The Ministry Site Profile form (MSP) provides congregations (single and multiple point parishes) and church-related organizations (schools, social ministry organizations, healthcare institutions, and agencies) a single, common form to use to describe their mission and their search for a rostered leader.

The MSP is filled out by leaders within the congregation or organization, under the guidance of the synod bishop or synodical staff. Once completed and submitted, the MSP will be stored within the ELCA’s mobility database. "Ministry Opportunities" makes it possible for rostered leaders and others to search the database of MSPs to learn of ministry openings, to read a basic snapshot of information about each opening, and to learn about the appropriate contact person for each call process.

The MSP and Mobility Database System are designed only for searches for those rostered within the ELCA. It is not intended for searches for other church workers, including lay professionals, non-rostered musicians or program directors.

Steps for use of the Ministry Site Profile

1. Go to "Call Process Forms" on the Call Process website.
2. Create a Ministry Site Profile account (you will be required to open an account and to give other identifying information in order to download a MSP).
3. The MSP is a Formatta form. The option to download Formatta is on the forms page.
4. The MSP will reside on your computer while it is being completed. You should take care to save your work and your password as you proceed.
5. When the MSP is completely done, follow the directions to
       save your work to your computer,
       print a copy for your records,
       date your MSP, 
       lock the form with a password, and
       with the computer connected to the Internet, submit your form to the Mobility Database.
6. You will receive an email confirming that the MSP has been received.
7. The MSP does not become active in the system, however, until the Synodical Bishop approves it and allows it to post to the system.
8. You can, as needed, go to “Access Account” on the web site in order to 
       monitor the status of your MSP, 
       request a copy of your current MSP in order to edit it for re-submission,
       request a copy of the supporting forms for the MSP (the Reflections and Reference forms), or to 
       request that your MSP be archived within the system.
9. If you wish to update an existing MSP, you may edit the copy on your computer and re-submit it. You should also go to “Access Account” to request that the previous MSP be archived so as not to have the previous MSP active in the system at the same time.
10. If your ministry site has more than one opening to be filled by a rostered leader, you may edit your existing MSP to reflect this second position and then resubmit it. If you need a blank MSP in order to describe this second position, go back into the system (using the same ID/password as before) and download a fresh MSP.

Some tips on filling out the MSP

• Write the MSP carefully
  All the information that will appear within your listing on "Ministry Opportunities" is drawn from your entries on the MSP. Write the MSP carefully, as if the whole world will read it.
• Complete the MSP
  Congregations are expected to fill out the entire MSP. Church-related organizations may, with the concurrence of the bishop, only complete Parts 1-4 and 8-19.
• Involve others
  Involve as many people as possible at your ministry site in thinking and writing about the questions of Identity/Purpose, Gifts/Resources, and Context/Needs. Begin every conversation with Bible study and prayer.
• Give thought to the narrative questions
  The most important questions are the narrative questions. Give them a lot of thought, especially question 8 which will be publicized within "Ministry Opportunities."
• Be clear and specific
  Use the multiple choice options and narrative sections to focus the description of your site rather than to speak broadly or generally.
• Contact information
  Be certain to learn from your synod staff the name and contact information that you should use to answer question 20.
• For multiple-point parishes
  If you are a part of a multiple-point parish, the MSP can be used to describe individual congregations within the parish (choose “congregation” on p.1 of the MSP) or used to describe the entire parish (choose “multiple point parish” on p. 1). In either case be sure to clarify your cooperative arrangement on p. 13.

Two supporting forms

1. Seven Reflections
   You may choose to enhance your MSP by providing additional information on the Seven Reflections form. The form can be downloaded at “Access Account” on the web site after the MSP has been submitted. While the form is optional, some synods may elect to require that one or more of the questions be completed. Seven Reflections is a Formatta form. 
2. Reference Recommendation
   Each ministry site is required to provide an outside reference who will complete a recommendation form. The form contains within it the “Ministry Site Characteristics” survey just as the MSP also contains, creating an opportunity for the rostered leader to pursue some comparison and conversation. You can download the form by going to “Access Account” after the MSP has been submitted. The form is then emailed to the reference as an attachment. The Reference Recommendation form is a PDF form, requiring the use of Adobe Acrobat. The reference submits the form by clicking the “Submit” button at the end of the form. Use “Access Account” to monitor the arrival of this reference form.