NORTHEASTERN IOWA MARCH 2020 • VoluMe 33, Issue 3 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Celebrating Renewal:Star Johannes Bugenhagen, Parish Pastor of the Reformation Candidacy affirms and guides the call to rostered ministry by Marcia Hahn Daniel Grainger recalls how ner- endorsement for vous he was during his first inter- “Folks on the committee feel called to an internship, and view with the Northeastern Iowa shape leaders for Christ’s church. That’s achieve approval Synod Candidacy Committee. of readiness to a real gift and a ministry of its own.” assume a leader- “I thought their function was to — Pastor Chad Huebner ship role in the drill and keep people out that ELCA. weren’t good enough for ministry,” says Grainger, who is a third-year “This is a really Chad Huebner student at Wartburg Theological ship with candidates, congregations wonderfully com- Seminary in Dubuque. “I walked and seminaries to support and mitted group that takes the weight away relieved that I made it to en- mentor those who feel a sense of and joy of their work seriously,” says trance and felt these are people who call to serve in a rostered ministry Pastor Chad Huebner, who serves care, and who want to see me grow of the ELCA. The committee guides at First Lutheran, Decorah, and as and understand my sense of call.” and mentors candidates through candidacy committee chair. “Folks each step as they begin theologi- on the committee feel called to The Northeastern Iowa Synod Can- cal seminary study, complete their shape leaders for Christ’s church. didacy Committee works in partner- clinical pastoral education, receive That’s a real gift and a ministry of its own.” Those interested in pursuing a call to ministry generally begin by talking to their home pastor and >> Continued on page 2 IN THIS ISSUE 1 Candidacy affirms and guides the call to rostered ministry 3 Ministry partners are gifts to this synod 6 Volunteer opportunity in Hungary 7 Synod Assembly Members of the Northeastern Iowa Synod Candidacy Committee and candidates for ministry join Congregations in a small group mixer activity at the Candidacy Retreat in February. 9 10 Prayer Calendar Candidacy affirms and guides the call to rostered ministry << Continued from page 1 contacting Pastor Steve Brackett “Each milestone has criteria out- of divinity degree include distrib- at the synod office to learn about lined in the ELCA Candidacy uted learning through online classes candidacy. The home congregation Manual, and is updated and stream- with one on-campus seminary class submits paperwork to begin the lined for the alternative pathways,” each semester; collaborative learn- candidacy process, and a member of Huebner says. “We have great ing through online classes while the candidacy committee follows up resources from our Region 5 can- getting hands-on experience work- to meet with the potential candidate didacy coordinator for what needs ing four years in a congregation; in person. Applicants must write an to happen for each step, and we do and an accelerated pathway to earn entrance essay about their church our best to work the process that is undergraduate and graduate de- background and their understand- outlined for us.” grees in six years, rather than eight, ing of their call to ministry. They through a partnership offered by must also complete a psych evalua- ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PATHS Wartburg College in Waverly and tion and background check. Wartburg Seminary. Candidates age The traditional path to ministry has 40 or older can pursue a three-year Twenty-two people are currently been to attend on-campus classes certificate program while working in entered in the synod’s candidacy for three years at a seminary, with the congregation that will become program, and another eight have one-year away to complete an in- the ordained pastor’s first call. begun the application process. The ternship. In recent years, however, candidacy committee, made up of more candidates are choosing alter- Keeping up with the alternative a dozen lay members and rostered native education paths to ordained paths to ministry can mean a lot of ministers, walks alongside each ministry. reading and studying for the com- candidate through entrance into mittee members. Kurt Kuenzel, a formal discernment with the candi- “The ELCA is working really hard member of St. Peter, Garnavillo, dacy committee, endorsement rec- to create pathways for many places who has served on the committee ognizing the candidate’s readiness and stages of life for folks who can’t for nearly 10 years, says there is a to complete the candidacy process, necessarily move into residential continual learning curve to be up- and approval that a candidate is or traditional pathways,” Huebner to-date on the different pathways qualified and suited to serve as an says. “It’s a wonderful piece of work to ministry and lots of reading of ELCA rostered minister. the church is doing.” essays, evaluations and other pa- Alternative pathways for a master’s perwork. But one thing that doesn’t Candidates, candidacy committee members and presenters gather for the synod’s annual Candidacy Retreat in February. 2 NORTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD | www.neiasynod.org Ministry partners are gifts to this synod One of the life-changing and life- to do something that basic. When you view giving ministries in our synod is the institutional Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Brem- Our Lutheran Youth Organization ministries that wood Lutheran Children’s Home. met on campus. There was a resi- are located in We have partnered with them in dent who was from the same town our synod, you several ways over the years. Here as a member of the LYO. Again, realize what re- are a couple of examples. after some trust was built, a resi- markable gifts dent asked the LYO student from we have. Your The Men in Mission group met the same town, “Will you say ‘Hi’ support is well on their campus. After some time to me in the hallway at school?” deserved. to get acquainted, one of the resi- “Yes.” “Will you sit with me at dents asked one of the men, “Will lunch?” This is the ultimate ques- — Steven L. Ullestad you teach me how to play catch?” tion in high school. “Yes,” said our Bishop, Northeastern Iowa Synod No one had ever taught him how youth. Both were blessed. change is the high quality of can- a summer work- “I worked with pastors who were didates Kuenzel has met over the ing as a coun- very open about the joys and heart- years. selor at Camp aches that come with being a pastor Ewalu while at- and ministering in today’s church,” “We sit back and see the quality of tending Luther Grainger says. “I got to see for our candidates and we shake our College led him myself, in a real and authentic way, heads and ask, ‘Are we that blessed to consider min- what being a minister is about, and in the Northeastern Iowa Synod istry. that gave me a lot of courage and that we have such strong candi- Daniel Grainger hope.” dates?’ These people are going to be “That first wonderful pastors.” summer at Ewalu threw me for a Katie Rodriguez’ path to ministry loop,” Grainger says. “At camp I was also a second career choice. As a lay member, Kuenzel brings a took a risk and found a lot of joy Rodriguez graduated from Waldorf perspective from outside rostered and worship-centered community. University in 2013 with a degree in life and looks for traits that he be- I worked five summers at Ewalu, graphic design, and a few months lieves are needed in a pastor: a will- which was pretty formative in my later she landed her first job as a ingness to serve, kindness and un- experience.” graphic designer. derstanding, and strength. Kuenzel says he has seen a lot of people with Grainger thought outdoor ministry “I knew right away it wasn’t what I those traits come to the candidacy would be his calling, but after talk- wanted to do,” she says. “It was a process and discover that they were ing to his home pastor from Good good job, just not a good fit for me.” being called without realizing it. Shepherd, Decorah, and working as an administrative assistant at the Rodriguez spent the next several “All of a sudden it evolves to a point Luther College Ministries office, months working temporary jobs, that the only thing that makes sense Grainger felt called toward rostered not sure what she was supposed to for them is to go to seminary, stay in ministry. He says that working nine- be doing with her life. Her mother it and come out the other side as a to-five with the chaplains at Luther encouraged her to talk to the pastor rostered minister,” Kuenzel says. turned out to be a great decision from her home church of Zion (Ju- because he was able to focus on his bilee), La Porte City. Pastor Mark CALLED IN A NEW DIRECTION discernment and see firsthand what Anderson, assistant to the Bishop, Grainger says his first choice for a it was like to be a pastor. career was to be a math teacher, but >> Continued on page 5 MARCH 2020 3 Youth can explore ministry WIYLDE to include session for middle school youth careers at Vocation Day June 14-17, 2020 Tuesday, April 28, 2020 Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. High school and middle school youth from ELCA congre- gations are invited to attend the 2020 Wholly Iowa Youth Middle school and high school Leadership Discipling Event (WIYLDE) set for June 14-17 at youth are invited to join their Wartburg College in Waverly.