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A checklist of ideas that can enhance or sustain best practices in seminaries related to beginning a first call in public ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

1. ___ Seeks selection of diverse congregations for internship experiences (e.g., small town/rural, mission development, multicultural contexts, congregation-based organizing, female senior pastor).
2. ___ Trains internship supervisors which includes clear expectations of what is to be experienced and learned in congregational life during internship year.
3. ___ Seeks to encourage faculty in all seminary programs to make concrete connections between theological language/concepts and ministry practices.
4. ___ Offers spiritual formation and help students understand the importance of spiritual formation, retreats, spiritual guides, etc. in their first call and beyond.
5. ___ Reviews and discusses ELCA first call research pointing to differences between genders and between first and second career ministry candidates.
6. ___ Engages in discussions about sexism in the church and gender differences in ministry styles, values, and leadership.
7. ___ Offers workshops, courses, experiences in rural and small town ministries.
8. ___ Offers workshops or courses in administration issues and leadership skills within congregational ministry.
9. ___ Offers workshops, courses, experiences in evangelical outreach to unchurched persons or others in one’s community.
10. ___ Offers workshops, courses, experiences in congregation-based community organizing and how these arts and skills relate to knowing one’s congregation and members and how to be an effective leader.