Our Beliefs

Grace is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. Lutheran theology centers on grace — the belief that God’s love and forgiveness aren’t something you earn, they’re a gift, freely given. It’s where our name, and our tagline, come from.

In practice, that shapes some specific commitments. Communion is open to everyone, without exception — you don’t have to be a member, or even Lutheran, to receive it. The ELCA ordains women to pastoral ministry, and has ordained partnered LGBTQ+ clergy since 2009. Grace is part of that denomination, and that practice.

Lutherans also hold to something called the priesthood of all believers: the idea that ministry isn’t only the pastor’s job. Every member is called to live out their faith through their work, their relationships, and how they serve — not just what happens on Sunday morning. You can see that conviction in how Grace organizes its own ministries, in our Ways of Life.