LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Sheet 419

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APPENDIX IV

Late Submissions

L6-73

Board of Assignments
Response to Resolution 6-14A

At its 1979 convention, the Synod requested the Board of
Assignments to review its placement procedures of teacher
candidates and to report to the 1981 convention. The Board of
Assignments has reviewed these procedures in consultation
with the placement directors of the colleges and presents the
following report in response to the resolution of the Synod.

PROCEDURES FOR THE CALLING
AND CONTRACTING OF PERSONNEL
INTO THE EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES
OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD

Introduction

A strong and complete system of Lutheran education
requires an effective utilization and constant supply of
educators knowledgeable in their profession, committed to
discipleship, and dedicated to the cause of Christian education.
God has led The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod wisely to
maintain its own educational institutions in order to provide
and train such personnel for its mission fields, parishes, and
schools. Many nonsynodically educated persons have also
made great contributions to the cause of Lutheran education.

Congregations and other calling bodies operate their educa-
tional ministries autonomously, and so they make their own
decisions concerning equipment, facilities, budgets, policies,
and day-to-day operation. They also call or contract their own
teachers, ministers of Christian education, and other staff
personnel.

Definitions

The educational ministries include positions in early child-
hood, elementary, secondary, or college teaching, school
administration, director or minister of Christian education,
mission education, and other special ministries. The educa-
tional ministries are contrasted with the pastoral or preaching
ministries.

A calling body may be a single congregation, a group of
congregations, a church agency, a synodical board, a District
board, or any other group which has the right to extend a
solemn call or offer a contract.

A solemn call is an official request, offer, or agreement
extended by a calling body in the name of the Triune Godtoa
person eligible to receive such a call into an educational
ministry of the LCMS. Offers extended to such eligible persons
but erroneously referred to as “appointments” or “contracts”
are also to be considered calls. A call may be for a limited period
of time (nontenured) or placement (tenured). A solemn call is
also referred to as a divine call. Official synodical call docu-
ments are available from most District offices and Concordia
Publishing House. Do not use locally designed documents.
Calls may be changed or terminated for valid reasons.

Eligibility to receive a solemn call requires the completion
of graduation or colloquy requirements at a synodical teachers
college and approval for ministry by its faculty. Men and
women educators who are eligible to receive calls should not be
extended contracts.

A contract is an agreement between a calling body and a
person who is not eligible to receive a solemn call. Under-

411

graduates and graduates from nonsynodical colleges are in-
eligible to receive calls.

A candidate is a person, male or female, who is eligible to
receive or be assigned an initial solemn call and thus receive
placement into an educational ministry. For the purpose of this
document also, all current senior class synodical-education
and colloquy students eligible for entrance into the church’s
educational ministry are referred to as candidates. This desig-
nation assumes that such persons will complete their programs
successfully and receive faculty approval. Some candidates,
usually those in the colloquy program, may have had teaching
or other educational experience prior to their eligibility for
candidacy.

An open call or a designated call may be submitted for a
candidate. An open call describes the details of the position to
which a candidate is being called, butit does notidentify which
candidate is to receive the call. A designated call is a call
extended by a calling body to a specific candidate. The official
call document is designed so that the calling body can clearly
indicate its preference for a specific candidate.

An assignment or placement is the result of the action of the
Synod’s Board of Assignments working together with directors
of placement of the synodical teachers colleges in placing
specified candidates into their official initial positions in an
educational ministry of the the church.

The director of placement is the official of a synodical
teachers college charged with the responsibility of recommend-
ing candidates for placements under the policies and pro-
cedures approved by the Board of Assignments (Council of
Presidents).

Establishing Educational Personnel Lists

The District Presidents are charged with the responsibility
of personnel accountability for each District’s varied minis-
tries. Most Districts engage an education executive who assists
in that responsibility, especially for the educational ministries.

As congregations and other calling bodies seek to identify
qualified new personnel, they will begin to construct a list of
names for possible consideration. The calling body is well
advised to solicit the help of the District office to also suggest
persons for consideration.

When seeking new educational personnel, calling bodies
have access to educators from four categories:

(1) (2) (3)
Candidates Synodically Nonsynodically
available from trained educators trained educators

(4)
Nonsynodically
trained educa-

the synodical alreadyengaged with profes- tors with no
teachers in ministry sional experience professional
colleges experience

Those in categories three and four
can be hired on a contract basis
and are classified as “lay educa-
tors.” They may become eligible for
a call by completing a synodical
colloquy program.

Those in categories one and two
are eligible to receive solemn calls
into the church's public ministries
and be placed on the roster of the
Synod.

District officers have access to names and background
information regarding many qualified people, especially those
from categories one and two. Some names may also be
available from categories three and four. A clear job descrip-
tion is very helpful in attempting to identify appropriate
personnel.

Personnel from all four categories may be considered
simultaneously. But calling bodies are encouraged to call
synodically trained personnel whenever possible. Considera-
tion should be given to qualified persons of multicultures, both
sexes, and from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.