ELCA/NJ Synod

Calvary Lutheran Church is a member of both the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)

and the New Jersey Synod of the ELCA.

ELCA

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with about 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Lutheran Disaster Response shares God's hope, healing and renewal with people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. We are committed to helping those in need long after the headlines fade.

To find out more and make a donation for go to

ELCA.org/disaster-response.

NJ SYNOD

The New Jersey Synod is a geographical grouping of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations that share the mission and ministry of the Church on the New Jersey territory. It is one of 65 synods in the ELCA. The NJ Synod is comprised of 146

congregations, which include over 60,000 baptized members.

Core Values of the NJ Synod

Core values are guiding principles that are essential and enduring, and provide guidance for all aspects of this expression of the church. Core values express what the organization stands for and how it will conduct itself. The following core values describe what we are deeply passionate about as a Synod:

FAITHFULNESS
Rooted and nurtured in relationship with God through Word and Sacrament, we follow Jesus for the sake of the world. Daily prayerful discernment and striving for excellence in discipleship move us forward into God’s future.

RESPECT
This is about justice: justice for each child of God, honor especially for the least, and respect in all relationships so that they are life-giving, grace-filled, safe, and create peace, as the Creator intended.

DIVERSITY
All of God’s children together express the wonder and majesty of creation. Life in community, fully and richly inclusive and marked by unfailing hospitality, is a sign of God’s Kingdom.

GENEROSITY
To live is to give. Giving beyond expectation or reason can reflect the grace and compassion of the One in whose image we are made.

CHANGE
The Gospel is about transformation, stirred by the power of life over death. Hope-filled people can change; hopeless people cannot.

INTERDEPENDENCE
Synod literally means to walk together. Our journey together is experienced as accompaniment, committed to collaboration, marked by multiplication, and blessed with synergy as we engage in God’s mission.