wfn.org | ELCA Ministry Board Recommends No Exceptions

[news@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 9, 2000

ELCA MINISTRY BOARD RECOMMENDS NO EXCEPTIONS
00-270-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A report to the Church Council of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asks the council to
reject a request for exceptions to expectations the church has of
those who serve in its ministry.  Meeting here Oct. 13-15, the board
of the ELCA Division for Ministry based its recommendation on four
"serious questions and concerns."
     The ELCA's 10,851 congregations are organized into 65 synods,
each headed by a bishop.  St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, St.
Paul, Minn., is a congregation of the ELCA Saint Paul Area Synod.
     On behalf of St. Paul-Reformation, the Saint Paul Area Synod
Council petitioned the ELCA Church Council to amend "Vision and
Expectations," a document the council adopted in 1990 which describes
the expectations the church has of those who serve in its ministry.
     The proposed amendment to "Vision and Expectations" would add
two sentences to its opening section: "Exceptions to the provisions
of 'Vision and Expectations' may be granted by the Conference of
Bishops. The Conference of Bishops may consult the Division for
Ministry concerning exceptions it seeks to make."
     The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body that includes the
bishops of the ELCA's 65 synods, ELCA presiding bishop and ELCA
secretary.
     People pursuing calls into the ordained or lay ministries of
the ELCA are reviewed by local candidacy committees.  The committees
inform candidates of the church's expectations and approve candidates
for certification as ministers.
     "The proposed resolution would have the effect of making the
Conference of Bishops a 'court of appeals' for all candidacy
committee decisions regarding entry into the ordained ministry of the
ELCA," the Division for Ministry's report listed as the first
concern.  The second concern was that such an appellate role would
violate the church's constitution.
     A third concern was that exceptions to "Vision and
Expectations" would require similar exceptions to other church
policies and to the ELCA Constitution.
     A final concern was that exceptions would not be consistent
with the church's understanding that ministers are called to serve
the whole church and all are to be "held to the same standards."
     In April, the ELCA Church Council referred the resolution to
the Division for Ministry and asked that a report be prepared in
consultation with the Conference of Bishops and presented to the
Church Council at its meeting here Nov. 10-13.
     The Conference of Bishops met here Oct. 5-10, reviewed an
earlier draft of the division's report and recommended several
changes which the Division for Ministry board accepted in its report
to the council.
     In other business, the Division for Ministry board:
 + asked division staff to continue its conversations with the ELCA
Conference of Bishops and the church's attorneys about extending on-
leave-from-call status beyond the present guidelines.  One may remain
an associate in ministry, deaconess, diaconal minister or pastor of
the ELCA for three years without a call from an ELCA-related
congregation.
 + changed the "Guidelines for Shared-Time Ministries" for ordained
ministers from a requirement of 20 hours per week to say "a work-load
for the call of at least an average of 20 hours per week is
normative, with not less than 15 hours absolutely required."
 + approved the division's budget for 2001 in the amount of
$6,031,145 and authorized its executive committee to approve budget
adjustments for fiscal year 2001 on the advice of the executive
director.  Almost $4 million of the budget goes as direct grants to
the ELCA's eight seminaries.
 + increased the compensation of ELCA interns placed through ELCA
seminaries from $900 to $1,000 per month.  An intern may apply the
additional $100 a month toward medical insurance, rather than take it
as an increase in salary.  Four years of seminary education usually
includes a parish internship during the third year.
 + increased the one-time fee for affiliated students at ELCA
seminaries from $250 to $300.  Affiliated students are those ELCA
candidates for ordained or consecrated ministry who attend non-ELCA
seminaries and must affiliate with an ELCA seminary.  The increase
reflects the additional costs of seminary faculty and staff advising
affiliated students.
 + approved the Shalom Hill Farm, Jeffers, Minn., as an ELCA Life-
Long Learning Partner.  The conference center and farm provide places
for rural and urban people to interact.  Shalom Hill Farm has a
curriculum for seminarians, continuing education for clergy and
conference space for groups.
 + asked that the ELCA Office of the Secretary identify associates in
ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and clergy in the church's
nomination process for churchwide offices and in the church's
directory of churchwide offices.  Nominations and the ELCA Yearbook
currently identify clergy.
 + approved amendments to the Endorsement Manual for Specialized
Pastoral Care (SPC) and Clinical Education.  Instead of terminating
SPC endorsement as soon as a chaplain or pastoral counselor loses
specific church or professional status, a "three-year grace period"
will be given.  Five new specializations and their criteria were
added: hospice, clinical educator, police chaplaincy, rehabilitation
and physical medicine, and workplace chaplaincy.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html