The Call (really as a summary or overview)

There are difficult parts to being a Pastor's wife. Some vary depending on the situations, they can be very personal depending on the situations. But one situation is a common struggle for many. The Call and the call process. It can be so draining and exciting at the same time.

As an overview:

It is called a "call" because it is about God calling some to serve in a place and to minister to people in that place.

Call process (as I know it in the LCMS) most shorten way possible to explain.

  

    1. Congregation has a need (most times pastor but can be for many other roles like DCE, music director, teachers in a school, ect). 

    2. Congregation forms a ‘call committee ‘. 

    3. The call committee gets a list of names from those in the congregation that know of possible pastors (we will go with pastors since I know about them the most) and a list from their district office that the districts have shared with each other. 

   4. Call committee goes through piles of information about the pastors. Often trying to narrow the list down. 

   5. Call committee can contact and interview pastors on their list. They can narrow the list down again through this process.

   6. Call committee presents what they have learned about the pastors and give the names and information over to the congregation. (The committee sometimes suggests who they think will fit the congregation best. 

   7. Congregation votes, and then extends a call.

   8. Pastor learns he is extended the call then wrestles with the decision through prayer.  

   9. Pastor can either accept or decline the call. If declined the congregation can go back to the list they already have or start the whole process over.

It's hard because both places, where we are and where is calling my husband, have a need. Both have great people (I strongly believe there nice people everywhere, sometimes we just have to look harder to find them).  Both have different draws to live in the communities.

In the end it is not my call, so it is not my decision. Don't worry, my husband clearly knows my thoughts. And as our daughter gets older she does get to share her thoughts on it as well. My husband is intentional to ask her what she thinks about it. In the end thought the decision is between him and God.  My husband knows whatever his decision he has my support (yes, even if it is different than what my opinion/thought was). 

I hope that helped explained a difficult process . Having some understanding of the process might help with having some understanding of my life.