The First Call

My first call was to serve St. John Lutheran Church in Massbach, a rural area southeast of Elizabeth, Illinois. The church and parsonage are located in a beautiful spot in JoDaviess County in the northwest corner of the state.

There was little in my history to suggest that I would be a good match for St. John. In fact, the bishop of the Illinois District of The American Lutheran Church, Ehme Osterbur, had me pegged for an inner-city congregation in Chicago. On paper it looked great. I was a big city kid and I had studied Spanish. But, after having a conversation with me and my wife, the bishop decided that another place might be better for us and our impending family. When he called to see if I was willing to interview in a rural parish, I recall a panicky reaction. What did I know about living in the country? But, in those days, no one said “no” to a bishop, so I said I would be willing to interview.

I have no idea if the call committee was under any pressure to take me. I never got that impression. But, as in the case of almost all first calls, I was the only person they interviewed. That is standard practice for first calls. The call committee had to decide yes or no on me before they could interview anyone else. My interview was cordial, the hospitality was gracious, and we left the interview feeling pretty good. I am sure that I was nervous. My wife was even asked a question or two. Yes, she was present, although today we strongly recommend against a spouse being present for the actual interview. That call committee took a certain chance on recommending me to the congregation and the congregation took a certain risk in calling me. I was untested as a pastor, but I must have shown some potential.

Our four years in Massbach were happy years. I worked hard. I listened. I learned the culture. I got teased a little along the way. But, there was never a day that I did not feel respected. We were in no hurry to leave when the bishop called and asked if I was ready to look at a second call. That was normal practice in those days. First calls were expected to last three or four years. I didn’t say no.

In St. John’s history, the congregation had had first call pastors before me. They had also had pastors retire from there. My predecessor was a seasoned pastor who moved on to another call. They did not necessarily see themselves as a “first call congregation,” as do some congregations. But, St. John was, in fact, a very good first call congregation for me.

The ELCA has done some study and identified best practices for congregations with first call rostered leaders. They include embracing the vocation of teaching and mentoring new leaders and providing support systems, such as mutual ministry committees. Hospitality, an openness to change, a sense of mission, and hopefulness for the future are important values.

Some congregations embrace their role as a first call congregation. Others feel as if they have been forced into the role because of finances or size. The attitude of the congregation can make a huge difference in the rostered leader’s experience.

You may find a wealth of information regarding first calls, including a best practices checklist, at http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Education/Life-Long-Learning/First-Call.aspx. Next time, I will share qualities that I think are important in first call candidates. Comments are welcome. Go to the blog site: http://niselca.blogspot.com/ or comment on Facebook. --JC