United Lutheran Mission Association
Encyclopedia
The United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) is a Lutheran
church organization.
on July 16, 2005. There, representatives of two formerly LCMS
congregations, Pilgrim Lutheran Church of Decatur, Illinois
, and Redeemer Lutheran Church of St. Clair Shores, Michigan
, began work on establishing Confessional Lutheran
congregations in the United States. As of 2009, the ULMA has three mission congregations: Sola Scriptura of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, whose first service was November 20, 2005; Agnus Dei in Fredericksburg, Virginia
, which held its first service in December, 2007; and Christ the Rock Lutheran Church of Carlsbad, California
, whose first service was February 8, 2009.
, is congregationalist in polity. The voters assembly is the supreme authority in the congregation. There is no central office or centralized organizational structure other than the individual representatives that meet twice each year. The ULMA does not train its own pastors; instead ULMA clergy are trained in the seminaries of other denominations, such as the LCMS, WELS
, or ELS
.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
church organization.
History
The United Lutheran Mission Association was established at a meeting in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on July 16, 2005. There, representatives of two formerly LCMS
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...
congregations, Pilgrim Lutheran Church of Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, and Redeemer Lutheran Church of St. Clair Shores, Michigan
St. Clair Shores, Michigan
St. Clair Shores is a suburban city bordering Lake St. Clair in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms a part of the Metro Detroit area, and is located approximately northeast of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,715. The current mayor is...
, began work on establishing Confessional Lutheran
Confessional Lutheran
Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible...
congregations in the United States. As of 2009, the ULMA has three mission congregations: Sola Scriptura of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, whose first service was November 20, 2005; Agnus Dei in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, which held its first service in December, 2007; and Christ the Rock Lutheran Church of Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
, whose first service was February 8, 2009.
Structure
The ULMA, like the Protes'tant ConferenceProtes'tant Conference
The Protes'tant Conference is a loose association of Lutheran churches and churchworkers in the United States. It was organized in 1927 by suspended former members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod following an intrasynodical controversy...
, is congregationalist in polity. The voters assembly is the supreme authority in the congregation. There is no central office or centralized organizational structure other than the individual representatives that meet twice each year. The ULMA does not train its own pastors; instead ULMA clergy are trained in the seminaries of other denominations, such as the LCMS, WELS
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a North American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As of 2008, it had a baptized membership of over 389,364 in more than 1,290 congregations,...
, or ELS
Evangelical Lutheran Synod
The Evangelical Lutheran Synod or ELS is a US-based Protestant Christian denomination based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It describes itself as a conservative, Confessional Lutheran body.-Membership:...
.