Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
AbbreviationLELBA
ClassificationLutheran
RegionUnited States
Origin1957/1972
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Congregations68 (2007)
Members12,000 (2007)

The Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Latvian: Latviešu evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca Amerikā; LELBA) is a Lutheran denomination, formed in 1957 as a federation, and reorganized in 1975 as a formal denomination. In 1978 Lauma Lagzdins Zusevics was ordained as the first woman to serve as a full-time minister for the LELBA. In 2014 she became the first female Lutheran bishop in Latvian history, as the Church of Latvia proper does not recognize women's ordination.[1]

As of 2007, 12,000 congregants and 68 congregations of the church were present in the United States. It is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  1. ^ "Clevelander becomes first woman to lead Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.