Call Day from a New Perspective

reflections on new pastors

In my denomination, every April our two seminaries hold what we term Call Day. It’s the day when the placements for new pastors and deaconesses are announced.

Seven years ago, Stephanie and I found out we were headed to First Lutheran. Before that announcement, we did not know where we were going. Could have been New Jersey, California, or anywhere in between or adjacent.

While some soon-to-be pastors have a decent idea where they might be headed, most really don’t know. It’s a lot like the NFL Draft…except names are called in alphabetical order and we don’t get to know what trades or compensatory picks occur.

There are several different points of view to a call day service.

My first call days were experienced as a family member. My brother was receiving his placement. I remembering sitting at my desk in the student union at Concordia, St. Paul as I listened to his name and placement being announced. Family members have a tough time with call day. Their children, siblings, nieces, and nephews are sent out. And for most family members, the success of call day is determined by the number of miles between that first call and home. When that number is four digits…it’s tough.

My next call days were experienced as a friend. I watched as classmates received their placements. These were some of the harder call days if I’m being honest. Seminary typically takes four years. I stayed for a fifth year. In doing so, the vast majority of my classmates received calls, then left. Call Day 2017 was really challenging as I saw my friends scattered to Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Illinois, Texas, and California.

The next call day was the one where I was placed. It’s nerve-racking. You have to go up alone, which I don’t particularly care for. If I were running call day, I’d let those receiving calls sit with their immediate families and walk up with them to receive their placements. It’s a strange thing to receive news that is life-changing, and then go sit down for another 30-60 minutes of a worship service while your spouse is somewhere else in the chapel. It’s strange to talk to at least 50 people after the service before you can even find your spouse. Call day from the chair of the spouse must be the most difficult.

But this year, I experienced a new point of view on call day. That of professor. Four years ago I was asked to teach a preaching course for one of the seminary programs. It was the first preaching course these students went through. Yesterday, five of those students finished their programs and received their first calls.

And this was a new feeling. A feeling of pride that they had finished, that these students were now colleagues. A feeling of honor that I had played some small roll in their education and formation. And maybe, just maybe some of the things they learned from me might be put to use in their ministries.

I prefer that chair, that point of view to the others. It’s much less anxiety-producing.

Of course there are other points of view to call day. There are those congregations waiting to hear who will be placed at their congregations. There are those district presidents and staff who get to meet the new church workers that will be coming to their district. Those sound like good chairs too.

I’m curious. If you have sat through a call day from any of these chairs or points of view, what was it like?

Andy