# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S452
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

452

PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES

Resolved, That a separate SMP vicar designation be considered
for purposes of Synod and district salary guidelines; and be it finally
Resolved, That the SMP vicar may receive compensation under
the vicarage agreement with the congregation and seminary
program, but without admission to the roster of the Synod.
Mid-South District; Board of Directors, Mid-South District
Ov. 6-08

To Support the SMP Program
WHEREAS, There is a severe shortage of pastors and church
workers anticipated in the near future; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS),
gathered in convention in 2007, created another path to ordination
with the specific ministry pastor (SMP) program, thus enabling
more men to become ordained as specific ministry pastors; and
WHEREAS, The SMP program has already enabled three
congregations of Circuit 15 of the Southeastern District to benefit
from the SMP program (one congregation has an ordained SMP
pastor, another has an SMP vicar, and a third has a person entering
the SMP program in 2019); and
WHEREAS, There are not enough eligible students preparing for
church work in the current seminary program to meet the current,
much less future, needs of the church; and
WHEREAS, Many congregations are currently without pastors or
other needed church workers; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Circuit 15 pastors of the Southeastern District
of the LCMS petition the 2019 Synod convention to reaffirm the
importance and value of the SMP program in providing ordained
SMP pastors for the future needs of its member congregations and
other ministries; and be it further
Resolved, That the 2019 Synod convention encourage the
districts to provide additional funding for SMP students as needed,
so that no one will be deprived of entering or completing the SMP
program due to financial hardships; and be it finally
Resolved, That the LCMS form a strategic partnership with the
districts to meet the future needs of its congregations and ministries
with the church workers that will be needed.
Grace
Concord, NC
Ov. 6-09

To Support the Synod’s
Specific Ministry Pastor Program
WHEREAS, There is a severe shortage of pastors and church
workers anticipated in the near future; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS),
gathered in convention in 2007, created another path to ordination
with the specific ministry pastor (SMP) program, thus enabling
more men to become ordained as specific ministry pastors; and
WHEREAS, The SMP program has already enabled four
congregations of Circuit 15 of the Southeastern District to benefit
from the SMP program (one congregation has an ordained SMP sole
pastor, another will soon have an ordained SMP assistant pastor,
another has an SMP vicar and a fourth has a person entering the
SMP program in February 2019); and

2019 Convention Workbook

WHEREAS, There are not enough eligible students preparing for
church work in the current seminary program to meet the current,
much less future needs of the church; and
WHEREAS, Many congregations are currently without pastors or
other needed church workers; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2019 Synod convention encourage the
districts to provide additional funding for SMP students as needed,
so that no one will be deprived of entering or completing the SMP
program due to financial hardships; and be it further
Resolved, That the LCMS form a strategic partnership with the
districts to meet the future needs of its congregations and ministries
with the church workers that will be needed.
Circuit 15
Southeastern District
Ov. 6-10

To Colloquize Specific Ministry Pastors
for the “Regular” Ministers of Religion—Ordained
Pastoral Ministry Status
WHEREAS, According to Bylaw 2.13.1, “Specific Ministry Pastor
Status and Limitations”:
2.13.1
A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion—
ordained who has completed the requirements for service as a
specific ministry pastor and has been examined by one of the
Synod’s seminaries, has received a regular call, and has been placed
by the Council of Presidents into a specific Word and Sacrament
ministry context. He is eligible to serve only in that specific ministry
context for which he has been trained and may not be offered or
accept a call for ministry for which he has not been certified as
determined by his district president. He shall serve under the
supervision of his district president and another pastor who is not a
specific ministry pastor.
(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor and
because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has
been formed in part by and for a specific ministry context, he may
not be placed or called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise
pastoral oversight outside the context of his call.
(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to
(1) serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the
Synod—but may serve as an advisory delegate to national
conventions and as a pastoral delegate to district conventions;
(2) hold any elected or appointed office on the district or
national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the
Synod to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although
specific ministry pastors may serve in all other capacities,
especially representing the ministerial contexts in which they
serve);
(3) supervise vicars; or
(4) serve as a circuit visitor.

and
WHEREAS, Constitution Article VI requires conditions for
acquiring and holding membership in the Synod which include the
following:
…
3. Regular call of pastors, teachers, directors of Christian education,
directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry,
directors of parish music, deaconesses, certified lay ministers,
and parish assistants and regular election of lay delegates by the
congregations, as also the blamelessness of the life of such.
…