•  Consult with your congregation's constitution for the procedure for calling a special congregational meeting to call a pastor or deacon. Sample Congregational Meeting Agenda to Call A Rostered Minister. Minutes of this meeting must be taken and submitted to the synod. (For Hybrid Meeting resources, click here.)
  • Communication about this special meeting needs to honor the confidentiality of the candidate. For example, the congregation council has called a special congregational meeting on “this date” to vote on a call of a new rostered leader. (No names are shared in any prior communication to the meeting.)
  • In consultation with the rostered leader, the call committee presents the name for the call at the congregational meeting. Consider the best way, given all circumstances, to present a brief report, respecting the confidentially, of the candidate to the congregation. (A short bio; pictures; excerpts from the minister's RMP)
  • After a time for questions, conversation, and prayer, those present at the congregational meeting vote by secret/anonymous ballot. A 2/3 majority is required to call a rostered minister. Actual vote numbers need to be reported in the minutes of the meeting.
  • If the vote to call is approved, contact the candidate and synod staff immediately and then proceed to Step 10!
  • If the vote to call fails, contact the candidate and synod staff and they will go back to Step 7 of the handbook.
  • The candidate will have up to 30 days to discern their response to the call of the congregation.
  • When the candidate accepts the call, the signed compensation and benefit agreement needs to be submitted to the synod. 
Video Supplement for Step Nine from Pastor Genelle Netland, Associate to the Bishop