SOUTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN

What SOUTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN does

Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a regional church-governance body that coordinates 133 ELCA congregations across 38 counties in central and southeastern Iowa. Founded in 1987 with the formation of the ELCA, the synod is led by Bishop Amy Current (elected 2020) and a small staff of 6 organized through the Office of the Bishop, including roles for candidacy, evangelical mission, and governance. Its functional mandate is regional coordination: pastoral support and transition management, candidacy and ordination processes, anti-hunger and anti-racism programming, advocacy at the state legislature (Lutheran Day on the Hill), and stewarding companion synod relationships with the Pare and Mwanga Dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

The synod has no commercial product or technology platform. Its digital infrastructure consists of a Squarespace-hosted website (seiasynod.org), a Constant Contact email newsletter, and Zoom-based webinars for educational programming. Core outputs are assemblies, gatherings, grants, and pastoral placements rather than software or services. Revenue is generated entirely through donations, including mission support contributions from member congregations, individual offerings, and special assembly offerings. There is no pricing model, no SaaS offering, and no publicly disclosed financial statements. The synod is a private nonprofit entity under the ELCA Churchwide umbrella, governed by an elected Synod Council and operating under the ELCA constitution.

Customer-facing activity is structured around three primary segments: the 133 member congregations, the approximately 200+ rostered ministers (pastors and deacons) serving them, and new ministry initiatives such as the Latino Synod Authorized Worshipping Community (Iglesia Camino de Emaús in the Quad Cities). The synod's 2024 activity shows both defensive consolidation (closure of two congregations below quorum, removal of Lutheran Church of Hope from the roster) and selective expansion (Latino ministry renewal, Border Servant Corps partnership, new staff appointments for candidacy and evangelical mission).

Name

SOUTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN

Legal name

Southeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA

Website

https://seiasynod.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Regional synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America coordinating 133 congregations across 38 counties in central and southeastern Iowa. Led by Bishop Amy Current, the 6-person office provides pastoral support, candidacy, advocacy, and global companion synod partnerships funded entirely by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Religious organization services
• Congregational support
• Pastoral ministry
• Synod governance
• Faith-based community

Headquarters

HQ city

Iowa City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mission Support from Congregations: Congregations contribute a portion of their revenue to support synod operations and programs
2. Donations and Offerings: Individual donations and offerings collected during worship services and events
3. Synod Assembly Offerings: Special offerings collected during annual Synod Assembly events designated for specific ministries

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Southeastern Iowa Synod provides regional ecclesiastical coordination, pastoral support, and shared ministry resources for 133 ELCA congregations across 38 counties in central and southeastern Iowa. Its core offerings include congregational development, candidacy and ordination processes, pastoral transition support, anti-hunger grants, racial justice programs, companion synod partnerships with Tanzania, and worship and event coordination.

Product overview

The Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a regional church body, not a technology company. It does not offer a commercial product or software service. The organization operates a website (seiasynod.org) built on the Squarespace platform to provide informational and administrative resources for its network of 133 congregations across 38 counties in central and southeastern Iowa. The site's functionality includes event management, newsletter distribution, donation processing, and online registration for synod assemblies and ministry events. No commercial product portfolio, SaaS platform, or technology offering exists to document.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Candidacy Process Endorsement and preparation process for individuals pursuing ordination or rostered ministry in the ELCA, administered through the synod's Office of the Bishop and Associate to the Bishop for Candidacy.
• Pastoral Transition Support Comprehensive transition, call, and pastoral support services for congregations experiencing pastoral vacancies, including the Transition Process, Call Process, Current Transitions listing, Pastoral Support, and Pulpit Supply resources.
• Anti-Hunger Grants Program Grant funding distributed to congregations and ministries for anti-hunger programs and community outreach, sourced from ELCA World Hunger offerings and local fundraising campaigns.
• Companion Synod Program (Tanzania) Partnership program linking Southeastern Iowa Synod congregations with the Pare Diocese and Mwanga Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, supporting mutual ministry, water projects, AIDS orphan education, and hospital support.
• Iglesia Camino de Emaús (Latino Ministry) Synod Authorized Worshipping Community serving the Latine community in Davenport, Iowa, jointly supported with the Northern Illinois Synod and ELCA.
• Racial Justice Network Synod ministry network focused on anti-racism and racial justice work among congregations and members across the Southeastern Iowa Synod.
• Children, Youth, and Family Network Synod ministry network supporting children, youth, and family programming across member congregations.
• Coaching Ministry Coaching services offered by the synod to rostered ministers and congregational leaders.
• Synod Assembly Annual gathering of voting members, rostered ministers, and congregational representatives to conduct synod business, worship, and fellowship. The 37th Assembly was held May 17-18, 2024, under the theme 'Listen, God is Calling.'
• SEIA Women's Organization (WELCA) Southeastern Iowa Synod's women's organization (Women of the ELCA) supporting ministry among women in congregations across the synod.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Border Servant CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Bishop Current traveled with members from Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Synod trip planned for 2024.
• Pare Diocese (ELCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Companion synod relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Until 2016, the Pare Diocese and Mwanga Diocese were one diocese. Congregations maintain long-standing partnerships with parishes and ministries in these dioceses.
• Mwanga Diocese (ELCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Companion synod relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Bishop Current traveled to celebrate the Pare Diocese Global Jubilee and participated in water project inauguration serving Mandaka and Mwanga Mjini parish members.
• Northern Illinois Synod, ELCAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Northern Illinois Synod and ELCA to bring Iglesia Camino de Emaús (Latino ministry in Quad Cities) to fruition. Jointly supporting the new ministry with a goal to raise $45,000.
• ELCA ChurchwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the ELCA with 65 synods and 3 million members. ELCA Churchwide provides resources, support, and coordination for synods including companion synod relationships, youth gatherings, and social statements.
• Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in supporting Bremwood Campus residential services. LSI Board includes Bishop Current. The synod supports LSI's core services including early childhood education, disabilities services, adoption and foster care, mental health programs, and immigrant and refugee services.
• ELCA World HungermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBishops' RAGBRAI ride raised $92,596 for ELCA World Hunger. Synods split additional $40k for local anti-hunger ministries. 12 ministries received more than $14,000 in grants.
• Wartburg Theological SeminarymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner theological institution. Bishop Current graduated from Wartburg and served as Vice President of Admissions before being elected Bishop. Synods collaborate on Lay Ministry Education/SAM program.
• Portico Benefit ServicesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBenefits provider for ELCA congregations and synods. Regional representative Jennifer Prinz leads workshops for treasurers and benefits administrators.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Wartburg Theological Seminary: ELCA-affiliated seminary in Dubuque, Iowa that trains pastors and provides lay ministry education. Bishop Current is an alumna, and the synod has a formal partnership for the Lay Ministry Education/SAM program.
• Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI): Affiliate social services organization of the ELCA providing foster care, adoption, refugee resettlement, disability services, and mental health services. Operates in the same geography and mission space as the synod, with Bishop Current serving on the LSI Board.

Direct peers

• Western Iowa Synod, ELCA: ELCA synod covering western Iowa with the same synod-level administrative, pastoral, and ministry coordination functions. Operates under the same ELCA governance framework and serves congregations in the same broader region.
• Catholic Diocese of Davenport: Regional governance body of the Roman Catholic Church covering southeastern Iowa. Performs analogous synod-level functions including pastoral support, parish governance, and religious education across the same region.
• Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church: Regional governing body of the United Methodist Church in Iowa. Provides analogous governance, pastoral support, and ministry coordination across the same state-wide region.
• Episcopal Diocese of Iowa: Regional governance body of the Episcopal Church in Iowa. Provides analogous religious governance, pastoral support, and ministry coordination across the same state region.
• Northern Illinois Synod, ELCA: Regional governance body of the ELCA serving northern Illinois and a direct peer to the Southeastern Iowa Synod. Performs the same synod-level functions of governance, pastoral support, and ministry coordination, and has partnered with the synod on the Iglesia Camino de Emaús Latino ministry.
• Northeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA: ELCA synod covering northeastern Iowa with identical governance structure, pastoral support systems, and mission functions. A direct structural and geographic peer to the Southeastern Iowa Synod operating under the same ELCA framework.

Broad incumbents

• ELCA Churchwide Organization: The national expression of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, providing resources, coordination, and governance to all 65 synods including the Southeastern Iowa Synod. The overarching umbrella organization for the synod.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeastern-iowa-synod-of-the-evangelical-lutheran-church-in

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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