Who we are

The word synod comes from a Greek word meaning "to walk together." 

The Northwest Washington Synod is the congregations, people, and ministries of the Pacific Northwest - journeying together. Our territory streches from the Canadian border south to Kent, and west from the Cascade foothills into the Salish Sea (Puget Sound Islands). Within our denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the synod is a missional geographic region. It is overseen by a bishop and a synod council who provide vision, support, and resources so that these ministries can carry out God's mission. 

What do ELCA Lutherans Believe?

Mission & Values

We are a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Synod.  A staement of welcome:

The council and leadership of the Northwest Washington Synod affirm that all people are beloved children of God.  We welcome people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, abilities, races, nationalities, economic statuses, and backgrounds, to join in the life of our community. We welcome all because God welcomes all, and we recognize that our differences are gifts to our communal life. 

As Christians in the Lutheran tradition, we recognize that we are all saints and sinners and we are works in progress towards authentic diversity.  As such, we commit ourselves to confession, repentance, study, and action on issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, disability, economics, and other issues that can create division where we seek community.

We commit to centering the lived experiences and following the leadership of Black, brown, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ people, who have historically been hurt by the church.  We are called to work toward racial justice individually and structurally, knowing that we need each other to be God’s Beloved Community.

We encourage our member congregations to engage in similar conversations, including discussion of becoming Reconciling in Christ congregations.