LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 138

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that he or his personal representative be appointed as an ex officio
member of this task force; and be it finally
Resolved, That this task force make its first reports and recommendations to the President by the end of 2015 and its final report
and recommendation to the 2016 LCMS convention.
Action: Adopted (2)
(After extensive discussion, Res. 5-01A was adopted as presented
[Yes: 756; No: 250].)

To Support and Encourage Participation
in Post-Seminary Applied Learning
and Support Initiative
RESOLUTION 5-02A
Reports 5-03; President’s Report, Part 2 (CW, pp. 99–105; TB,
p. 24)
Whereas, The transition from seminary to congregation for
first-call pastors and their wives is a significant and critical transition for them and for the congregations involved; and
Whereas, The Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support (PALS) initiative began in the late 1990s as a collaborative
partnership between the LCMS districts and the former LCMS
Commission on Ministerial Growth and Support to assist seminary graduates and their wives with the transition from seminary
to congregation during the first three years of parish ministry; and
Whereas, PALS encourages new pastors to participate in circuit
Winkels (circuit pastor conferences), yet also provides gatherings
uniquely composed of those who are simultaneously experiencing
the same transition from seminary to congregation; and
Whereas, PALS gatherings provide continuing education and
a support for new pastors and their wives through worship, topic
studies, discussion, and fellowship; and
Whereas, The PALS curriculum has been and continues to be
enhanced through the production of new courses specifically targeted to address topics identified by new seminary graduates and
their wives as areas of concern; and
Whereas, PALS has assisted hundreds of new seminary graduates and their wives during their first three years of congregational
life since its inception in 1998; and
Whereas, In the 2011/2012 PALS year, a total of 142 PALS gatherings occurred, involving 204 pastors and 118 wives, resulting
in 676 continuing education units being awarded to participating pastors; and
Whereas, The PALS staff continues to enhance the PALS curriculum, the training of its facilitators, and other key aspects of the
program; therefore be it

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2 0 1 3 C o n v e n t io n P r o c e e d i n g s

Resolved, That the PALS staff continue its efforts to enhance the
curriculum, facilitator training, and other key aspects of the program; and be it further
Resolved, That both LCMS seminaries and the Pastoral Colloquy
Committee continue to encourage students to participate in PALS
during the first three years of parish ministry; and be it further
Resolved, That district staff in the districts participating in PALS
continue to provide significant encouragement to new seminary
graduates and their wives to participate in PALS during the first
three years of post-seminary parish life, communicating their
involvement to be an expectation the district has of new pastors
and wives in the district; and be it further
Resolved, That districts participating in PALS continue to make
every effort to inform congregations receiving seminary graduates
of the importance of PALS participation by their new pastors and
wives; and be it further
Resolved, That districts not participating in PALS be encouraged to consider doing so; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations receiving new seminary graduates
encourage and provide support for their pastors and wives to participate in all PALS gatherings during the first three years of parish
ministry (e.g., non-vacation time off for PALS gatherings, financial
support as feasible, etc.); and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention express its continued
support and encouragement for the PALS initiative.
Action: Adopted (2)
(During discussion, a motion to amend the resolution by
omitting the words “communicating their involvement to be an
expectation the district has of new pastors and wives in the district”
in the third resolve paragraph was defeated [Yes: 141; No: 852] and
Res. 5-02 was adopted as presented [Yes: 994; No: 49].

To Provide Procedure for Establishing Policies
Governing Specific Ministry Pastor Program
RESOLUTION 5-03E
Overtures 5-22, 5-30 (CW, pp. 225, 227)
Rationale

Bylaw 3.3.1.33.4.3.8 states, “The President shall have responsibilities and duties that are both ecclesiastical and administrative.”
It also states: “(f) As ecclesiastical supervisor, he shall provide
leadership to all officers, agencies, and national office staff of the
Synod. Through the Chief Mission Officer, he shall… (3) serve the
Synod by providingChief Mission Officer shall, on behalf of the
President, provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for
pre-seminary education programs, seminary education, and
post-seminary continuing education, and by providing advocacy for pastoral education and health within the Synod.” To
assist the President of the Synod; Therefore be it
R e s olu t i on s