Call Process

When your congregation’s regularly called pastor leaves, it enters into the “interim period” – a time for saying goodbye, reflecting on your faith community’s past and discerning God’s purpose for future ministry, and calling a new spiritual leader to guide the congregation into this new season. This can be a very positive and productive time for your congregation.

A congregation whose pastor is leaving is not alone. The Synod Office has resources to help your congregation journey through a carefully-designed interim process with a specially-trained intentional interim pastor, and using tools and approaches based on current research and the best methods available.

Resources For Lay Leaders

The Synod has developed a comprehensive guide to the Pastoral Transition Process. This guide should be made available to members of the Congregation Council to refer to throughout the process. This guide includes a detailed description of the process, sample communications, checklists, agreements and litanies to accompany leaders through the process.

• Pastoral Transition Guide for Lay Leaders (PDF) (this is being re-written)

• ELCA Call Process Resources

• View additional documents

• Compensation Manual (PDF)

• 2026 Compensation and Healthcare Recommendations (PDF)