Pastor Requests - Spring 2025
​Please read all instructions carefully before submitting a request. Your district president will be happy to answer any questions.
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The deadline for submitting requests is April 29 unless you have received an extension from your district president. If you have called from the field and are waiting for a response, you may still submit a request in case the call is declined. If your call from the field is accepted, you may simply withdraw your request. ​
The Assignment Committee meets on the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary campus May 20-21.
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Assignments will be announced during the Call Service at 10:00am Central on Thursday, May 22. Visit wisluthsem.org to watch the livestream.
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Important financial information
Salary and benefits
The Conference of Presidents wishes to underscore that it considers synod code to be a reasonable wage. This includes benefits such as VEBA (medical and disability insurance), pension, housing, half of Social Security, and mileage reimbursement.
Calling bodies who are not presently able to compensate according to code should consult with their district president before submitting a request. Please do this as far in advance of the April 29 deadline as possible.
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Use the online compensation calculation tool at www.wels.net/cwcompcalc to calculate the annual salary for your new teacher or staff minister. The online calculator is self-explanatory, and most questions are answered by clicking the information icon next to each field.
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Moving costs
Moving costs should be included in the congregation’s planning. Under the provisions of the tax bill passed by Congress in 2017, moving expenses are typically no longer tax deductible. This means that any payment from the congregation either to or on behalf of an employee to cover moving expenses must be reported as taxable income.
In order to help called workers absorb this tax hit, synod compensation now calls for a one-time addendum to the called worker’s compensation. The add-on amount is a percentage of the moving cost and is calculated at 27.3% for ministers of the gospel. The amount is paid to the called worker as compensation in the year the tax liability is incurred.
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Mentoring
We are strongly committed to the success of our graduates. Graduates from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will be assigned a mentor. Congregations that are assigned a pastor will be asked to contribute $1500 annually for three years to enable their pastor to participate in the Pastor Partners Mentoring Program. Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary invoices congregations for the cost of this mentoring program.
Submitting your request
Instructions
Complete an assignment request online at wels.net/callrequest (blue button: “Fill out the form”). All applicants, including those who have previously been calling from the field, are required to complete this step.
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A WELS Cloud account is needed for this; if you need help accessing your or your congregation’s account, please follow this WELS Cloud link. (You may find that accessing your WELS Cloud account is the most complicated part of the process.)
There are four tabs to complete – all fields marked with a red asterisk are required.
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Calling and serving body: When calling a pastor to serve in a congregation, the calling and serving body will be the same.
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For the “Type of Call” field, use Assignment.
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In the “Call meeting date” field, enter 5/22/2025.
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Using the compensation calculator is a critical component of your request.
If you begin work on a graduate assignment request, you can save it and return to finish it later. To save your request so that you can return and complete it later, click on the “Save” button in the upper right on the form. To return to your form go here.
To finalize your request and notify your district president, click on the “Submit” button in the upper right of the form. This will save your request and send an automatic notification your district president.
To eliminate any doubt that your submitted form has been correctly processed, please also notify the district president of your submission by email.
Call documents
The district president must have a cover letter and properly signed call form in hand in order to make an assignment. The deadline for these items to reach your district president is Friday, May 9.
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Electronic documents are preferred. Email them to nadp@wels.net.
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Physical documents may be mailed to
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
ATTN: Rev. Michael Seifert
11831 N Seminary Drive 65W
Mequon, WI 53092
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Required documents
A completed (besides the candidate's name) and signed call form.
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​A cover letter to the candidate, including details about your congregation, your community, special opportunities, and so on. Make sure the letter includes contact information for key individuals in the congregation. Click here for a sample call letter.
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A completed compensation worksheet for the candidate. Some candidates may already have teaching experience from emergency teaching or tutoring. In such cases, compensation may need to be adjusted upward after the assignment is made. Please let your district president know if you aren't able to accommodate a candidate with some experience.
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Optional documents
You may include other documents with additional information about your congregation and community, but this is not required.
Examples:
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Pictorial directory
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Constitution and bylaws
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Facility floor plan
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Current budget, financial reports
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Annual report
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Service folders​​
Communication
Please make sure that your primary point of contact stays close to their cell phone while the Assignment Committee is meeting on Tuesday, May 20. The district president may need additional information regarding your request.
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If your assignment request cannot be filled, your district president will contact you no later than the evening of Wednesday, May 21 to inform you that you will not receive a graduate.