To Examine Additional Pathway(s) for General Pastoral Colloquy for Members of Synod Member Congregations Who Have Graduated with an Accredited Master of Divinity Degree from a Non-Synod Seminary

WHEREAS, God’s Word calls us to pray for additional workers in the harvest, “When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” (Matt. 9:36–37); and

WHEREAS, Two thousand pastors of the Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) are expected to retire in the next 10 years and the Synod currently has 476 pastoral vacancies, and the entire graduating class of both seminaries was 88 in 2022 to replace these faithful servants and expand further mission and ministry; and

WHEREAS, The congregations of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District give thanks to God and celebrate the various alternate routes to ordination and pastoral ministry available in the LCMS, such as Specific Ministry Pastors, there is a growing need for general ordination pastors who are able to receive Divine Calls from congregations without restriction, provide supervision for other roster ed church workers, supervise vicars, hold elected or appointed office on the district or national Synod level such as a circuit visitor, and vote as delegates at the Synod conventions of the church; and

WHEREAS, There are pathways by which pastors, from church bodies outside the LCMS, who meet specific criteria may secure admission to the ministerium of the LCMS as general ordination pastors through colloquy. This admission may be provided through a “colloquy” (discussion, interview) with the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry; and

WHEREAS, The Policy Manual for Admission to the Pastoral Ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod by Colloquy: Bylaws and Policies states that applicants for colloquy must fit into one of two categories (the Colloquy Committee for the Pastoral Ministry is responsible for the final determination of the category in each individual situation):

• Active pastors from other Christian church bodies: Men who, at the time of application are in good standing and in active service as pastors in another Christian church body/denomination may apply for colloquy.

• Men who have prepared for pastoral ministry but, at the time of application, are not in active service as pastors: Such applicants must begraduatesofaprogram of study that leads to ordination, from an accredited institution, with no fewer than 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of required academic credit. Applicants with prior pastoral service must provide the date (month and year) and the reason (e.g., retirement, resignation, dismissal) their active service ended. Such an applicant also must have been a communicant member in good standing in a congregation of the LCMS for at least two years immediately prior to the time of application. This category does not apply to LCMS members who while members of LCMS congregations have obtained Master of Divinity degrees outside the LCMS. and

WHEREAS, The colloquy committee has shown discernment over the years, recognizing that qualified men may not fit into the current policy manual categories; and

WHEREAS, Men who have been long-time members in good standing in congregations of the LCMS, but are graduates of programs of study leading to ordination from an accredited institution outside the LCMS (meeting all necessary academic credit requirements), are not afforded he same opportunity to apply for colloquy, but must enroll in the Residential Alternate Route (RAR) program (requiring a two year residential academic program at one of our two seminaries and a one year vicarage) before becoming a general ordination pastor in the LCMS; therefore be it

Resolved, That the California-Nevada-Hawaii District memorialize the 2023 Synod convention to examine additional routes for colloquy including online, hybrid, and routes for members in good standing in LCMS congregations who have graduated from programs of study leading to ordination from outside the seminaries of the LCMS (satisfying all the necessary academic credit requirements) to become general ordination pastors by way of the colloquy process, without enrolling in the RAR program.