According to reviewed population statistics, 76.4 percent of Finns belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church on 31.12.2012. The number of members present in parishes was 4 146 056. In addition, the number of members living abroad, or absent members, was 183 072. The percentage does not include the members living abroad.

The General Synod approved the Church Council’s proposal for a collaboration agreement between the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Southern Africa (ELCSA). The churches will seek to use the agreement to strengthen their relationship and collaboration. The agreement offers an opportunity to enrich the lives of both churches by learning from one another. ELCSA will [...]

According to reviewed population statistics, 77.2 percent of Finns belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church on 31.12.2011. The number of members present in parishes was 4 170 748. In addition, the number of members living abroad, or absent members, was 182 604. The percentage does not include the members living abroad.

According to Archbishop Kari Mäkinen, the Bishops’ Conference should address topical social issues more actively in addition to internal affairs within the Church. Archbishop Mäkinen opened the one-day Bishops’ Conference in Helsinki on 5 December 2011. He referred to both the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, and the EU Economic Summit, which will affect the global [...]

Member organisations of the Finnish Mission Council allocated almost five percent more financial support for international missionary and diaconal work in 2010 compared to the previous year. Altogether 80.6 million euros were used for international activities among the Finnish Mission Council’s member organisations. Total revenues amounted to 83.9 million euros, which were generated primarily from budget appropriations for the church, [...]

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland welcomes the initiatives of the Government Programme to raise the level of basic security by a hundred euros a month, as well as the new social guarantees for young people that will make it easier to find jobs and housing. These support the aims highlighted this spring by the Poverty Reduction Committee established by [...]