Ordained Pastoral Ministry
Ministry of Word and Sacrament
Ordained ministers serve with hearts filled with love and courage, to offer the hope of the sacraments and to lead the proclamation of the Gospel.

Pastors of the ELCA carry out their ministry as they proclaim the Gospel.  They are called to a ministry of servanthood and bring the witness of faith to the lives of God's people.  Providing care and nurture of others and reaching out to a hurting world are essential expressions of this form of ministry.  Pastors assist the church in transforming congregations as vibrant communities that reach out to serve the world and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Ordained ministers normally serve in congregations, sometimes in a team ministry with other ordained or lay rostered leaders. Some pastors, after an initial congregational call of three years, will serve as chaplains, faculty at colleges and seminaries, leaders in social service agencies, or in staff positions at synod or churchwide offices.

Call process