Pastoral Call

January 2012

The Pastoral Call Committee is seeking nominations and applications for the St. Olaf College Pastor.

The College Pastor is a pastor of the St. Olaf Student Congregation (an ELCA congregation) and chaplain and spiritual leader for the campus community, which includes people of many faith traditions. As pastor of the Student Congregation, the College Pastor serves students who attend worship services at Boe Memorial Chapel and who participate in Chapel programs. Attendance at the worship services — held Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings — is robust, and many students seek out the College Pastor for conversation and counseling. The worship life of the community is vibrant, lively, innovative, musically-rich, and deeply-rooted in Lutheran traditions. The Boe Chapel community seeks a preacher whose sermons are engaging, theologically-informed, intellectually-stimulating, and rich in spiritual wisdom and insight.

The College Pastor presides and preaches regularly, leads Bible studies, provides pastoral care and counseling, teaches confirmation classes, and advises student groups that address religious questions and issues. The College Pastor leads the worship planning team, which includes the Associate College Pastor, the College organist and other College musicians, members of the Student Congregation Council, and the Chapel administrative assistant.

As chaplain to the St. Olaf community, the College pastor is responsible for daily Chapel services in Boe Chapel. In collaboration with the worship planning team, the College Pastor plans the Chapel schedule for each week; invites faculty, staff, and students to speak and/or lead services; invites and hosts visiting speakers; and arranges with the College organist and conductors of St. Olaf’s music organizations to provide music for the services. The College Pastor also participates in various ceremonies and events at the College as requested by the President.

We look to our new pastor to welcome students to the Student Congregation and the larger St. Olaf community. We seek a pastor who is approachable, thoughtful, theologically-knowledgeable, engaging, and compassionate. In conversation, counseling, learning opportunities, and spiritual direction, the College Pastor will guide, assist, and accompany students in their faith journeys. On our increasingly religiously-diverse campus, we look to our new pastor to articulate the distinctive relation of faith and learning at St. Olaf and to articulate Lutheran understandings of theology, discipleship, and practices of faith in respectful dialogue with students, faculty, and staff of many traditions and backgrounds.

This past fall semester, the call committee conducted a ministry site self-study. The committee held listening sessions with students, faculty, and staff; invited these groups to complete surveys; and invited alumni groups to offer thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Using the community’s input as a guide, the committee completed a Ministry Site Profile for the call and submitted the Profile to the ELCA.

Please send nominations to Paula Carlson, Vice President and Liaison to the Board of Regents, at carlsonp@stolaf.edu. Candidates interested in the call should send a cover letter and resume to Ms. Cheryse Brenno-Sloan, Call Process Administrative Assistant, at sloan@semnsynod.org. In addition, candidates should request that their ELCA Rostered Leader Profile be sent from their synod office to the ELCA Southeastern Minnesota Synod Office in Rochester, Minnesota.

Applications received by February 15, 2012 will be assured consideration. We will continue to accept applications until the position is filled.

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