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Protocol for First Call Candidates

Principles Operative between First Call Candidates and Bishops/Synod Staff Persons and the Vocation and Education unit of this Church

1. This church recognizes that all power and authority in this church belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, all actions of this church shall be carried out under his rule and authority.

2. The constitution of the ELCA envisions this church as being composed of interdependent expressions, each with its own integrity. Bishops recognize and support this principle.

3. The geographic, ethnic and social diversity of this church means that leadership needs are equally diverse and never uniform in opportunity from synod to synod. In working with candidates for ministry, bishops and synod staff persons recognize that restrictions are an impedance to the fulfilling of the church's leadership needs.

4. Inherent in the work of a bishop's office is the opportunity to gain a broader view of the needs of this church and of its public leaders. Informed by this broader view bishops and synod staffs strive to deal fairly with all candidates.

5. Bishops/synod staff persons respect the practice of confidentiality in conferring with others and seek the permission of the person involved before sharing confidential information with others.

Applications of the Above Principles

1 . In dealing with first call candidates bishops/synod staff make judgments fairly considering the following:

a. Assessing the particular needs and opportunities in a ministry setting.

b. Assessing the skills, resources and capacities of individual candidates for particular ministries.

c. Determining the preferences and restrictions of individual candidates.

d. Examining the priorities and preferences of the congregation or agency involved in the call.

2. When a candidate has been assigned to a synod, the bishop or bishop's assistant will make prompt initial and regular follow up contact with the candidate.

3. Bishops strongly discourage and do not support any attempt to arrange conversations or negotiations between candidates and congregations or other entities involved in calls prior to the formal assignment of the candidate to a synod

4. Bishops strongly discourage and do not support any attempt by candidates, congregations, or calling entities to consider a candidate outside of the synod of assignment without the consent of the synodical bishop of assignment.

5. The bishops involved endorse a candidate's request for reassignment from one synod to another. They will consult with the Synodical Relations unit staff responsible for the assignment before the staff acts on such a request by a candidate.

6. By mutual agreement between two bishops a candidate assigned to one synod may be considered in another synod without reassignment. Responsibility for the candidate remains with the synod of assignment during such "contingency" assignment.

7. On behalf of this church, the bishop of the synod of first call ordains (or provides for the ordination of) the candidate. Ordinations are arranged and conducted consistent with the policy and practice of the synod whose bishop has authorized it.

8. The practices of bishops differ in nominating candidates to congregations, agencies and institutions both in respect to the number of persons nominated and the number of nominations a candidate may have simultaneously. Therefore, it is important to ascertain the practice of the synod of assignment.

9. Candidates should feel free at any time to contact the bishop or synod staff in their assigned synod, as well as deployed or central staff of the Synodical Relations unit with questions or concerns regarding the assignment or call process.