ELCIC Global Mission

Companion Churches 

As an overarching aspect of the ELCIC’s partnership agreement with ELCA Global Mission (GM), the ELCIC is embracing the accompaniment methodology for mission which is defined by ELCA GM as walking together in solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality with companions. ELCIC Global Mission (GM) is now using the word companion in the same way it is used by ELCA GM. Previously in the ELCIC, companion was used only to refer to a church which has a relationship with an ELCIC synod in the Companion Synod Program. Companion now also refers to a church outside of Canada and the United States which has a bilateral relationship at the national church level with the ELCIC. Companion church is the term that ELCIC GM is using in place of partner church.  

The ELCIC has companion relationships with the Lutheran churches in Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Guyana, El Salvador, Jordan & the Holy Land, and Cameroon. ELCA GM has companion relationships with all of these same seven Lutheran churches plus many more. The ELCIC will continue to relate directly to three companion Lutheran Churches, in Argentina, Peru and Jordan & the Holy Land. ELCA GM staff will represent the ELCIC when they relate to the other companion churches. Five of the ELCIC’s seven companion Lutheran churches are twinned with ELCIC Synods in the Companion Synod Program to engage ELCIC synods, congregations and members in mission with their companion at a personal level.  

Here are the ELCIC’s seven companion churches and the ways in which ELCIC GM is in mission with them:  

Peruvian Evangelical Lutheran Church (ILEP)

• 13 congregations, several mission starts and about 1,100 members
• Pastor Fran Schmidt, Long-term Missionary
• Annual grant for ILEP pastors’ social security benefits
• Amazon Mission Sponsorship; Pastor Yolie Zavaleta
• Companion with the British Columbia Synod

Salvadoran Lutheran Church (ILS)

• 15,000 members in more than 60 congregations
• Pastor Brian Rude, Long-term Missionary
• Grant for Quetzalcoatl Foundation HIV/AIDS and wellness ministry in prisons in partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief

United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Argentina (IELU)

• 33 congregations and missions and 11,000 members
• Patagonia Mission Sponsorship; Pastor Sergio Utz and Pastor Gustavo Gomez
• Companion with the Saskatchewan Synod

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana (ELCG)

• 5,000 members in 46 congregations
• Companion with the Eastern Synod

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO)

• 3,000 members in 25 congregations
• Companion with the Synod of Alberta and the Territories

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon (EELC)

• 215,000 members in 1,350 congregations
• Annual grant for the Garoua Boulai Bible School
• Companion with the Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)

• About 3,000 members in 6 congregations
• Grant for church-run schools in partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief Participation in the ELCJHL’s Coordination Committee for Cooperation