to us so clearly in Jesus and we are called to bless the world with that same love.
Synod Statistics
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is comprised of about 2.7 million members in 8,390 congregations.
The North/West Lower Michigan Synod (NWLMS) is one of 65 synods in the ELCA. The synods are organized into nine regions, and the NWLMS is part of Region 6, which includes the lower peninsula of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
As of year-end 2024, about 25,560 baptized Christians within 100 congregations across our synod.
Congregations in our synod are grouped into 7 geographic conferences: Bay, Capital, Greater Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Stony Lake, Sunrise, and Traverse. Each conference has a Dean who serves as a liaison between the Synod Bishop’s office and the congregations in their area.
Offerings from congregations to the NWLM Synod as “Mission Support” totaled $1.46 million in 2024. Fifty percent supports Synod initiatives and fifty percent supports broader ELCA Churchwide ministries.
What We Believe
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is grounded in God’s promise in the Scriptures to comfort, accompany, and redeem. As Lutherans, we believe that God works through both law and gospel, calling us to serve our neighbors and providing mercy, hope, and joy through Jesus Christ in modern, often unsettling times.