Dear Potential Candidate for Associate in Ministry, Diaconal Ministry, or Deaconess:

On behalf of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, we welcome your interest for candidacy into Diaconal Ministry or Associate in Ministry in the ELCA.  This important decision is to be made by you and the Candidacy Committee of the Synod.  Several important initial steps are necessary to begin your journey toward admission to the candidacy process and your work with the ELCA. 

The book What Shall I Say? Discerning God's Call to Ministry is made available to you for $7.50 through the Synod Office as a means of discerning your call to the ministry of the ELCA.  (This short book is also available in the Resource Center.  Please feel free to stop by to take one out.)  Your thoughts on this book will be discussed during your initial interview with a member of the Candidacy Committee.

Upon making your decision to proceed with candidacy into the ELCA, several steps need to be taken before presenting your name to the Candidacy Committee for acceptance into the process.  This process can take several months to complete.

The preliminary steps in the process include:

-     Your Application, Essay and a check for the $600 registration fee made out to the East Central Synod of Wisconsin must be received at the Synod Office prior to beginning the psychological evaluation.  Both forms are also available on-line at www.elca.org/candidacy/forms/#candidates under Forms for Applicants and Candidates (Application for Entrance to Candidacy and Entrance Information.)

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           Forms for Applicants and Candidates
         ● Application for Entrance to Candidacy
         ● Entrance Information 

-    Congregational Registration and Congregational Support forms must be sent to the Synod Office.  Membership in an ELCA church for at least one year prior to beginning the entrance process is required.  Candidates should request their pastor complete these forms found on line at http://www.elca.org/candidacy/forms/#congregations and send a copy to the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, 16 Tri-Park Way, Appleton, WI 54914

           Forms for Congregations
         ● Congregational Registration for a Candidacy Applicant
         ● Congregational Support for Candidates at an ELCA Seminary 

-    Schedule an Initial Interview through the candidacy chairperson, Rev. Solveig Zamzow, Little Suamico, at 920/826-7785 or PastorZ@bayland.net .

-   Submit your name and personal information on-line to Oxford Document Management Company for a background check. (Go to the Oxford website www.oxforddoc.com; on right hand column, click Applicants
     ●  the Client code number is 290 and the Position ID is 1;
     ●  verify the organization as the East Central Synod of Wisconsin - click yes; and
     ●  complete the form.  MAKE SURE TO DOUBLE CHECK INFORMATION. (Very sensitive to slight cursor shifts.)

ENTRANCE DECISION

After the preliminary steps are complete:

-     Schedule a Psychological Evaluation/Career Consultation with the candidacy psychologist, Dr. Steve Benson, Wausau, at 715/848-0002.  This evaluation includes written testing, an interview with Dr. Benson, a follow-up conversation, and a signed release of information to the Candidacy Committee.  The Synod Candidacy Committee may contact Dr. Benson for further explanation or clarification on points of your psychological and career evaluation report. 

This process takes at least 8 weeks.  You are responsible for keeping Dr. Benson informed of your time frame for your entrance decision.  For a spring entrance decision, please begin this process by early December and have all paperwork completed by mid-February.  Also, understand this evaluation is valid for only one year.  

-     At a scheduled Candidacy Committee Meeting, you will be asked to meet with a panel that will review your file, interview you, and make a recommendation for your entrance into the process.

After a positive Entrance decision, you will be assigned a committee contact person.   Regular contacts should be initiated by you with the Candidacy Committee chairperson and your contact person.

As you complete your studies, please request your transcripts be sent to the Synod Office regularly.

ENDORSEMENT
Prior to your supervised field experience and about half-way through your studies, you should contact the candidacy chairperson, Rev. Solveig Zamzow at 920/826-7785 or PastorZ@bayland.net, with your request to be endorsed by the Committee.  You will be given the topic for your Endorsement Essay which is to be sent to the Synod Office.  A panel will again meet with you and make its recommendation on your endorsement.

APPROVAL
When nearing the completion of your studies, again notify Rev. Solveig Zamzow at 920/826-7785 or PastorZ@bayland.net, and you will be assigned the Approval Essay due in the Synod Office.   Your essay, academic transcripts, and Supervised Field Experience evaluations will then be reviewed.  Approval interviews with the Multi-Synodical Candidacy Committee will be arranged at the Synod Office followed by the committee’s recommendation on your approval.

Love in Christ,

Joy Mortensen-Wiebe
Associate with the Bishop