Dear Fellow Members and Congregations of the North American Lutheran Church,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. At our 2023 Biennial Mission Convocation in Oklahoma City, NALC delegates will elect a Bishop, as well as members of the Executive Council and Court of Adjudication. In preparation for this important election, the Executive Council has provided congregations and potential Mission Convocation delegates with informative materials. Included in the sections below are:
- Descriptions of positions in need of nominations;
- Biographical information nominees or congregations are to provide for the Convocation;
- The importance of strong lay participation at all NALC Mission Convocations;
- The portions of the NALC Constitution governing Mission Convocation delegations (including mandated proportions of lay and clergy delegates), governing elections, and defining the ministry of the Bishop;
- Recommendations—approved by the Executive Council—from the 2015-2017 Task Force that studied the NALC’s procedures for electing its Bishop;
- A booklet of prayers, hymn suggestions and Scripture readings to use in the coming months to prepare for the election of our Bishop.
The deadline to submit nominations materials is May 1, 2023.
If you have questions, please email [email protected]. May the Lord guide you as you pray, discern, and discuss how your congregation and delegates will be involved in the upcoming NALC Mission Convocation.
Peace and blessings,
The Executive Council & the 2023 Nominating Committee
North American Lutheran Church
2023 Nominations
Nominations are being received for positions to be elected at the 2023 Mission Convocation held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Nominating Committee seeks nominations for the following positions:
| Executive Council | two positions (one clergy, one lay); 4-year term |
| Court of Adjudication | two positions (clergy or lay); 4-year term |
| Bishop | one position (clergy); 4-year term |
Read descriptions of these positions.
Congregations are welcome to nominate individuals for any of the open positions. All nominations should be submitted by May 1, 2023. This will give the Nominating Committee the time necessary to compile nominee biographical information and comply with the constitutional requirements about providing this information to the delegates.
It is not too early to begin making plans to send congregational delegates to the 2023 Convocation. Each congregation is entitled to send at least one lay delegate and its pastor(s).
We hope all of our congregations will prayerfully consider potential candidates for these very important positions.
Nominate a Candidate
Executive Council | Court of Adjudication | Bishop
Nomination Form
Note: The electronic form only saves your answers once you hit SUBMIT. If you would like to work on the form offline, you can download it here before submitting.
Nominee Biographical Information Form
To be Submitted by the Nominee
Note: The electronic form only saves your answers once you hit SUBMIT. If you would like to work on the form offline, you can download it before submitting electronically.
– Executive Council/ Court of Adjudication Form
– Bishop Form
Lay Participation Needed at the NALC Biennial Mission Convocation
Each congregation is entitled to send at least one lay delegate and its pastor(s).
From its birth, the North American Lutheran Church has committed itself, as one of its four Core Values, to be congregationally focused. For the NALC to grow and prosper, our congregations and their leaders need to stress the importance of participation in the NALC’s Mission Convocations, and include in their budgets enough money for both laity and clergy to attend and vote. In doing so, we have the opportunity to be part of a truly 1st Century church body!
Our NALC Constitution (7.02) requires at least 50% of the delegates with voting privileges at Mission Convocations be laity. We are blessed that many clergy realize the importance of attending the Annual Convocation.
But year after year, there have been less than an equal number of lay delegates in attendance, which is leading to a growing imbalance in representation. This imbalance is a failure to uphold the mandates of the Constitution and has other ramifications as well. Help us remain congregationally focused by encouraging lay people to vote in this important election and to participate in the work of the greater Church.
We ask that you prayerfully discern the importance of your congregation being represented at our Mission Convocation. By attending you will strengthen your own ministries and help to make the election of a Bishop a widely shared decision of both lay persons and clergy across our entire Church body.
Task Force Studying the NALC’s Procedure for Electing a Bishop
Recommendations approved by the Executive Council, January 25, 2017. Revised January 25, 2023.
- We recommend that candidates for election to the office of Bishop address the Convocation by spoken word, including giving responses to If there are more than four candidates on the ballot, such speaking should commence after the number of candidates has been reduced to four as provided by Article 8, Section 8.06 of the NALC Constitution.
- We recommend that a set of instructions be provided by the Bishop and/or the General Secretary to the Nominating Committee and Elections Committee. In addition to many other important matters, these instructions should include:
- that the Nominating Committee urge pastors to be open to the encouragement of those who approach them as possible candidates for the office of Bishop, prayerfully considering whether God is calling them;
- that the Nominating Committee encourage those pastors who aspire to the office of Bishop to make their aspirations known to their congregations or to the Executive Council;
- that the Nominating Committee encourage NALC congregations, at all worship services during the year prior to the election of a Bishop, to pray that God would make known to us the one He has chosen for this ministry; and encourage the people of the NALC to offer similar prayers in their private devotions as well;
- that the Nominating Committee, before including candidates for the office of Bishop on the ballot, verify that they are ordained ministers of the NALC in good standing;
- that the Elections Committee counsel the Convocation to a spirit of solemnity throughout all elections;
- that the Elections Committee discourage applause or other demonstrations when election results are announced;
- that the Elections Committee urge strict adherence to the Convocation agenda’s published times for balloting.
- We recommend that the Convocation agenda, in years when a Bishop is to be elected, maximize the time devoted to the election process, and therefore reduce the amount of time devoted to other business. We also recommend that Convocations in years when a Bishop is to be elected be a half day longer than in other years.
- We recommend, when an incumbent Bishop is a candidate for re-election, that the General Secretary preside over the Convocation during the election for Bishop.
Prayers of Discernment
Understanding that congregations pray for such events in different ways, it seemed appropriate that we offer a variety of prayer resources for the election of our future Bishop.
The “Prayers of Discernment” booklet below contains material, collected from different worship resources, that is intended for use in public worship, prayer, small or large groups, and individual devotions.
Questions? Email the Rev. Hugh Brewer, nominating committee chair, at [email protected].