Global Mission
Central Lutheran has been deeply involved in global mission for its entire 100+ years of ministry. The ELCA’s vision of accompaniment is the foundation for today’s global mission work.
A Model for Global Mission Partnerships
Accompaniment is defined as walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. The ELCA lives out accompaniment in relationships with global companions, striving to share God’s love and participate in God’s mission together:
- Mutually: All of us have gifts to support God’s mission. There is no mission to, only mission with and
- Inclusively: We seek to build relationships across boundaries that exclude and divide.
- Vulnerably: Just as Jesus became vulnerable to us, we open ourselves to others.
- Empowering: We seek to identify and correct imbalances of power, which may mean recognizing and letting go of our own.
- Sustainably: To ensure local ministries last for a long time, we seek to embed mission in ongoing relationships and communities.
Central’s Global Mission Values
Central’s Global Mission Ministry Team is a volunteer-led group that helps guide the ministry goals of the global mission work at Central. They work to identify potenital mission partners and then support and raise awareness of our partners’ work. The team is guided by these values when it comes to our global mission partnerships:
- Raising up emerging leaders for global missions
- Translation, literacy, and young adults
- Education and training
- Direct needs in places of conflict and poverty
- Health care for women, mothers, and children
Mission Partners
Young Adults in Global Mission
Central is blessed to be a part of the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program. Since 2016, Central has had the privilege of participating in this program, each year getting to know and supporting two young adults in global service.
Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh
Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh (LHCB) was founded 28 years ago by members of Central Lutheran Church. Now, LHCB has evolved and expanded its programs to address the physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual needs of the communities they serve.
Bright Stars of Bethlehem
Bright Stars’ mission is to raise awareness and support for Dar al-Kalima (DAK) University of Arts and Culture. Located in Bethlehem, Palestine, DAK opened in 2006 as the first and only university in all of Palestine dedicated to arts and culture.
Lutheran World Relief
Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II, grounded in Lutheran theology and building on decades of experience, Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being.
Lutheran Community Center and Clinic in South Sudan
The center is a place for the community to find hope by providing classes, including computer training, and a health clinic, which is the country’s first and only place for fistula surgery for women and girls.
Wycliffe Bible Translators: Carl and Joy Follingstad and Victor and Sara Gaultney
Carl and Joy Follingstad and Victor and Sara Gaultney collectively use a variety of leadership, design, teaching, and translation skills in their work to make the New Testament available to people in the language of their heart.