Changing the church through the ministry of publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders 

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) expands ministry opportunities for publicly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people called to serve God as clergy and rostered lay leaders.  We do this work through our three programs: Proclaim, Candidacy Accompaniment, and Ministry Grants.

Through this work, we seek to make real in the world today Jesus’ message that all are invited to share and receive God’s gifts.

Find answers to FAQ About ELM and Proclaim here.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries approaches our mission in these three ways:

• by building a network of publicly-identified LGBTQ rostered leaders who are committed to changing the church through justice-based ministry;
• by creating a system of accompaniment for LGBTQ people going through Lutheran candidacy; and
• by continuing to provide financial resources to LGBTQ-led congregations and ministries.

LGBTQ rostered leaders know what it’s like to be on the margins of the church. Through their ministry, these leaders are poised to offer an evangelical outreach to all people longing to be connected. This is the church we all seek to become: outreach to the poor; justice for the oppressed; care for the sick, the homeless and the lonely; love for those on the margins: a message that there is room for all.

ELM is funded by donations from individuals and congregations. God’s work is alive in our ministry today – and each gift to ELM makes that ministry happen.