Call Committee Update

A zoom meeting with Pastor Jen Beamsley and other call committees in the synod was held January 20,2025. Pastor Jen informed us that there has been an increase in those seeking calls. They are looking at the entire country, not just our synod. This has seemed to be the case in recent years. Dixon recently called a new pastor so there is interest in accepting a call in our synod. Pastor Jen explained that once she sees a person interested in moving, she notifies our bishop. Our bishop then contacts the bishop of the synod where this person is located. If our bishop feels this person would be a good fit for our synod, Pastor Jen then contacts the person. She then tries to match up the congregation that fits best with the person. Interviews are set up. The process may stop here if the call committee decides the person does not meet our congregations needs. If all goes well, meetings with the council take place and finally the congregation meets the prospective new pastor. After that, the congregation votes on whether to extend a call to the pastor and then the pastor has to decide whether or not to accept the call. The meeting ended with the Lord’s Prayer. The next zoom meeting will be February 17, 2025. St. John’s has not had any names forwarded to us. Please do not be discouraged as many of the churches in our synod have not had any prospects forwarded to them. It isn’t just us not getting names. The church is working to resolve these vacancies. Please have faith and know many are praying for us. Just as we pray for them.