The NC Synod Candidacy Committee

Candidacy in the ELCA refers to the process of steps—Entrance through Approval—during which an individual seeks to discern his or her call to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament or to the Ministry of Word and Service. The “call” is often a feeling that God is directing a person toward a church vocation. The first “call” was Jesus gathering the disciples from their occupations to follow him.

The Candidacy Committee of the NC Synod consists of more than a dozen individuals who give of their time and expertise to mentor candidates on their way to a vocation.

Assistant to the Bishop, the Rev. Sara Ilderton, and office administrator, Ms. Lauren Thurow, provide the first contact for candidates and guidance to the committee. Dr. Sylvia Black serves as chair of the committee.

The committee gathers three times a year to meet new candidates for entrance, for endorsement to continue seminary work, and approval for the call and ordination. In addition, the committee reads hundreds of pages of essays, interviews, and emails as they prepare for meetings. Each candidate has a contact person who relates to him or her during the several years of the process.

As you can see, the members of the NC Synod’s Candidacy Committee are dedicated to seeing that those in the process are shepherded well. Another way shepherding happens is through internship site visits to locations where students are spending their internship year. Stay tuned for that story!

–by Ms. Carole Demmy, NC Synod Candidacy Committee member