COP addresses numerous issues
From the office of President Mark Schroeder
Last week's meeting of the Conference of Presidents (COP) covered many important issues. The COP is comprised of the twelve district presidents, the synod president and vice presidents, and the synod secretary. The group has wide-ranging responsibilities in overseeing doctrine and practice, coordinating the calling process, and providing spiritual encouragement to congregations as they carry out their mission.
Call Day
At its April meeting the COP began careful planning for Assignment Day at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon. Requests for pastor and teacher graduates are already being received. There are 55 pastoral vacancies in congregations. The COP has received 41 requests for Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary graduates; 43 seminary graduates are available for assignment. Twenty-one vicars (from a class of 45) will be assigned to missions or congregations with extensive mission opportunities; the rest will be assigned to more established congregations. Some schools have also submitted requests for graduates, but the number of teaching vacancies and requests for teacher-trained graduates will change significantly in the coming weeks as the end of the school year approaches.
Discussion with Parish Assistance
The COP met with representatives from Parish Assistance to discuss issues relating to the program. (Parish Assistance consultants work with congregations to analyze their current status and to formulate ministry goals and plans.) There was open and frank discussion, which centered on the question of including the district president in the Parish Assistance process and other aspects of the Parish Assistance program. The COP believes that it is essential for the district president, as part of his pastoral responsibilities, to know which congregations in his district are making use of the services of Parish Assistance. The COP looks forward to continuing communication between the COP and Parish Assistance.
Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) reaffirmed
The COP reaffirmed that Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) are the primary and foundational method of support for the synod's various ministries, and that the Ministry of Christian Giving is to continue to stress this. At the same time, the COP recognizes that from time to time specific needs arise in the church that must be addressed and placed before the eyes of our people. When that becomes necessary, the COP and the Ministry of Christian Giving will work to ensure that all appeals for support will be gospel-based and will clearly and faithfully utilize biblical stewardship principles.
In a related discussion, the COP also encouraged congregations and schools to keep biblical stewardship principles in mind when carrying out efforts to provide funding for the ministry of the church and cautioned against practices which may hinder God-pleasing support for the work of the church.
Serving in Christ,
Mark Schroeder
Filed Under: call day, CMO, COP, MLC, Parish Assistance, WLS
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