LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 65

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SYNODICAL REPORTS 65

At the same time, the arrival of many immigrants from places such
as Sudan, Cambodia, Vietnam, and India necessitates provision of
pastoral services in many languages. The decision-makers and lead-
ers must be close to the action and able to respond quickly. In the
nineteenth century Wilhelm Loehe provided numerous “sendlings”
to evangelize America. There is a need to capture that spirit of flex-
ibility without sacrificing the integrity of seminary programs.

Ordination and Education Issues

The task force discussed the Lutheran understanding of ordina-
tion. The preaching of the Word and the administration of the
Sacraments require a regular call. Ordination is an apostolic cus-
tom and not a divine requirement. Ordination, which confirms the
call of a pastor, does not require seminary preparation. It must also
be noted that while the office of the public ministry is a divine in-
stitution, the church may organize the clergy by human arrange-
ment to correspond to their specifically assigned responsibilities.

The Lutheran tradition has always valued an educated clergy.
At the same time, Lutherans have been willing to respond to chang-
ing ministry needs. In recent years our Synod has recognized the
fact that preparation for ministry may also be undertaken while
serving in a pastoral role, especially with the provision in the syn-
odical Handbook that “in exceptional cases, laymen who have car-
ried out the full responsibilities of the pastoral ministry for at least
10 years, who are currently licensed for such ministry by a District
President, and who have been recommended by a congregation
holding membership in the Synod on the basis of that congrega-
tion’s observation and experience” (Bylaw 6.91 1 b) may be or-
dained through the colloquy program.

Task Force Commissioned by 1998 Convention

The Board for Higher Education presented an overture to the
1998 convention requesting consideration for implementing a dia-
conal ministry position (Appendix R5-01A “To Establish an Or-
dained Diaconate”; 1998 Workbook, pp. 83-85). The overture care-
fully defined the role and function of an ordained deacon within
the parameters of eligibility, supervision, admission, preparation,
and areas of instruction. Convention action in response to the over-
ture directed the Board for Higher Education to convene a task
force “to create a church worker position that will respond to the
urgent needs identified by the consultation group.”

Res. 5-09 “To Convene Task Force to Provide Pastoral Assis-
tance Where Full-Time Ministry Cannot Be Maintained” specified
that the “task force shall consist of representatives of the office of
the synodical President, the synodical Board of Directors, the
Council of Presidents, the Board for Higher Education, the Com-
mission on Theology and Church Relations, and the seminaries.”
Members of the task force, representing their respective entities are
Dr. Al Barry, Rev. Ulmer Marshall, Dr. Ed Trapp, Dr. Arleigh
Lutz, Dr. Loren Kramer, Dr. Sam Nafzger, Dr. Jerry Kieschnick,
Dr. Ralph Reinke, Dr. William Meyer, Dr. John Johnson, and Dr.
Dean Wenthe.

Task Force Recommendations

The Task Force met regularly during the past triennium to ex-
plore the various facets of our Synod’s need to provide pastoral ser-
vice where a full-time pastor cannot be supported. The Task Force
considered the possibility of establishing a classification of church
worker that would not be ordained, but concluded that those ful-
filling the responsibilities of pastors should be ordained.

The Task Force is currently making final revisions to its rec-
ommendation to the convention. (The work of the Task Force was
delayed in December by inclement winter weather.) The following
draft represents the most recent version of its convention memorial.
The Task Force is considering revisions in the areas of terminol-
ogy, mobility, and education.

Drafted Memorial

To Establish Position of “Assistant Pastor’ Where Full-Time
Pastoral Ministry Cannot Be Maintained

Rationale

The Task Force appointed by the 1998 convention to study the
need for “Pastoral Assistance Where Full-Time Ministry Cannot
Be Maintained” reviewed a number of possibilities that would ad-
dress the concern discussed at the 1998 convention.

Reports from Districts and parishes confirm the sense that there
is a growing need for volunteer and bi-vocational workers. The
number of congregations struggling and unable to afford a pastor is
growing. At the same time, the arrival of many immigrants from
places such as Sudan, Cambodia, Vietnam, and India necessitates
provision of pastoral services in many languages. There is a need to
provide pastoral ministry with flexibility that addresses the actual
needs of congregations.

Two primary challenges accompany these needs. One challenge
is to provide pastors in these unusual situations without diminishing
the integrity of seminary programs. For this reason, the proposed
Assistant Pastors will receive a basic theological preparation that
does not involve changing the seminary curriculum. Another chal-
lenge is to meet real congregational ministry needs while affirm-
ing the importance of maintaining a seminary-prepared clergy. The
guidelines below specify that Assistant Pastors may be put into ser-
vice under two specific conditions: (1) a congregation is financially
unable to support a full-time seminary graduate or (2) a congrega-
tion is unable to minister to a group (inside or outside the congre-
gation) that is separated from the congregation by its language
and/or culture.

The Task Force discussed the Lutheran understanding of ordi-
nation. The preaching of the Word and the administration of the
Sacraments require a regular call. Ordination is an apostolic cus-
tom and not a divine requirement. Ordination, which confirms the
call of a pastor, does not require seminary preparation. It must also
be noted that while the office of the public ministry is a divine in-
stitution, the church may organize the clergy by human arrange-
ment to correspond to their specifically assigned responsibilities.

After careful consideration of the potential options to address
the issue, the Task Force determined that this was most appropriate:
for the LCMS in convention to adopt a resolution authorizing the
position of Assistant Pastor under the category of Minister of Reli-
gion—Ordained. It is the recommendation of the Task Force that
this position be considered as a new approach to address the needs
of our Synod.

Action

The Task Force to study the need for Pastoral Assistance Where
Full-Time Ministry Cannot Be Maintained recommends that the
Synod in convention adopt all of the following:

1. The synodical Handbook shall clearly state that ordained
seminary graduates are designated with the title “Pastor” or
“Associate Pastor” and that the term “Assistant Pastor” refers
only to the men who are ordained under the provisions of the
attached guidelines.

. An Assistant Pastor may provide Word and Sacrament ministry
under direct supervision of a pastor who is a seminary
graduate, as described in greater detail in the attached
guidelines.

3. The certification of applicants to the position of Assistant
Pastor shall be handled by the synodical Pastoral Colloquy
Committee, and placement of the candidates shall be handled
by the Council of Presidents.

4. The attached guidelines be adopted in their entirety as the
description of this program.

5. This convention rescinds!1989 convention Res. 3-05B
(establishment of licensed Jay deacons to provide pastoral
services) and !995 convention Res. 3-07A (requiring such

to

2001 Convention Workbook