LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 66

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66 SYNODICAL REPORTS

licensed laymen to complete a seminary program for
ordination).

6. After the last day of this convention no new or renewal licenses
to serve as a lay deacon shall be offered.

7. All licensed deacons shall apply to the Pastoral Colloquy
Committee no later than | November 2001 to enter the
Assistant Pastor program. A deacon’s authorization to continue
to serve in his deacon position shall automatically extend for
two years beyond the date his deacon license expired. If he is
not ordained as an Assistant Pastor before the automatic
extension expires, his authorization to serve as a deacon also
expires. Detailed information about this process is presented in
the attached guidelines.

8. Lay deacons who were licensed prior to 20 July 2001 shall be
grandfathered to be included under 1998 Bylaw 6.91 1 b.
Specifically, until 20 July 2011, anyone who began service as a
licensed lay deacon and has served for ten years may apply for
Pastoral Colloquy under the provisions of Bylaw 6.91 1 b. In
all cases it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide
documentation that establishes his eligibility.

9. The Secretary of Synod shall amend the Bylaws as appropriate
to implement this resolution with regard to membership in the
Synod, certification, and placement matters. The Board for
Higher Education in consultation with the Pastoral Colloquy
Committee shall maintain the procedures and guidelines for
admission and for continued service and education.

Guidelines for the New “Assistant Pastor’ Position

A. Eligible Situations

An Assistant Pastor serves a specific local congregation, with the
approval of a District President, by providing a ministry of Word and
Sacrament that cannot be maintained by a full-time pastor. Eligible
situations normally would be either congregations unable to support
a full-time seminary-prepared pastor, or specialized ministries (es-
pecially linguistic groups) requiring ministry that could not reason-
ably be provided by a full-time seminary-prepared pastor.

B. Supervising and Assistant Pastors

A Supervising Pastor must be an LCMS clergyman in good
standing who has completed an M.Div., Pastoral Colloquy, or Al-
ternate Route program.

An Assistant Pastor is an ordained and rostered man called by
a congregation to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. An Assis-
tant Pastor serves in a specitic place under the direct supervision
of a Supervising Pastor and is not eligible to receive a call to a dif-
ferent congregation. In order to serve as an Assistant Pastor he
must complete the process of application, certification, and ordina-
tion as described in detail below. An Assistant Pastor must be au-
thorized by his District President to serve in a requesting congre-
gation, fit the description given by St. Paul in | Timothy 3 and
Titus 1, be interviewed by the District Pre-Seminary Interview
Committee, be called to serve as an Assistant Pastor, accept the su-
pervision of a Supervising Pastor, and serve under the ecclesial su-
pervision of the District President.

In order to provide guidance and structure for the relationship
between Supervising and Assistant Pastors, the Pastoral Colloquy
Committee shall develop manuals for implementation by District
Presidents. A manual for Supervising Pastors will provide guide-
lines for providing appropriate supervision and for mentoring an
Assistant Pastor. A manual for Assistant Pastors will describe ex-
pectations regarding their relationships to a Supervising Pastor, to
the District, and to the Synod, and provide guidance for maintain-
ing a helpful relationship with a Supervising Pastor.

By way of clarification, it is noted that the terms “Pastor” and
“Associate Pastor” refer exclusively to those who have completed
an M.Div., Pastoral Colloquy, or Alternate Route program.

2001 Convention Workbook

C. Pastoral Activities

The Assistant Pastor performs all of the customary activities of a
Pastor. However, he does so with a clear awareness that his Super-
vising Pastor is to be consulted on a regular basis for guidance and
growth. The Assistant Pastor is ordinarily cither bi-vocational or a
retiree and ordinarily is not fully supported by the congregation.

There is no transition from the position of Assistant Pastor to
the position of Pastor (or Associate Pastor) apart from formal sem-
inary preparation and certification. Because the Assistant Pastor is

_ called, he may serve as long as his work is needed in that place.

provided his work is satisfactory to his District President, Super-
vising Pastor, and congregation.

It is possible for an Assistant Pastor to be called to enter the ser-
vice of another congregation, but the other congregation cannot call
him while he already has a call to serve as an Assistant Pastor. An
Assistant Pastor without a call may be called to serve his current con-
gregation after he has been a member of that congregation for at least
two years, if the conditions applying to the initial call of an Assis-
tant Pastor are satisfied. An Assistant Pastor is ordained only once.

An Assistant Pastor does not vote at District or synodical con-
ventions (Art. V A~B. LX, XII A-B; Bylaw 2.37) and is not eligible
to serve as a Circuit Counselor (Bylaw 3.05).

D. Admission

The synodical Pastoral Colloquy Committee has the authority
and responsibility to oversee and complete the process of certifi-
cation of applicants to the position of Assistant Pastor. The Pas-
toral Colloquy Committee is responsible for all application docu-
ments and processes.

The character and spiritual maturity requirements for an appli-
cant to the position of Assistant Pastor are the same as for any ap-
plicant to the Pastoral Colloquy program. He must currently be a
member in good standing of the LCMS congregation intending to
offer him the initial call, and he must have been a member of that
congregation for at least two years. There are no specific require-
ments regarding the age or formal education of the applicant, but
his District President will provide needed counsel regarding his
readiness for pastoral ministry.

Admissions Process

1. Submit the appropriate application to the synodical Pastoral
Colloquy Committee.

2. As soon as reasonable after submitting the application,
complete an interview with the District Pre-Seminary Interview
Committee, with the results to be forwarded to the chair of the
Pastoral Colloquy Committee.

3. Study the materials prescribed by the Board for Higher
Education and pass the required examinations (Scripture,
Confessions, Christian doctrine).

4. The Pastoral Colloquy Committee will give certification for
ordination as an Assistant Pastor when all requirements have
been fulfilled.

Admissions Process for Deacons Who Were Licensed Prior to 20 July
2001

t. By | November 2001, submit the appropriate application to the
synodical Pastoral Colloquy Committee. Authority to continue
serving as a deacon is automatically extended for two years
after the deacon’s license expires. This information shall be
documented in writing to the deacon by the District President.
. Note that if the process of certification and ordination as an
Assistant Pastor is not completed within two years after the
license expires, authorization to serve as a deacon also expires.
3. As soon as reasonable after submitting the application,
complete an interview with the District Pre-Seminary Interview
Committee, with the results to be forwarded to the chair of the
Pastoral Colloquy Committee.

4. Study the materials prescribed by the Board for Higher
Education and pass the required examinations (Scripture,
Confessions, Christian doctrine).

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