To Amend Bylaws to Provide Clarity and Address Practical Considerations for Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry

Official Workbook overture source text

4-38 
To Amend Bylaws to Provide Clarity  
and Address Practical Considerations  
for Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry 
Rationale 
The Office of National Mission  (ONM) requests attention to the 
bylaws that address the work of Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry. 
Several updates are needed. First, the language utilized by 
recognized service organizations and other agencies that provide 
specialized spiritual care has changed over time. Organizations that 
serve people who are ill, aging , or disabled no longer refer to their 
work as being “institutional.” Additionally, the ONM’s Specialized 
Spiritual Care Ministry endorses workers for broa
der work than 
chaplaincy, which has historically referred to an ordained pastor 
associated with a physical chapel in which worship services are 
conducted. The term “institutional chaplain” utilized in Synod  
Bylaws is outdated and leaves out the s pecialized spiritual care 
work of the ministers of religion — commissioned who do not lead 
worship services and serve in related chaplaincy or counseling 
roles. Secondly, the O NM and the Office of International Mission  
(OIM) have determined that the work of chaplains serving in the 
Department of Veterans A ffairs (VA) is more closely aligned and 
thus better supported by the Ministry to the Armed Forces which is 
a department of the OIM. The bylaw that references the VA has the 
calling agency as the Board for National Mission and needs to be 
updated. 
Proposed Action 
Therefore be it 
Resolved, That Bylaw 2.11.1 (h) be amended as follows: