|
The Guide
download the guide [.pdf]
Table of Contents
>
A
Letter to Candidates
>
Theological Foundations
>
Completing Candidacy
>
Preparing for the
Assignment Process
>
The Process and Protocol
>
Timelines and Deadlines
>
Downloading the Forms
>
Installing Formatta
>
Getting the Forms
>
Sending the Forms
>
Preferences and Restrictions
>
Candidate Resume Forms
>
Reassignment
>
Prayer for the Journey
>
Appendix A – 2006 Assignment and Reassignment Schedule
>
Appendix B – Checklist
>
Appendix C – Forms A, B, C, and R
>
Appendix D – Seminaries
>
Churchwide Staff
[ printer
friendly version ]
Theological Foundations
The ELCA Constitution and related
documents hold up a vision of gospel ministry for those who
prepare to serve under call as rostered leaders in this church.
In our “Statement of Purpose” (Chapter 4) the Church is defined
as “a people created by God in Christ, empowered by the Holy
Spirit, called and sent to bear witness to God’s creative,
redeeming, and sanctifying activity in the world.” As this
church engages in God’s mission, we are committed to “carry out
Christ’s Great Commission by reaching out to all people…” We do
ministry “with a global awareness consistent with the
understanding of God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of
all.”
To fulfill its mission of outreach,
worship, service, advocacy for justice and nurture, this church
calls and sends qualified people as its rostered leaders.
Because our mission is global in its scope, with particular
responsibility for ministry in the United States and Caribbean,
this church calls and sends leaders where they are needed. As
Abraham and Sarah were called to go forth to a distant new place
and as the followers of Jesus were commanded to “go and make
disciples,” so this church’s rostered leaders often are called
to familiar and unfamiliar places.
^
top of page
^
Completing Candidacy
The ELCA candidacy process serves as
a path toward public confirmation of your personal call to
rostered ministry. Completing the final steps of candidacy is
critical to your participation in a churchwide assignment
process. Your synod candidacy committee meets with you during
the final months of academic preparation to affirm your
readiness to serve. The Approval Essay that you write for the
interview provides written material (in addition to CPE and
Internship Evaluations and a seminary faculty recommendation)
for the assessment of theological competence, faith commitment,
leadership abilities, and personal integrity.
Candidates are asked to indicate
their commitment to meeting the vision and expectations of the
ELCA for rostered leaders. Candidates participate in the
churchwide assignment process as part of preparation for call.
The basic standards of this church must be met prior to
accepting a letter of call from a congregation or another
calling body of the ELCA. The timing of these processes is best
planned well in advance. Assuring that qualified leaders serve
on the rosters of the ELCA is essential for the people and
congregations.
^
top of page
^
Preparing for the Assignment
Process
The ELCA is committed to the
effective, fair, and appropriate deployment of rostered leaders
for the ministry of this church. This is a complex matter
involving the needs and mission of the whole church, the gifts
and situations of candidates, and the leading of the Holy
Spirit. The process involves extensive preparation by
candidates, seminaries, candidacy committees, synod offices, and
churchwide staff. This process also involves the commitment of
many families who make significant changes during a candidate’s
time of preparation.
While there are a multitude of
practical matters that need attending to during this time, we
encourage you to focus on the spiritual dimensions of
discernment. Responding to God’s call is fundamentally a matter
of trust. For your personal and family devotions during these
days, consider revisiting the biblical call stories of Abraham
and Sarah, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Isaiah, Hosea, Mary and Joseph,
Paul, and many others. We hope that you will enter into this
time as a continuation of your faith venture, confident that God
will provide both surprises and blessings.
This church does expect its rostered
leaders to be prepared and respond to God’s call to go, yet
there is also a commitment to respond with understanding and
compassion to the unique circumstances of individual people and
their families. Those responsible for candidate assignment and
call process seek balance between the needs and desires of
candidates and the needs of this church to fulfill its mission.
We ask you to do the same. As you prepare your paperwork for
assignment, it is very important that you carefully discern the
difference between preferences for assignment and your
restrictions. Making the distinction between these two is
important in communicating your availability to serve as a
rostered leader in this church. If your family is involved in
this process, we expect that you will engage in this
conversation together.
^
top of page
^
The Process and
Protocol
The ELCA Churchwide assignment
process is the responsibility of the Vocation and Education unit
in consultation with the Conference of Bishops. Some factors
affecting assignment have changed over the past several years.
The most significant change is that synodical bishops classify
more congregations as “a first call site” while the number of
candidates has remained about the same. This is one of the
reasons first call vacancies in most synods have exceeded the
number of available graduates in recent years. In some synods,
(most notably those in close proximity to seminaries), candidate
requests to serve significantly exceed the openings. Those who
participate in the Churchwide Assignment Consultation engage in
prayerful conversation as assignment decisions are made.
To help us all navigate our way, the
Conference of Bishops has established guidelines describing
appropriate conduct for candidates and synodical offices during
the assignment process. The following are important protocols to
honor:
1. Candidates are not to have
conversations with pastors or congregations regarding
availability for call prior to assignment. While being
sought after may feel good, it is unfair to the whole church,
which has invested in your preparation over the past several
years. In the event a congregation or pastor initiates contact,
the candidate should refer the inquiry to that congregation’s
synodical bishop.
2. Candidates are encouraged to
learn about the ministry opportunities in the various regions
and synods of this church. Several bishops will visit each
of the eight ELCA seminaries during the fall engaging candidates
in extended conversation. The churchwide staff in each region as
well as synod Web sites are also a good source of basic
information. For a complete list of synods with Web site links >
go
3. Synod bishops or their staff
may initiate conversations with candidates to explore the
suitability for service in their synod. This is particularly
necessary when a candidate requests restriction to a particular
synod. During these conversations bishops and their staff will
not give specific advice on requests for preferences or
restrictions nor will they make commitments to candidates prior
to assignment.
^
top of page
^
Timelines and
Deadlines
Please read carefully through the
Assignment and Reassignment Schedule >
go . You will need to submit Forms A, B, C, and R (if you
are requesting a restriction) by the dates listed. Ideally you
will want to be assigned to a synod approximately three months
prior to your availability. Careful planning can usually make
this possible.
It is your responsibility to submit
all forms in a timely manner and to verify with the seminary and
candidacy committee that forms have been submitted by the
designated deadlines. We expect to receive your forms
electronically. You will receive an e-mail confirmation when
they have arrived.
^
top of page
^
Downloading the
Forms
Most forms used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
have been created in a program called Formatta Filler. In order
for you to view and complete the forms for the assignment
process, you will first need to install this free program on
your computer.
^
top of page
^
Installing Formatta
Go to the Department for Information Technology's web site >
go . Click on the
FORMATTA FILLER button on the right-hand side of the web page
under the column titled “Free Plug-Ins.” Your browser will alert
you with a pop-up window asking permission to download the file.
Select OPEN to continue the process. An installation program
will place Formatta Filler on the C:/ drive of your computer in
the Program Files folder.
NOTE: If
your browser or Internet Service Provider interferes with the
installation program, you can choose SAVE THIS PROGRAM TO DISK.
Put the installation program (FormattaFiller.exe) on your
DESKTOP and double-click the Formatta Filler icon when the
download is complete. The program will install as described
above. Once the installation is complete you can delete the
FormattaFiller.exe icon from your DESKTOP as this will only run
once.
When the
installation process is complete, Formatta will open with a
Personal Information Form. You may choose to register your copy
of the Formatta Filler application by completing the form.
Otherwise, close out the program.
^
top of page
^
Getting the Forms
Click CANDIDATE FORMS
on the left-side of the page and download the appropriate forms.
After clicking on each form name, Formatta Filler will
automatically open the form in an additional window. We suggest
that you immediately save a copy of the form on your computer so
that you can disconnect from the internet. To do so, click FILE
in the upper-left corner and then click SAVE AS. Change the file
name to something unique, such as “MartinLuther-App.pff” and
click SAVE. The form is now saved on your computer in the My
Forms folder found in the My Documents folder. Please make a
note of the file location for future reference.
^
top of page
^
Sending the Forms
After completing and saving the forms in a folder on your
computer, you are now ready to send them to the Churchwide
office. Open a new email message and attach the appropriate
files. Make sure that your forms are not open when attaching and
sending them. Address your email to
assignment@elca.org and
include a subject line. We expect to receive all assignment
forms electronically and discourage duplicate paper copies sent
via postal mail. A confirmation email will be sent to you within
a few days after your submission depending on the volume of
forms we have received. If for some reason, you must send
correspondence by postal mail, please address to:
Marcia
Johnson
ELCA
Churchwide Office
8765 West.
Higgins Road
Chicago, IL
60631
^
top of page
^
Preferences and Restrictions
Stating a preference can mean a personal hope or desire,
as well as specific personal or family needs that can be met in
certain geographical contexts. Preferences will be noted and
taken seriously during the assignment consultation but a
preference is not understood to take precedence over a
candidate’s availability for call where the church has need.
In order to provide clarity between restrictions and
preferences, the following are offered as illustrative:
1. Personal, spousal or children’s
educational needs in most circumstances are preferences, not
restrictions. Most needs can be met well in several locations
given some diligent research and willingness to commute
reasonable distances.
2. Proximity to extended family
members is normally a preference. Candidates may experience some
distress with a distant assignment, but many families discover
new horizons and travel opportunities following a move to a new
area.
3. Type of staff setting is normally
a preference unless, for example, a candidacy committee has
specifically indicated a team ministry for the purposes of
mentoring.
Requesting a restriction
means that a candidate is available for first call only within a
limited geographical area and/or with specific conditions. It
also means that, given a limited number of call possibilities in
any area, a candidate may wait for an indefinite period to have
call opportunities. Thus, in requesting a restriction, a
candidate acknowledges that the restriction takes precedence
over his/her availability for call to serve in the ELCA.
Because of its
significant investment in the preparation of candidates for
ministry, the larger church considers itself a partner in the
conversation about what constitutes a restriction. You are
encouraged to consider how God may be at work in calls that
stretch you beyond what you might envision for yourself.
Consider the
following information as you contemplate requesting a
restriction:
1. In the assignment process,
seminary representatives (president, dean or contextual
education director) provide valuable information. Be sure you
discuss the nature of your restriction with the designated
seminary representative who can offer information both to you
and to the church regarding how you might best serve.
2. If the region and/or synod you
identify as your area of restriction cannot accept your
assignment or if your home synod or the seminary representative
cannot support the restriction request, you will have the choice
either to remove the restriction or wait until a future
assignment.
3. In some cases, a restriction may
have a defined time limitation. For example, your spouse may be
completing a degree program. If so, please be sure to share
additional information about the time frame during which the
restriction would be in effect.
4. Please be clear about the
specific nature of your restriction. The following are examples:
your spouse is a rostered clergyperson under call in the ELCA or
another denomination; your spouse's vocational or educational
situation imposes a restriction; custody of children under a
divorce decree cannot be modified; or critical health issues for
a household member can only be treated in specific locations.
^
top of page
^
Candidate Resume Forms
Part I: Forms
filed by the Candidate
Form A: Roster
Information Form. Roster information provided by the candidate
includes general biographical information that becomes part of
the Roster Information System administered by the Office of the
Secretary of the ELCA. This is submitted by the candidate to
assignment@elca.org
Form B: Candidate Preferences
Summary. This form includes information about the candidate’s
interests and preferences for call and appointment. This
information may be used to make decisions about placement
location and setting. It also offers the candidate an
opportunity to describe his/her sense of call and gifts for
ministry. Form B is submitted to
assignment@elca.org
Form C: Information for
Call/Search Committees. This is a self-report form where the
candidate describes ministry skills, styles, and interests. It
is not used in the assignment process, but will provide useful
information to the synod bishop and congregational interview
committee. Be sure to note that page four of this form has a
specific version for each of the four rosters of the ELCA. The
candidate submits this form to
assignment@elca.org
(Page one of nine pages will be included in the appendix of this
booklet.)
Form R: Restriction Request.
Form R is submitted by the candidate to
assignment@elca.org at
the same time as Forms A, B, and C. The churchwide deployed
staff person in the region of candidacy will follow up on the
candidate’s request for restriction and let candidates know as
soon as possible if their request has been approved by the
bishops involved. It is not the candidate’s responsibility to
obtain any signatures on Form R. Because this process takes
time for conversation with bishops and the seminary
representatives, it is critical that Form R’s are received by
the deadlines listed in the assignment schedule!
Part II: Forms Filed By Others
Form D: Report of the
Seminary Faculty and Internship. This report is completed by
seminary personnel and sent to Marcia Johnson at 8765 West
Higgins Rd. Chicago, IL 60631. The faculty provides summary
statements about the candidate’s suitability for ministry,
recommendations to the candidacy committee for the approval
decision, and for evaluation of the student. The form also
includes summary comments from the internship supervisor,
internship committee, and intern.
Form E: Approval Report of
the Candidacy Committee. This report is completed by the
Candidacy Committee and filed electronically with the Vocation
and Education unit. This report contains the official
recommendation for commissioning, consecration, or ordination.
The Candidacy Committee also makes summary statements about the
candidate’s suitability for ministry and recommendations for
continuing growth and First Call Theological Education.
^
top of page
^
Reassignment
Occasionally circumstances change in
either the synod of assignment or the candidate’s life
situation. When opportunities to find a suitable placement have
been exhausted in the synod of assignment, the candidate and the
synod bishop may determine that reassignment is necessary.
Reassignment will normally be considered only after a minimum of
90 days has elapsed after assignment to a synod and when no
possible call opportunities are imminent. Reassignment means
that a candidate’s name is reentered in the next available
churchwide assignment consultation. The candidate must secure a
written release from the bishop of the assigned synod. This is
sent to
marcia.johnson@elca.org
and initiates the process. The candidate also sends a written
request to
marcia.johnson@elca.org asking to be released from the
initial assignment and briefly stating the reasons for this
request. The candidate should review the previously submitted
Forms A, B, C, and make appropriate revisions. This paperwork
must be submitted to the
assignment@elca.org in accordance with the deadlines for the
assignment schedule (Appendix A).
^
top of page
^
Prayer for the Journey
Confidence in the surprises and
faithfulness of God can provide sustenance and comfort for this
assignment process, addressing the natural human anxieties that
come with any venture into the unknown. Repeatedly rostered
leaders report that their horizons were expanded and they were
richly blessed by trusting the process and allowing the Spirit
to work. Everyone works to find good matches where both
candidates and communities of faith can thrive in a partnership
of ministry. This is truly a faith venture that includes the
candidate and the whole church. We continue to keep you in
prayer.
“Lord God, you have called your
servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths
as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go
out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that
your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Evening Prayer
Lutheran Book
of Worship, page 153
©1978 Lutheran
Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
^
top of page
^
 |
