The Indiana-Kentucky Synod Call Process
We believe it is our Lord Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, who guides the call process of a pastor or deacon to be in a mutual ministry with the members of a congregation. This process also represents a valuable partnership between God, the calling congregation and the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. An ideal call process builds on trust, openness, and good communication. When the call process results in a good match between the rostered minister and the congregation, the total mission of the church is furthered.
The links below provide access to the documents and forms which will assist a congregation through the call process, from the time a rostered minister resigns to welcoming the newly called leader.
These documents are to be used along with the assistance of the office of the Bishop and appropriate support from an interim pastor or pastor of record.
As soon as the rostered minister’s resignation is known, a Bishop’s Transition Visit should be scheduled. At the visit, the Bishop will encourage the Congregation Council to begin discerning the next steps of mission and ministry. The Bishop will provide the names and contact information for specific individuals who will help the congregation in addressing their ministry’s mission and vision, leadership needs, and other resources that may be essential in this transition.
Once the Congregation Council has discerned that it is ready to begin the call process, they should provide for the appointment/election of the Call Committee, including notifying the Bishop’s office that this is taking place. A representative of the bishop’s office will meet with the Congregation Council and the newly appointed/elected Call Committee to provide an overview of the Call Process as it relates to the particular congregation.
Below are links to various documents and instruments to help you move through the Call Process well. Please contact Rev. Dan Forehand, Assistant to the Bishop for Ministry Transition, if you have any questions: [email protected]
Below you will find two Excel spreadsheets, which are part of the adopted Compensation Standards for Rostered Ministers approved at the June 2024 IN-KY Synod Assembly. If you have questions about these spreadsheets, please see the link to the full Compensation Standards document above.
Transition Resources
Compensation Resources
After utilizing the IN-KY compensation standards and spreadsheets to formulate the agreed upon compensation for the pastor/deacon candidate, you will need to transfer the information into the appropriate form below which is used during the congregation vote for the call process.