KAZAKHSTAN – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) has accepted the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Almaty (Евангелическо-лютеранская церковь святых апостолов Петра и Павла – ELCHAPPA) of Kazakhstan as an observer member.
The ILC’s board of directors voted to accept the Almaty church as an observer member during a board meeting in May 2025. The church has further applied for full membership in the ILC, but decisions on full membership can only take place during a world assembly of the ILC, the next of which will take place in September 2025 in the Philippines.
“It’s a pleasure to formally welcome the Almaty church into the International Lutheran Council,” said Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. “The ILC has been delighted to welcome President Alexander Burtsev as a guest in the past, and we look forward to deepening the relationship between the ILC and Almaty’s Lutherans in the years to come. May God bless our work together on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
President Burtsev noted the importance of cooperation between the faithful as an important factor in deciding to join the ILC. “Fellow believers must always be together,” he writes. “On behalf of all our congregations, I would like to express my gratitude once again: for us this is a new path and a great blessing.”
Lutheranism first came to northwestern Kazakhstan in the mid-18th century, but faced severe persecution under communism during the 20th century. A Lutheran community was established in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan in 1974. In 1992, German Lutherans in the area invited representatives of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to assist them, eventually leading to the establishment of new congregations in the area. The church was officially registered in 1995.
Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Almaty counts five congregations, five pastors, and more than 1,000 members. The church enjoys fellowship agreements with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as well as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia (ELCIR).
The International Lutheran Council is a global association of confessional Lutheran churches which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions.
———————
RSS Feed