Titles: Part 4
Becoming a Pastor
In the ELCA we have a four year long system of listening, searching, following, teaching, leading, and guiding an individual through the call process. When we first start on this path we get a psychological examination, background checks, have an interview with a pastor of the area, and we have to have the sponsorship of a congregation. The next four years are filled will constant discernment. With graduate studies of learning Koine Greek, in some cases Hebrew, and in my school it is mandatory for us to learn Spanish. We go through studies of the Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, Person in Ministry, Family Origins, Intro to Worship, and those are just the basic beginning courses of the first year. I took courses like Islam, Eco-Spirituality, Racial Awareness, Boundaries Training, Alternative Religions, History of Religion in the United States, and many more. I was blessed to go on trips to Mexico and Pine Ridge Reservation to listen and learn about history and faith practices.
But even this is just the tip of the iceberg of studies that we have to go through. On top of all the class work students have to participate in Leadership In Context (LIC) which is an internship site while you are in your first two years of seminary. In the first summer students usually take Clinical Pastoral Experience (CPE) and work at a level one or level two trauma institute. I spent a summer working at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston on the drop down surgery and oncology floors. At Trinity, there is a two year internship
model that allows for us to do class work online while we are working in a congregation as a Vicar or intern Pastor. At my context I observed a capital campaign, hiring and firing of staff, my supervisor going on sabbatical, my supervisor going on paternity leave, the flooding of the basement of the church, community project of helping out at a local elementary school, spiritual growth project of learning from other religious communities, book studies, bible studies, a pandemic, and the usual happenings of a congregation. During all of these different aspects of education we check in with our home synods and reflect on our call to be a pastor. How are we being called by the spirit and at any point we could be pulled out of the candidacy process or put on hold to do spiritual discernment and reflection on how God is really calling us. It is not an easy process nor is it a short process. It has to be a difficult process that takes a while to make sure that those who are stepping into this position are doing it for good and just reasons. Taking the step to be a pastor is not just hearing the call for ourselves. It is the culmination of internal call, external affirmation, and years of study and guidance. It is a most wonderful and humbling position to have the privilege to do in this world. I am personally grateful for all that I have gone through to be able to serve our wonderful congregation as Pastor.
Pax et Bonum,
Brother Tucker
