Preparing Calls to Licentiates

When to write a call:

A call should be written after:

• A man has been licensed (unless he is already a minister) (FG XXII.1)
• The Session has approved inviting him to preach and the congregation has heard him preach (FG XXII.3)
• The Session has considered the nomination(s) and called a congregational meeting to act on the Session's or special committee's report (FG XXII.4)
• The congregation has determined to proceed to call a pastor (FG XXII.5)
• A majority of the congregation, through ballot, votes to extend a call (FG XXII.6)

After these things, the call shall be drawn up in due form and the presbytery informed of the proceedings.

How to write a call:

A call shall be written in the following or like form: (FG XXII.9)

The congregation of _____________________ Church being, on sufficient grounds, well satisfied with the ministerial qualifications of you _______________________, and having good hopes that your ministrations in the gospel will be profitable to our spiritual interests, do earnestly call and desire you to undertake the pastoral office in said congregation; promising you in the discharge of your duty all proper support, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord. And that you may be free from worldly care and employment, we promise and oblige ourselves to pay you the sum of _____________ in regular ____________ payments during the time of your being and continuing the regular pastor of this church, together with free use of a house and _______________ vacation each year.

The congregation shall vote on the terms of the call which should include:

• Salary
     ▫ Include yearly salary total
     ▫ Delineate between salary proper and housing allowance
     ▫ Include how it will be paid (i.e. bi-monthly payments)
     ▫ See ______ for OPC suggested pay scale
• Housing Allowance (if not included in salary)
• Retirement Provision
     ▫ How will the congregation provide for pastor's retirement
• Medical insurance allowance
• Study/Book allowance
     ▫ What is the allowance for pastor's books
     ▫ Is there an allowance for classes, conferences
• Mileage/car allowance
     ▫ What is the yearly allowance for mileage reimbursement
• Vacation time
     ▫ Four weeks of vacation time are typical
     ▫ Often one week is provided for professional development
• Moving expenses
     ▫ What is the allowance for moving expenses

A chart summarizing the package breakdown will be most helpful, i.e. Pastor Otto Patrick Cannelloni's 2009 Salary Package:

Total salary package $50,000.00

Breakdown:
	Salary:	$25,000.
	Retirement Pension:	$ 3,000.
	Housing Allowance:	$12,000.
	Medical/Life ins	$ 6,500.
	Mileage:	$ 2,500.
	Books/Development:	$ 1000.
	Total:	$50,000.

Some things to consider:

• Who is the calling congregation?
     ▫ If yours is a particularized church, your congregation is the calling congregation. However, if you are not yet a particularized church, the call must come from the overseeing session.
• Free from Worldly Care? If the salary package will not free the pastor from worldly care do not include that language in the call. Rather, it may be wise to include language anticipating more adequate remuneration in the future. A good reference point for salary is the OPC's suggested pay scale.
• Who signs the call?
     ▫ The call should be subscribed by the electors, or by session or other representatives of its choice (FG XXII.7)

Where to send the call:

The clerk of Session shall send a copy of the call to the clerk of the presbytery (FG XXII.7). It would be expedient to copy the assistant clerk and moderator as well.

• Clerk:     Reverend Ken Smith    smith.3(at)opc(dot)org
• Assistant Clerk:    Pastor Stephen Pribble    pribble.1(at)opc(dot)org
• Moderator:     Pastor Bob VanManen    vanmanen.1(at)opc(dot)org

Prior to sending the call to presbytery, it would be wise to send a copy to the Candidates and Credentials Committee so that they can review it and suggest perfections. The reason for this is that the call must be voted on by the congregation and therefore cannot be changed on the floor of Presbytery. The Candidates and Credentials committee email is cc(at)pmocc(dot)org.

What do send with the call:

Send to presbytery:

• a copy of the call including its terms
• certification that the congregational meeting was valid and that the call has been prepared in all respects as directed by vote of the congregation (i.e. copy of the minutes of the congregational meeting where the vote was taken).

Sample call letter

October 14, 2009

Mr. Otto P. Cannelloni
777 Canada Dr
Ontario, MI
USA 49002

Dear Otto,

Greetings in our Lord! The congregation of Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church, being, on sufficient grounds, well satisfied with the ministerial qualifications of you, Otto P. Cannelloni, and having good hopes that our ministrations in the gospel will be profitable to our spiritual interests, do earnestly call and desire you to undertake the pastoral office in said congregation; promising you in the discharge of your duty all proper support, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord. And that you may be free from worldly care and employment, we promise and oblige ourselves to pay you the sum of $50,000.00 ($25,000 salary and $12,000 housing) in regular bi-monthly payments, $3,000 retirement pension, up to $6,500 Medical Insurance, up to $2,500 for mileage, and $1,000 for books/development, with four weeks vacation each year and one week of paid study leave, during the time of your being and continuing the regular pastor of this church. We will also pay a one time moving expense up to $3,000.

Total salary package $50,000.00

Breakdown:
	Salary:	$25,000.
	Retirement Pension:	$ 3,000.
	Housing Allowance:	$12,000.
	Medical/Life ins	$ 6,500.
	Mileage:	$ 2,500.
	Books/Development:	$ 1000.
	Total:	$50,000.

In Christian love,

Peter T. Vanjerson, Clerk of Session

 

  Download a Sample Call Letter (pdf)

  See also Policies and Guidelines on Pastor's Salaries from the Presbytery of Michigan and Ontario