To Request Comprehensive Review When Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated

WHEREAS, The Synod has committed to caring for pastors and church workers in one of its seven mission priorities, to wit: “promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical well-being of pastors and professional church workers” (2023 Res. 4-03, “To Affirm and Continue Mission Priorities for 2023–26 Triennium,” Proceedings, 136–37); and

WHEREAS, There are a number of reasons a person might self- terminate a Divine Call (e.g., age of retirement, mental or physical health concerns or incapacitations, personal conviction, etc.); and

WHEREAS, There is biblical precedent for the non-death ending of a tenure of service (e.g., Num. 8:23–26); and

WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) discussed termination of a Divine Call in its 2003 Report, Theology and Practice of “the Divine Call,” only from the perspective of outside termination and not self-termination; and

WHEREAS, Care should be given to the worker and the people of God served by the worker throughout the length of a Divine Call, including if a call is terminated or self-terminated; and

WHEREAS, There is a paucity of theological rationale and practical direction in the Synod for the many ways a Divine Call might be self-terminated before death; and

WHEREAS, There can be confusion in the church over legitimate and illegitimate reasons for terminating or self-terminating a Divine Call, which might result in anxiety over candidate status; therefore be it

Resolved, That church workers and congregations be given clear teaching on the theological and practical procedures when a Divine Call is terminated or self-terminated; and be it further

Resolved, That the English District memorialize Synod to instruct the CTCR to offer clarity regarding theological and practical considerations for the ways a Divine Call might be legitimately or illegitimately terminated or self-terminated; and be it further

Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the Synod that the Council of Presidents is to establish support and training materials for church workers who self-terminate their Divine Call legitimately; and be it finally

Resolved, That district presidents and circuit visitors work with the workers and congregations of their districts to support their called church workers before, during, and after times of termination or self-termination.