Version History
Current published version
Today's Business, Issue 3. p. 332. Revised published proposal.
Official Resolution Source Text
Resolution: 6-09
Canonical number: 6-09
Committee: Pastoral Ministry and Seminaries
Source: Today's Business, Issue 1
Printed pages: p. 118
PDF pages: 118
Version: original, superseded
Source reference: Issue 1, p. 118
Line numbers follow Today's Business, Issue 1, with numbering reset on each printed page, so delegates can compare this page with the official PDF.
Page 118
- To Implore Council of Presidents to Fulfill 2019 Resolution 6-03A
- re Oversight of Specific Ministry Pastors
- RESOLUTION 6-09
- Overtures 6-54, 63 (CW, 397, 403)
- WHEREAS, Synod Bylaw 2.13.1 states that every specific ministry pastor “shall serve under the supervision of his
- district president and another pastor who is not a specific ministry pastor”; and
- WHEREAS, There is a great variety of specific ministry pastors serving in a wide variety of contexts and with a great
- variety of education, years of service, and gifts; and
- WHEREAS, This situation has created a number of questions regarding the amount and level of oversight that shall be
- employed as per Synod Bylaws; and
- WHEREAS, The 2019 Synod convention adopted Resolution 6-03A, “To Enhance the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP)
- Program,” which includes the resolve, “That the Council of Presidents in coordination with the Pastoral Formation
- Committee draft guidelines and training to enhance the mentoring and supervision of specific ministry pastors, taking into
- account the wide variety of abilities of pastors and the contexts in which they serve, to assist district presidents, circuit
- visitors, and supervising pastors in supporting the [specific ministry] pastors under their care” (Proc., 159–60); and
- WHEREAS, These guidelines and training either have not been completed or have not been widely promulgated
- throughout the Synod; and
- WHEREAS, The number of specific ministry pastors continues to increase, thereby creating a growing and continuing
- need for such guidance and training; therefore be it
- Resolved, That the Synod in convention implore the Council of Presidents (COP) to complete this important
- assignment quickly and with due attention; and be it further
- Resolved, That the Synod in convention commend to the COP, as a reference, the supervision plan included in 2026
- Report R13.6 (“Report on the Development of a Comprehensive, Uniform, Synodwide Specific Ministry Supervision
- Plan,” Workbook, 77–82) and encourage consultation with seminary SMP program directors concerning their approaches
- to training and support for SMP mentors and SMP vicarage supervisors; and be it finally
- Resolved, That the Synod in convention thank the COP for their service and efforts.
