Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders- ELCA

07/30/2025

Prayer for ELCA Presiding Bishop-elect Yehiel Curry:
Ever-living God, strengthen and sustain Bishop-elect Curry, that with patience and understanding he may love and care for your people. Grant that together we may follow in the way of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

08/16/2023

Wildfires on Maui have claimed dozens of lives and have destroyed homes, businesses and lines of communication. Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is coordinating with the Pacifica Synod and other partners to assess the needs of people impacted by the wildfires. LDR will work to provide for immediate needs and long-term recovery amid the widespread destruction. Give today: https://community.elca.org/uswildfires

08/10/2023

08/10/2023

Prayers for our Pacific Island siblings.

Please pray for Hawaii, where wind and flame strike.
Hurricane Dora makes wildfire in Maui worse.

O Lord, when we cry out in fear and desperation,
Raise us up from the ashes and hear us. When fire swallows up our hopes and dreams, Raise us up
from the ashes and help us.
When our lives and livelihoods are consumed by flame, Raise us up from the ashes and save us.
When smoke clouds our hope and shrouds our joy, Raise us up from the ashes and give us peace.
In Christ, life springs forth from the dust and ashes.
In Christ, our lives will be raised from the ashes.
In Christ, all things will be made new.
Amen.

(Litany in the Time of Wildfires,https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Worship_Resource_Wildfires.pdf, ELCA Disaster Response page)

05/17/2023

OUR MISSION 

The Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the ELCA is the association for and led by Asians in the ELCA. Its mission is:

1. To encourage the expression of Christian faith from an Asian Pacific Islander perspective.

2. To support the unique gifts of Asian Pacific Islanders as they give witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. To encourage Asian Pacific Islander members of the ELCA to participate fully in all expressions of the ELCA.

4. To support the implementation of the ELCA national Asian and Pacific Islander Ministry Strategy.

5. To support the growth and development of ordained and lay leadership within the Asian Pacific Islander communities within the ELCA.

05/17/2023

Welcome, partners in Christ with a heart for Asian ministry! In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), about 19,500 members are of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. About 85 Asian congregations and ministries in the ELCA minister in Asian languages including Burmese, Cambodian, Cantonese, Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Lahu, Laotian, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Thai and Vietnamese. Some of the congregations also provide ministry to second generation Asians.

In addition, many Asians are members of more than 3,000 English-speaking ELCA congregations across the United States. Often there are no Asian culture-specific Lutheran churches in these areas.

Rev. Dr. Moses Paul Peter Penumaka, President,
Association of Asians and Pacific Islanders-ELCA

Rev. Teresita “Tita” Valeriano
Program Director for Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries,
Service and Justice, ELCA