Calling congregations might consider calling from this group...
The LCMS in Convention passed 3-10A to begin to address this crying need.
Here are the resolveds:
Resolved, That each district president be encouraged earnestly to give specific and individual attention to LCMS professional church workers on both candidate and non-candidate status; and be it further
Resolved, That LCMS congregations be encouraged to give prayerful consideration to calling professional church workers who are on candidate or non-candidate status who desire a call; and be it further
Resolved, That the President of the Synod appoint a task force to address these matters; and be it further Resolved, That this task force study the need for a placement process for returning military chaplains and missionaries; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force also study the candidate status and non-candidate status of all church workers to aid and encourage congregations and other entities in calling qualified candidates in a timely manner; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force include but not be limited to representatives from the Council of Presidents, the seminaries, and the Concordia University System; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force make a report and recommendations to the Synod no later than one year prior to the 2016 Synod convention; and be it further
Resolved, That the Office of National Mission be encouraged to continue its service through Soldiers of the Cross; and be it finally
Resolved, That synod congregations and their members be encouraged to give to the Soldiers of the Cross annual fund drive.”
9 comments:
My LCMS congregation plants churches abroad without the meddling of the district president. Perhaps lack of DP "oversight" is the reason why the church plants are overseas instead of a couple of towns away. I suspect that my congregation is not the only one that chooses to plant abroad instead of locally.........
Now that pastors will start contacting congregations directly, the COP will have less work to do. What incentive will there ever be for Lost Pastors to shut down its website? The Lost Pastors website is not going away anytime soon. The LCMS DPs will have more time to focus on the latest church growth seminar at yet another posh hotel.
Yikes that lost pastors site is depressing with a capital D.
Are they crazy? That morose image will sabotage their efforts!
Okay, for example, this blog here is like 10 times as attractive. There is the info about the lovely stained glass window and about Pr. Peters with his appropriate and professional picture. His image appears personable, competent, friendly. Then there are the informative blog posts.
Pr. Peters, if you really care about the guys and that lost pastors project, tell them to put a reasonable face on it. I mean this site sometimes complains or offers correction to various corners of the Christian community, and it does it from an earnest position that is both positive and forthright without being all hang dog about it.
How do you put a positive spin on the "lost pastors" website? it is not possible. The website should be open to registered users only. Hide the ugliness for those who need to see it.
LCMS pastors were willing to go tens of thousands of dollars in student loan degree for a masters degree that is worthless outside of the LCMS. Some new seminary grads may not even get a call - Especially those from Ft. Wayne. Shouldn't those instantly unemployed and unemployable pastors receive a 100% tuition refund from the seminary?
The Lost Pastors website would make anyone question why the LCMS treats its ordained pastors so badly. Perhaps that is the goal in leaving so much embarrassing information about the LCMS for all internet users to see.
Not all parts of the Lost Pastors website are locked down. After poking around as an unregistered user, I was able to find this list of calling congregations:
http://www.lostpastors.org/Lists/Vacancies/Allitemsg.aspx?SortField=District&SortDir=Asc&View=%7bA6291915%2dC0B2%2d4B62%2dB8D6%2d4E2BBEDFC28C%7d
Look, they need to get some pictures of smiling competent looking guys in their pastor clothes and some quotes from them about how much they look forward to getting back to their life's works. They need some good positive quotes from these guys about how they are up to the job. With that many eligible and available, they should be able to have plenty of appeal.
Sure some in admin positions should be ashamed of not helping these men connect with a congregation so they could get calls. However these men who are eligible for calls do not need to be ashamed to say that they are ready and able to serve and are anxious to get back to work serving God's people. They just need to tell what they want to do.
The website just needs some presentation tweaking. Yes, the situation is a downer, but they are trying to break through that to make some progress for these guys. And the way to do that is to not appear to be mired in the doldrums, but look active and positive.
They are 90% there. They just need to focus on how good these candidates are and not how lousy the situation is.
Then the solution is to be a preacher in an independent Lutheran church or a non-denominational church. What is the goal here? Preaching the Gospel or not? Saving souls by witnessing to the word of God or giving up because there are no more openings in the LCMS? Or....just get a regular job....be active in an LCMS church...and see where God leads you. There are endless opportunities to serve God, and this is where the focus must be.
Has anybody heard whether or not the task force to "study" this has actually been formed? And if it has, who is on it?
Being on candidate status myself, I also would love to share experiences, joys, sorrows, and whatever else. They are free to "round file" whatever I send them, of course, but it would be something.
And on a serious note, I really, really wonder what they propose to do that would have any real effect or change in what is going on with that status synod-wide.
DP'S are going after faithful pastors their families,churches for a cash grab-forcing resignations
and fear.Check your district and demand open records of all dp's and bod's. Inner city churches and assets seem to be prime for dp hostile takeovers.Get the media and lawyers if needed----rl
It seems that the site lostpastors.org has been lost.
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