Call Process Booklet
Call Process Booklet EDITED - Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
Call Process Booklet EDITED - Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
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A Sample Message for the Congregation<br />
on Pastoral Acts by Former Pastors<br />
This sample article may be helpful to your congregation at this time of transition. It may be more<br />
effective to put it into your own words. While it may be most effective when used as part of a final<br />
pastor’s reflection in the newsletter, an open letter from the Council president, or a joint reflection<br />
from the pastor and the Council president. Keep in mind that this is not a commandment from<br />
God, but a healthy practice for the good of the whole church and especially your future ministry as<br />
a congregation.<br />
For the health and vitality of congregations it is essential that they fully embrace and support the<br />
ministry of their currently called pastor, whether that be under regular call or interim call.<br />
This means that when a pastor leaves a congregation it is not appropriate for them to continue to<br />
function in the pastoral role. A departing pastor should not preside at baptisms, funerals or<br />
weddings (inside or outside of the church proper), continue in any counseling relationship with a<br />
parishioner, be involved in any way in the call process or comment on a particular candidate, or<br />
influence in any manner the future of the congregation.<br />
This can be very difficult for some people to understand. Just as you may be tempted to call upon<br />
your former pastor because of the relationship that you have had, so you are stunting any future<br />
relationship that could be possible with your new pastor. A clear line needs to be drawn from the<br />
ministry of the former pastor to that of the next pastor.<br />
Therefore, it is important that you understand that after the farewell service, Pastor __________<br />
cannot<br />
• come back to do funerals, weddings, or baptisms<br />
• come back to lead worship services (other than by the invitation of the Congregation Council<br />
as the “former pastor” to help celebrate special events such as anniversaries).<br />
• visit you in the hospital<br />
• accept appointments with you<br />
Regarding this matter, you may contact the pastor until the last day of service or any Council<br />
member to discuss this important aspect of our pastoral transition.<br />
Love in Christ,<br />
Walking together † for the sake of mission † in God’s world<br />
944 24 ¼ Street • PO Box 107 • Chetek, WI 54728 • 715-859-6810 • Fax 715-859-6812 • www.nwswi.org<br />
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