Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad

In 1940, Estonia, which had become independent in 1920, was annexed by the Soviet Union. This caused great upheaval in the nation and in the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (see also under Estonia). In 1944, at the end of the German occupation, a mass exodus occurred of some 80,000 people, accompanied by the archbishop of the church and seventy pastors; 30,000 went to Sweden, 50,000 to Germany. The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Exile was established in Sweden. In wartorn Germany the situation was much more difficult. Eventually most of the Estonians who had sought refuge there emigrated to other countries. Currently the church has 21 congregations in the USA, 13 in Canada, eight in Sweden, four in Germany, four in Australia, one in Argentina and one in England. Through prayer, worship, witness and pastoral counselling in the Estonian language the church continues to serve its people in their countries of settlement. It no longer calls itself “in Exile” but the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad. The aim of the church is to serve, together with the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Estonia, Estonians world-wide as long as it is needed and possible.

The EELCA shares the history, ecclesial self-understanding and doctrinal confessions of the church in Estonia. Its headquarters have moved from Sweden to Canada.