To Request Comprehensive Review When Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated

Official Workbook overture source text

5-13 
To Request Comprehensive Review  
When Call Is Terminated or Self-Terminated 
WHEREAS, The Synod has committed to caring for pastors and 
church workers in one of its seven mission priorities, to wit: 
“promote and nurture the spiritual, emotional, financial, and 
physical well -being of pastors and professional church workers” 
(2023 Res. 4 -03, “To Affirm and Continue Mission Priorities for 
2023–26 Triennium,” Proceedings, 136–37); and 
WHEREAS, There are a number of reasons a person might self -
terminate a Divine Call (e.g., age of retirement, mental or physical 
health concerns or incapacitations, personal conviction, etc.); and 
WHEREAS, There is biblical precedent for the non -death ending 
of a tenure of service (e.g., Num. 8:23–26); and 
WHEREAS, The Commission on Theology and Church Relations 
(CTCR) discussed termination of a Divine Call in its 2003 Report, 
Theology and Practice of “t he Divine Call, ” only from the 
perspective of outside termination and not self-termination; and 
WHEREAS, Care should be given to the worker and the people of 
God served by the worker throughout the length of a Divine Call, 
including if a call is terminated or self-terminated; and 
WHEREAS, There is a paucity of theological rationale and 
practical direction in the Synod for the many ways a Divine Call 
might be self-terminated before death; and 
WHEREAS, There can be confusion in the church over legitimate 
and illegitimate reasons for terminating or self-terminating a Divine 
Call, which might result in anxiety over candidate status; therefore 
be it 
Resolved, That church workers and congregations be given clear 
teaching on the theological and practical procedures when a Divine 
Call is terminated or self-terminated; and be it further 
Resolved, 
That the English District memorialize Synod to 
instruct the CTCR to offer clarity regarding theological and 
practical considerations for the ways a Divine Call might be 
legitimately or illegitimately terminated or self-terminated ; and be 
it further 
Resolved, That the district in convention memorialize the Synod 
that the Council of Presidents is to establish support and training 
materials for church workers who self -terminate their Divine Call 
legitimately; and be it finally 
Resolved, That district presidents and circuit visitors work with 
the workers and congregations of their districts to support their 
called church workers before, during, and after times of termination 
or self-termination. 
English District 
Ov.