At its spring meeting, the Conference of Presidents (COP) asked Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary President-elect Rev. Earle Treptow to serve as an advisory member of the COP Doctrine Committee. This will provide the opportunity for the seminary faculty to give input and counsel on doctrinal matters. It will also help to ensure continued good communication between the COP and the seminary.

The COP has made a change to the calling window for teachers. The calling window is the time during which teachers may receive calls. Currently that window is from Nov. 1 through the first Sunday in June. The new window, to be implemented for a two-year trial, will be from Oct. 15 through April 15. This will make it easier for schools to make plans when they experience vacancies. It will also make it easier for congregations to request candidates from the Assignment Committee. The change will be implemented in the fall of 2019.

The COP learned from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary that next year’s entering class promises to be much larger than classes in recent years. Current class sizes at the seminary are in the mid-30s. Next year’s incoming class could be as large as 50. If classes continue to be that large, we could anticipate an easing of the pastoral vacancy situation four years from now.

In recent years, regular meetings have been held between the Commission on Inter-Church Relations (CICR) and the Doctrine Committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). Beginning next fall, the COP Doctrine Committee will take the place of the CICR in those regular meetings. The reason for this is that the COP Doctrine Committee is a closer counterpart to the ELS Doctrine Committee.

In May, the COP will meet at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis., to assign pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and vicars.

Serving in Christ,
President Mark Schroeder