The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod began work in Sri Lanka in 1927 as a natural outgrowth of its work in India. Missionaries worked primarily in the mountainous tea estate region of central Sri Lanka among the Tamil-speaking Hindus. Between 1998 and 2013, there were no resident LCMS missionaries in Sri Lanka.
Currently, the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) has been formed and will be seeking partner church status with the LCMS.
Since capable leadership is essential, theological education has become a major emphasis in LCMS mission work here. In January 2017, a pre-seminary was established in Colombo, with four students. Additionally, the evangelists are pursuing further instruction with the possibility that some would be ordained as pastors.
The first mercy project supported by the LCMS in Sri Lanka was in 1987. In more recent years, mercy work included relief for tsunami survivors.