Core Beliefs
Belonging
It is a gift of God to be both challenged and supported by the 10,000 congregations, 3.7 million members that make up one of the largest denominations in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The mission, vision and purpose statements of the ELCA we believe reflect a church rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ for service in the world.
We support and are supported by our denomination’s mission and service in the U.S. and around the world. As one of 74 congregations, we are part of and work closely with the La Crosse Area Synod of the ELCA.
We Believe
We believe in the following points, set by the ELCA.
- In the Triune God.
- God created and loves all of creation: Through this earth and our fellow human beings, God provides all we need for life.
- Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, broken lives are made whole.
- The Church is to be an instrument of God’s grace so that it brings compassion, healing and wholeness to this fractured world.
- God’s work through the Holy Spirit and the Church makes us lean into habits of gratefulness, lovingkindness, and generosity.
- When we worship, we connect with God and believers in every time and space.
- We are drawn more closely into God’s saving story when we read, study, pray, and reflect on the Holy Scriptures.
- The sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion give life and forgiveness.
- The three ecumenical Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian), though written for a specific time and place, reflect the core beliefs of Christians around the world including Lutheran Christians.
To read more about the ELCA Statements of Belief, click here.