Notes from Our Call Committee

What is a Call?

Article 14 of the Augsburg Confession (one of the formal Lutheran confessional writings) says, "It is taught among us that no one should publicly teach or preach or administer the sacraments in the church without a regular call." Traditionally in the Lutheran church this has been described as a "divine call" because:

• It is God who has instituted the pastoral office in order that the Word might be preached and the sacraments instituted in an orderly way (Luke 10:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Timothy 3; Titus 1; Eph: 4:11, 14; Col. 4:17; 1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Cor. 14:40; 2 Cor. 2:17);
• It is God who has given congregations the right to call a pastor to carry out this work in their midst and on their behalf (Matt. 28:18-20; Matt. 16:13-19; 18: 17-20, John 20:22, 23; 1 John 4:1; 1 Peter 2:5- 6; 4:11; Acts 6:6; 1 Tim. 3:10; 4:14; 5:17; Titus 1:5; Acts 1:23; Heb.13:17; 1 Thess. 5:12).

The specific process by which a congregation extends a call to a pastor is not set forth in the Scriptures, and so this process may vary from time to time and place to place. In the interest of doing things "decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40), however, the various districts of the Synod have established a set of procedures which is intended to help congregations: 1) identify potential candidates for a call, and 2)follow the steps by which the congregation may extend a call to the individual whom they believe would be best suited to ministry at that place.

Call Committee Update:  

The Call Committee members and the groups within the congregation that they represent is as follows: Gwen Ashburn (Congregation at large), Emily Beckwith (Staff and Youth Ministry), Dale Duensing (Board of Elders), Jon Gromatzky (Board of Servant Leaders), Brady Mink (Congregation at large), Marco Segovia (Outreach Ministry), Mitzi Vance (Board of Servant Leaders), Doug Ward (Board of Servant Leaders), Dave Rudolph (Seniors group), Mike Shaw (Board of Elders). Dave Rudolph was elected Vice Chair and Mike Shaw was elected Chair of the Committee.