For Leaders

Discernment Guide

• Share this discernment guide regarding ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with any members who are interested in considering a call to rostered ministry. 

Financial Resources

• Bookkeeping tips

• Remittance form - monthly

• Remittance form - weekly

• Tax info for church volunteers

• Treasurer's worksheet

Holy Conversations

• Holy Conversations brochure

• Holy Conversations booklet

Mission Support

• 2024 Mission Support Planning worksheet

• Stories of Faith in Action

Mutual Ministry Tools

• From Pastor and People, by Richard Brueschoff, Augsburg Fortress, 2003

  The relationship between the pastor and the people is integral to a congregation's life and ministry. This timely resource offers key insights on tending to various aspects of this relationship, including reflections on the ministry of clergy and laity, the role of a pastor, ministry review, performance evaluation, and much more. Suitable for pastors, congregational leaders and councils, call committees, and anyone involved in church ministry.
  
  See excerpt from the book.  Though some of the material may be dated, most of it is still very relevant. There is more to the document than the evaluation of a pastor. It is about working together with the congregation, council and pastor in a healthy, mutual relationship. There are evaluation and discussion questions for the church council and the congregation as a whole, as well.

Reports

• Annual Congregational Report Online System

• Form A - Congregational Report

• Form B - Report to the Bishop (to be filled out by Rostered Leaders)

Support

• Mandatory reporting info

• Rostered leader resources

• Relational covenant between rostered ministers 

Synod Compensation Minimum Guidelines

• Salary minimum guidelines for rostered leaders - fillable forms

• Compensation and benefits - fillable form

• Fillable documents for leaders with or without a parsonage.

Worship Resources

• 12-Month Narrative Lectionary

  • Written by Pastor Len Liptack

• Generous Love. Generous Lives

  • Generous Love. Generous Lives. Resources

  • "Do the Macedonia" - Resolution from 2009 Synod Assembly

  • Generous Love. Generous Lives. Initiative - Resolution from 2012 Synod Assembly

  • Worship Helps Through Seasons of the Church Year

  • Sermon Helps for 10 sermons on Generous Love, Generous Lives Theme  

• A Sermon for Every Sunday

  Lectionary-Based Sermons available to congregations via video
  

• Worship Ideas

  From Synod "No Pastors Allowed" Events in 2011
  

• With Ears to Hear

  A resource put together by Rev. Dr. Samuel Giere, Assoc. Prof. of Homiletics and Biblical Interpretation, Wartburg Theological Seminary for lay people who listen to preaching.
  

• What Makes a Good Sermon Video

  Wartburg Theological Seminary's first in a new video series - "Castle Conversations with WTS Faculty" - w/ Rev. Dr. Samuel Giere on "What Makes a Sermon Good." Rev. Giere (an assoc. professor of Homiletics & Biblical Interpretation) is also rostered in our synod.

Supply Pastors

• Find available supply pastors in our synod

A Sermon for every Sunday

• Lectionary based sermons available to congregations via video

Ministry Sabbatical Resources

• Best Practices for Ministerial Sabbaticals 

• Congregational Benefits of Sabbaticals 

• Ministry Leader Sabbatical Planning Tutorial 

• Congregational Sabbatical Planning Tutorial

• Sabbatical Policy Development Guidelines

• Synod Sabbatical Policy

• Sabbatical Resources Flyer

• North Beaver Creek Lutheran Sabbatical Resolution

• Sabbatical Grants

• Sabbatical Sending Liturgy

• Sabbatical Returning Liturgy

Contact the synod office for names of congregations and rostered leaders in our synod who have experienced a sabbatical.