One of the main tasks of the candidacy committee is to interview candidates who are in the entrance, endorsement, and finally approval stages. This is a multi-tiered process led by a committee made up of a majority of lay people. Another way our church is committed to the inclusion of all the baptized in ministry.

On Friday we gave thanks for the approval of three candidates for ordination into the ministry of Word and Sacrament (listed here with the congregation that has raised them up for ordination). Veronika (Christ-Dallas), Darlene (Trinity-Fort Worth), and Mallory (Calvary-Richland Hills). Veronika will be ordained September 10th to serve Central, Dallas. Darlene and Mallory are currently in the process now of discerning first call opportunities.

At our synod assemblies I have repeatedly lifted up for our congregations that we are grateful God is sending gifted and called candidates for ministry to us. But I also need to remind our congregations that these candidates don’t always reflect the historic “norm” of “pastor” in their gender, age, sexuality, race, etc… Our candidates are diverse and gifted and ready to serve the church. It is then our task as church task to prepare ourselves to receive these gifted leaders and to be #InMissionTogether #NTNL