•  The Call Committee may solicit names of potential candidates from the congregation. The call committee should NOT contact any of the solicited names directly but forward them to the synod staff. The synod staff will then follow up with solicited names through their bishop to determine their availability for call.  Here is a fillable form for you to share with your congregation, or an online Google form to complete.
  • Potential candidates will also be generated and vetted by synod staff from among the rostered ministers serving in the Northwestern Minnesota Synod and from those who have submitted Rostered Minister Profiles (RMP) to the ELCA mobility database, as well as from other sources.
  • First Call candidates (recent seminary graduates) are handled differently in this process. If your congregation is open to a first-call candidate and the bishop agrees, you will only receive one candidate name at a time. This is so first-call candidates are not interviewing against seasoned rostered leaders. It is important to inform the synod when a decision is reached to continue or not with a first-call candidate.
  • NOTE: The availability of candidates will vary based on many factors. Each call is different. The call committee may have multiple candidates to consider immediately, or it could take several months before receiving the name of a single qualified and interested candidate. Your synod call process staff meets weekly to review the open calls and to explore options for potential candidates.
  • Confidentiality! The call committee must keep the names of all candidates confidential throughout the call process until such time as the candidate themselves gives permission for their name to be shared beyond the call committee. This is to ensure the integrity of the potential candidate's current ministry.
  • The call committee chair or their designee should reach out to the candidate within 48 hours of receiving their profile to notify them that they have received their RMP.
  • Regular communication is essential with all candidates keeping them informed of what the next steps will be (for example, "Our committee will review the profiles we have and get back to you by such and such a date...") This communication continues through the call process.
  • We recommend that every candidate receive an initial informal Zoom interview (meet and greet) for both parties to get a better sense of one another as part of the discernment.
  • The call committee will invite one or more candidates for an in-person interview Sample Interview Agenda and Questions.
  • A second interview is strongly encouraged, but not required. This is an opportunity to go deeper into conversation and exploration (no suggested questions). You may want to call references prior to this interview as this may bring to light further questions.  If not previously covered, this would be the time to cover questions about the next steps such as availability, moving, and family/spouse needs. Also, if a spouse and/or family have not been invited to visit, this may be time to house them to get a sense of the faith community.
  • Once the call committee has identified who they believe will be their final candidate for the recommendation, they should check the candidate’s references indicated on their RMP, in consultation with the candidate, being sensitive that some of the references might be to their current call (sample reference check questions). Finally, they need to notify the Associate for Synodical Administration so that the search for additional candidates can be suspended.
  • All candidates who have been decided against should be informed as soon as possible. 
Video Supplement for Step Seven from Pastor Genelle Netland, Associate to the Bishop