ACT Alliance

The United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India is a communion of twelve member churches spread in many parts of the country (11 in India and 1 in Nepal) with an approximate membership of 4 million. The Lutheran communion in India is predominantly dalit and Adivasi (tribal). Each member church has its own unique cultural and historical context with different mission background. The communion was founded in 1926 as Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India and went through a metamorphosis and now known as the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India.

Division of Social Action (DSA) was introduced as one of the important and significant department of UELCI in the year 1979. It came into existence in a creative situation with the vision of a just, participatory and sustainable society. The mandate of DSA is to sensitise church leadership, facilitate capacity building in churches, support development programmes of social concern, provide education, screen project proposals of UELCI and its member churches thus serving as an effective link between funding agencies and UELCI. It engages in relief and rehabilitation work to the needy at times of mishap.

The Communion with its various other departments besides DSA focuses on several issues of life, justice and struggles such as gender justice in church and society, young leadership, Dalit and Adivasi empowerment, peace and reconciliation, theological education, de-stigmatisation on HIV and AIDS, etc.

The communion helps in deepening the understanding of our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and to commit to closer and deeper cooperation in witness and service. This is fulfilled by addressing and responding to the Gospel demands of social, economic, spiritual and gender justice. We affirm the liberating power of God in an increasingly hostile and complex environment.