Call to Ministry

Students planning to serve in the Evangelical Covenant Church go through the Call to Ministry process to help them find places of ministry in ECC churches. The process is a collaboration between North Park Theological Seminary and the Covenant church and begins in the fall semester of a student's final year of studies. It continues until the student finds a placement.

Students Who Should Participate

All students who will be graduating from North Park Theological Seminary during the following Spring or Fall and who are interested in finding a position in an Evangelical Covenant Church as a pastor or staff minister or in an ECC institution as a missionary or chaplain should participate in the Call to Ministry process.

Key Players in the Process

• Faculty Advisor: Deb Auger, Dean of Students
• Program Coordinator: Guylla Brown
• Pastoral Relations Commission: Leaders of the denomination and seminary gather lists of churches seeking pastors and those in the CTM Process at NPTS, and make recommendations for potential placements
• Conference Superintendents and Associate Superintendents: Superintendents serve as a liaison between churches in their conference and students seeking placement in church

Chronology of the Call to Ministry Process

• September: Introductory meetings with Dave Kersten and Carol Lawson from the Department of Ordered Ministry outline the process and give instruction on filling out the profile form, a standard resume used by pastor-candidates in the ECC.
• November and December: Forms are due to Deb Auger for review in early November. Final copies are posted online by December 1 for viewing by the Conference Superintendents.
• January: Superintendents come to campus to meet with all students in the Call Process and then confer with the PRC on possible placements. Students have a prayer retreat with John Weborg and Deb Auger during this process.
• February through summer: Churches begin contacting student for interviews. The PRC and superintendents continue to work to find appropriate placement for all students.