| United Lutheran Mission Association | |
| Abbreviation: | ULMA |
| Main Classification: | Lutheran |
| Orientation: | Confessional Lutheran |
| Theology: | Lutheran Theology as contained in The Book of Concord, 1580 |
| Headquarters: | Decatur, Illinois |
| Territory: | United States |
| Founded Date: | July 16, 2005 |
| Founded Place: | Chicago, Illinois |
| Separated From: | Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod |
| Area: | United States |
| Congregations: | 4 |
The United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) is a Lutheran church organization in the United States. It's membership is primarily composed of former Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) churches and churchgoers. These churches have sought independence over doctrinal disagreements including, liberalization, congregational autonomy, women's role in the church, and other issues.
The United Lutheran Mission Association was established at a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, on July 16, 2005. It was cofounded by two congregations that were formerly members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS). These congregations had left the LCMS over doctrinal disagreements.[1] The member churches of ULMA are in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Australian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
ULMA has developed mission locations with the intention of founding new congregations. In 2009, a congregation (Christ the Rock Lutheran Church) was founded by former members of a local LCMS congregation in Carlsbad, California.[2] Also in 2009, Agnus Dei Lutheran Church of Fredericksburg, Virginia joined ULMA as a mission church.[3] An additional mission in Milwaukee was founded but closed in 2017.
There is no central office or centralized organizational structure other than the individual representatives from the member congregations who meet twice each year. ULMA recommends that pastors train at the Walther Theological Seminary which was founded by a member congregation.[1] The ULMA has clergy trained in the seminaries of other Lutheran denominations such as the LCMS, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.