Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Central Illinois District: Out with a Bang

The last District Convention, that of the Central Illinois District, has concluded. One of the resolutions passed by the CID was related to Licensed Deacons. The text of the original resolution, R-12-01-01, is available here. I'm not sure if it was amended in any fashion, a summary of which is reported on their convention page here. This resolution was adopted 199 to 22.

Here's the summary of R-12-01-01:

Resolution: To Require Uniformity of Practice With Regard to Word and Sacramental Ministry

Resolved that the CID in convention memorialize the Synod to develop a plan so that all men who are currently engaged in Word and Sacrament ministry without being publicly called to or placed in the office of the ministry, be enrolled in the Special Ministry Program (SMP) or cease from all forms of Word and Sacrament ministry by the end of 2019. Likewise that the men enrolled in the SMP be called “deacons”, not pastors, until they fully complete the SMP program.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everyone is not a minister?

Is this a unique resolution, or have many other districts adopted similar measures?

Scott Diekmann said...

The Missouri, Wyoming, and Rocky Mountain Districts adopted similar resolutions. I'm not sure if there were any others.

Unknown said...

I think this an excellent resolution. I just wish that SMP was better. The only change I would make is that men in the SMP be called vicars until they complete the SMP.