• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
940.241.2099940.241.2099, Opt. 2 | office@ntnl.org

In Mission Together

  • Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCANorthern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

  • Close
Search
  • About
  • Ministries
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News & Blogs
    • NT-NL News (weekly)
    • Leader News (monthly)
    • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
    • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
    • Pastora Bañales’ Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact

Who We Are

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Donate

Contact

  • Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCANorthern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA

  • Close
Search
  • About
  • Ministries
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News & Blogs
    • NT-NL News (weekly)
    • Leader News (monthly)
    • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
    • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
    • Pastora Bañales’ Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact

Who We Are

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Donate

Contact

Blog

Home | Blog

First Call Accompaniment

June 1, 2019 | Pastor Totzke’s Blog By The Rev. Kris Totzke

The ELCA has an expectation that all pastors and deacons participate in First Call Theological Education for the first three years of this rostered ministry. Here in NT-NL, we call it Accompaniment because our focus is more on helping our new pastors to develop healthy habits and relationships as they live into this new identity as pastors.Our most recent retreat focused on Mission Support and stewardship. Thanks to the use of Zoom, we were able to have participation by both an ELCA rep for Mission Support as well as one of our first call pastors who lives far from the Metroplex.

We also spent the afternoon with the NT-NL stewardship team, who even managed to include Leslie on Zoom for the projects and discussion.

When I first began on synod staff we had five first call pastors who were all nearing the tail end of their three year requirement. For a while we were down to one.  Thanks to several of our candidates reaching the point of ordination through TEEM and other seminary programs, a few who were assigned to us through the ELCA process, and two who moved here due to spouses jobs, we are now up to 11 first call pastors in our synod.

In addition, we have two more expected by our fall retreat and a few more who should be finishing TEEM by next spring. In a year, our numbers should be between 15-18 in this group. This is a tremendous blessing as our congregations have raised up and helped to prepare so many new pastors. Other congregations have taken on the responsibility of calling new pastors to serve them. One year from now, close to one/fifth of our congregations will be served by first call pastors. I think that may be some kind of record. I pray that this burst of renewal overflows in even more ways!

Previous Post
Back to Main
Next post

Stay In Touch

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe Now
Contact Us

About

  • Who We Are
  • Synod Staff
  • Synod Council
  • Leadership
  • Worshiping Communities
  • ELCSL

Ministries

  • Coaching
  • Fund for Leaders
  • MEF
  • PLMA
  • Public Witness
  • SSTE | ESET
  • World Hunger

Resources

  • All Resources
  • Open Calls
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Prayer Partners

Events

News & Blogs

  • NT-NL News (weekly)
  • Leader News (monthly)
  • Bishop Gronberg’s Blog
  • Pastor Totzke’s Blog
  • Pastora Bañales’ Blog

Contact

c/o Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
2620 W Grauwyler Rd
Irving TX, 75061
940.241.2099

Stay Connected

© Northern Texas - Northern Louisiana Synod, ELCA all rights reserved.

Powered by the Faith Growth Ministry Platform for WordPress