Our Companion Synod:  The Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church,  India

The Companion Synod Team of the South-Central Synod of WI  is primarily involved with developing and encouraging our relationship with the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church in India.  We do this through exchange visits, prayer support of each other, leadership development, and support of their ministries according to the Covenant which we have signed with the NELC.

We also encourage congregations in their connections with projects around the world.

Our fundraising efforts have been focused on the support of Sanchita Kisku (a teacher from the Benagaria Seminary in the NELC) who is studying at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago .  We also maintain an Exchange Fund to aid both those coming from the NELC and  those from our SCSW making trips to the NELC.

The Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, a member of the Lutheran World Federation, has approximately 85,000 members. The Santals, one of India's tribal peoples, form the majority. The Boros—originally a Mongolian tribe but long in Assam — and the Bengali comprise the rest of the membership. Most of the Santals, Boros, and Bengals are challenged by the successive ravaging of cyclones, flood, drought, and famine. Another group, of Hindu and Muslim origin, is the fruit of the Swedish Mission in Cooch Behar and the Norwegian Mission among Muslims.

The Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church has two main hospitals, the Mohulpahari Hospital in Jhardhand and the Parkijuli Hospital in Assam. There are several other health centers and community health programs, including The Saldoha Leprosy Home and Hospital.

The NELC has established a mission board and has active mission work not only among the ethnic groups which have been the traditional focus, but also work in Nepal and Bhutan.

With 460 congregations and nearly 100 ordained pastors, NELC headquartered in Dumka, Jhardkand. Theological training is provided by the Santal Theological Seminary, the only Santali language media theological school in India. Theological education by extension (TEE) is being developed to provide training for local leaders in teaching, pastoral and sacramental ministry as well as offering continuing education to pastors.