CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A report to the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asks the council to reject a request for exceptions to expectations the church has of those who serve in its ministry. Meeting here Oct. 13-15, the board of the ELCA Division for Ministry based its recommendation on four "serious questions and concerns."
The ELCA's 10,851 congregations are organized into 65 synods, each headed by a bishop. St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn., is a congregation of the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod.
On behalf of St. Paul-Reformation, the Saint Paul Area Synod Council petitioned the ELCA Church Council to amend "Vision and Expectations," a document the council adopted in 1990 which describes the expectations the church has of those who serve in its ministry.
The proposed amendment to "Vision and Expectations" would add two sentences to its opening section: "Exceptions to the provisions of 'Vision and Expectations' may be granted by the Conference of Bishops. The Conference of Bishops may consult the Division for Ministry concerning exceptions it seeks to make."
The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body that includes the bishops of the ELCA's 65 synods, ELCA presiding bishop and ELCA secretary.
People pursuing calls into the ordained or lay ministries of the ELCA are reviewed by local candidacy committees. The committees inform candidates of the church's expectations and approve candidates for certification as ministers.
"The proposed resolution would have the effect of making the Conference of Bishops a 'court of appeals' for all candidacy committee decisions regarding entry into the ordained ministry of the ELCA," the Division for Ministry's report listed as the first concern. The second concern was that such an appellate role would violate the church's constitution.
A third concern was that exceptions to "Vision and Expectations" would require similar exceptions to other church policies and to the ELCA Constitution.
A final concern was that exceptions would not be consistent with the church's understanding that ministers are called to serve the whole church and all are to be "held to the same standards."
In April, the ELCA Church Council referred the resolution to the Division for Ministry and asked that a report be prepared in consultation with the Conference of Bishops and presented to the Church Council at its meeting here Nov. 10-13.
The Conference of Bishops met here Oct. 5-10, reviewed an earlier draft of the division's report and recommended several changes which the Division for Ministry board accepted in its report to the council.
In other business, the Division for Ministry board: + asked division staff to continue its conversations with the ELCA Conference of Bishops and the church's attorneys about extending on- leave-from-call status beyond the present guidelines. One may remain an associate in ministry, deaconess, diaconal minister or pastor of the ELCA for three years without a call from an ELCA-related congregation. + changed the "Guidelines for Shared-Time Ministries" for ordained ministers from a requirement of 20 hours per week to say "a work-load for the call of at least an average of 20 hours per week is normative, with not less than 15 hours absolutely required." + approved the division's budget for 2001 in the amount of $6,031,145 and authorized its executive committee to approve budget adjustments for fiscal year 2001 on the advice of the executive director. Almost $4 million of the budget goes as direct grants to the ELCA's eight seminaries. + increased the compensation of ELCA interns placed through ELCA seminaries from $900 to $1,000 per month. An intern may apply the additional $100 a month toward medical insurance, rather than take it as an increase in salary. Four years of seminary education usually includes a parish internship during the third year. + increased the one-time fee for affiliated students at ELCA seminaries from $250 to $300. Affiliated students are those ELCA candidates for ordained or consecrated ministry who attend non-ELCA seminaries and must affiliate with an ELCA seminary. The increase reflects the additional costs of seminary faculty and staff advising affiliated students. + approved the Shalom Hill Farm, Jeffers, Minn., as an ELCA Life- Long Learning Partner. The conference center and farm provide places for rural and urban people to interact. Shalom Hill Farm has a curriculum for seminarians, continuing education for clergy and conference space for groups. + asked that the ELCA Office of the Secretary identify associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and clergy in the church's nomination process for churchwide offices and in the church's directory of churchwide offices. Nominations and the ELCA Yearbook currently identify clergy. + approved amendments to the Endorsement Manual for Specialized Pastoral Care (SPC) and Clinical Education. Instead of terminating SPC endorsement as soon as a chaplain or pastoral counselor loses specific church or professional status, a "three-year grace period" will be given. Five new specializations and their criteria were added: hospice, clinical educator, police chaplaincy, rehabilitation and physical medicine, and workplace chaplaincy.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
