Call Process Booklet

Overview
God’s
work.
Our
hands.
The Call Process
When a pastor retires or accepts a
new call, the congregation has the
opportunity to reflect—on the pastor’s
leadership, on who they are, on how
they are living in our Lord’s grace and
love, and how they are sharing that
grace and love in their community and
in God’s world. In the care of the Holy
Spirit, we trust that this process can
bring encouragement, spiritual growth,
thanks and joy.
The Spiritual Work
This booklet is intended to be a practical guide to congregations through the whole call
process, but it assumes that this process is a deeply spiritual journey for a
congregation. The congregation is not “hiring” a new leader; you are “calling” a new
pastor. So you need to be about the work of prayer, Bible study, devotions, and careful
reflection on what God needs you to do for the sake of the world. Staying spiritually
centered will allow the lay leadership of the congregation, in concert with the interim
pastor, to reduce anxiety, to guide the congregation through change and possibly grief,
to accurately assess the congregation’s strength and growth areas, to discover a new
or renewed vision for mission and ministry, and, eventually, to call a new pastor.
Pastors are called to lead the congregation in Word and Sacrament ministry, but the
better you understand the character of your congregation and the mission that God has
in mind for you, the better you will be able to communicate that character and mission
with potential candidates. The ultimate goal is to discover who God is calling to be your
next pastor, but the process can and should be a time of spiritual reflection and
reawakening.
Walking together † for the sake of mission † in God’s world
944 24 ¼ Street • PO Box 107 • Chetek, WI 54728 • 715-859-6810 • Fax 715-859-6812 • www.nwswi.org
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