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Are you thinking of going into the ministry?
There are several careers for service within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Rostered Leadership includes Ordained Ministry, the Associate in Ministry, Deaconess and Diaconal. You can read about these means of serving by going to
http://www.elca.org/Growing-in-Faith/Vocation/Become-a-Leader/Candidacy.aspx
If you have spoken to your pastor or other leaders in your congregation considering this potential call and the response has been a favorable one, then you need to follow these steps:
Step One: Prayer and conversations
Pray that this is where God is leading you. Pray with and enter into conversation with your pastor, your family, and other significant people in the congregation about your gifts for public ministry. Please keep in mind that the call to ministry comes both from within and without.
Step Two: Discernment and a time line
Discernment is the process which leads you from sensing the call to ministry to actually becoming a minister. This defines the role and responsibility of the Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee. It is also your role in this process. Attention needs to be paid to family readiness, personal finances, educational preparedness, openness to serving the entire church and not just to one single community, your personal gifts and an awareness of personal growth areas.
As to a time line, please allow a year to get all in order. The Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee works in partnership with the seminaries and decisions regarding entrance to seminary need to happen with both the Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee and the seminary of choice.
Step Three: Resources
•(Growing in Faith Vocation Become a Leader Candidacy - www.elca.org
•Visions and Expectations – www.elca.org
•“What Shall I Say? Discerning God’s Call to Ministry”- Augsburg Fortress Press – ISBN 978-0-9636-6301-6
•“Luther’s Small Catechism” – a working knowledge of this primer will serve you well when you meet with the Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee - www.bookofconcord.org
Step Four: Where and When do I start?
The place to start, having looked at all of the above, is by contacting Bishop Ralph Dunkin
(rwd300@yahoo.com) or by phoning 304-363-4030. Alert our bishop that you are discerning a call to the ministry. Bishop Dunkin will then send to you a letter that details all that you need to do to be ready to meet with the Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee. Please allow a years worth of time to complete the application, to schedule an intake interview, to schedule the psychological testing and results, to visit three seminaries, to have your church council to complete its paperwork for you and to meet with the Synod’s Professional Candidacy Committee.
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