To Establish Specific Ministry Pastor Program Oversight Board and to Revise Bylaws Governing Program

WHEREAS, The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program was established by 2007 Resolution 5-01B; and

WHEREAS, Specific ministry pastors serve the Church under supervision because their theological education has been formed in part by and for a specific ministry context (Bylaw 2.13.1 [a]); and

WHEREAS, This supervision is essential for the ministry as well as the confidence of those served and the Church at large that the ministry is conducted in a manner consistent with the Holy Scriptures and the pastor’s unconditional subscription to the Lutheran Confessions; and

WHEREAS, This supervision is not a perfunctory task, but one requiring close attention to the needs of the specific ministry and the conduct of that ministry; and

WHEREAS, Any change in ministry context is by its nature inconsistent with the purpose of the SMP program and the contextual theological education of the specific ministry; and

WHEREAS, It is essential that a student beginning his theological education in a specific ministry context be known by the people he serves; and

WHEREAS, “Residential seminary education is the preferred option for the preparation of men for pastoral ministry” (2019 Res. 6-02); and

WHEREAS, Confidence in the SMP Program will be increased by more clarity regarding the oversight and supervision of the program; therefore be it

Resolved, That an “SMP Program Oversight Board” be established; and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.10.8 be inserted as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

H. Specific Ministry Pastor Program Oversight Board

3.10.8 The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program Oversight Board shall be responsible for ensuring that the specific ministry vicars and pastors are placed in ministry contexts which are consistent with the intentions of the program. Specifically, it shall ensure that any placement is not one which could expect to receive a candidate according to the process outlined in Bylaw Section 2.5.

3.10.8.1 The SMP Program Oversight Board shall consist of the First Vice-President of the Synod as chairman, the Secretary of the Synod, the Chief Mission Officer, a district president appointed by the Council of Presidents, and the Executive Director of Pastoral Education.

3.10.8.2 The SMP Program Oversight Board shall establish and monitor the standards under which a ministry and a man are suitable for a vicarage and placement in the SMP program after consultation with the President of the Synod and the faculties of the seminaries.

(a) In consultation with the President of the Synod, it shall develop all necessary policies to govern suitability of a ministry context for a specific ministry pastor and the suitability for a man entering the SMP program.

3.10.8.3 Prior to acceptance by the seminaries into the SMP program and initial placement as SMP vicars, the SMP Program Oversight Board shall approve the placement of all vicars enrolling in the SMP program.

(a) In order to be accepted into the SMP program and placed as a vicar, the applicant must have fulfilled at least ten years of significant service in a congregation of the LCMS and have been a member at the congregation in whose ministry he will serve for at least three years.

(b) Subject to the conditions above, decisions to declare ministry contexts and applicants for the SMP program suitable are at the sole discretion of the board.

(c) Once a ministry and applicant are declared suitable for the program, the seminary admissions offices may enroll the student and the Council of Presidents may assign the vicarage.

(d) If the board determines that the ministry and/or the applicant are not suited to the purposes of the SMP program, the man shall be directed to apply to the seminaries for admission in residential educational programs.

3.10.8.4 Prior to placing a specific ministry pastor in his first call, the SMP Program Oversight Board shall review the suitability of the call according to the purposes of the program.

3.10.8.5 Prior to issuing a call to a specific ministry pastor who is an inactive member, the SMP Program Oversight Board shall review the suitability of such acall according to the purposes of the program and the specific contextual training received by the specific ministry pastor.

(a) The board may specify additional training needed as preparation to serve in a new context.

and be it further

Resolved, That Bylaw 3.3.2.2 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING

3.3.2.2 The First Vice-President shall be a full-time executive and a nonvoting member of the Board of Directors.

(a) He shall be responsible to the President at all times for the performance of his duties.

(b) He shall serve as the chairman of the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry.

(c) He shall serve as the chairman of the Colloquy Committee for Commissioned Ministry.

(d) He shall serve as the chairman of the Specific Ministry Pastor Program Oversight Board.

and be it finally

Resolved, That Bylaw 2.13.1 be amended as follows:

PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING Specific Ministry Pastor Status and Limitations

2.13.1 A “specific ministry pastor” is a minister of religion— ordained who has completed the requirements for service as a specific ministry pastor and has been examined by one of the Synod’s seminaries, has received a regular call, and has been placed by the Council of Presidents into a specific Word and Sacrament ministry context which has been approved by the SMP Program Oversight Board. He is eligible to serve only in that specific ministry context for which he has been trained and may not be offered or accept a call for ministry for which he has not been certified as determined by his district president. He shall serve under the supervision of his district president and another pastor who is not a specific ministry pastor.

(a) Because he is under supervision of another pastor and because a specific ministry pastor’s theological education has been formed in part by and fora specific ministry context,he may not be placed or called into ecclesiastical roles that exercise pastoral oversight outside the context of his call. An example of this is regular preaching or service in a parish to which he has not been called, including during a pastoral vacancy.

(b) A specific ministry pastor is not eligible to (1) serve as a voting delegate to a national convention of the Synod—but may serve as an advisory delegate to national conventions and as a pastoral delegate to district conventions; (2) hold any elected or appointed office on the district or national Synod level that is assigned by the Bylaws of the Synod to “a pastor” or “an ordained minister” (although specific ministry pastors may serve in all other capacities, especially representing the ministerial contexts in which they serve); (3) supervise vicars; or (4) serve as a circuit visitor.

(c) The ministers of religion—ordained records maintained by district presidents as well as the official membership roster of the Synod shall distinguish between specific ministry pastors and other pastors.

(d) The ministers of religion—ordained records maintained by district presidents as well as the official membership roster of the Synod shall include the ordained minister under whose supervision a specific ministry pastor serves.

(e) At any time a specific ministry pastor may continue his education through the seminaries. Upon completion of the requirements and certification by a seminary he shall be considered a minister of religion—ordained without the limitations above. (1) His district president shall be responsible for informing the secretary of Synod of the change in roster status. (2) His district president shall publish this change in status in an official periodical of the Synod. (3) If the minister is currently an inactive member of the Synod, unless he has restricted or suspended status, he shall be eligible for placement through the Councilof Presidents acting as the Board of Assignments or become a candidate.

(f) When a specific ministry pastor serves within a parish which is also served by an ordained minister who is not a specific ministry pastor, then that specific ministry pastor shall be supervised by a pastor of that parish.

(g) When a specific ministry pastor serves in a parish which is not served by an ordained minister who is not a specific ministry pastor then the specific ministry pastor shall be supervised by an ordained minister who resides within the visitation circuit containing the parish or within similar physical proximity.

(h) Excepting the district president, no ordained minister may supervise more than one specific ministry pastor, unless it is required by Bylaw 2.13.1 (f) above.