Accompanying people as they ponder and discern what God is calling us to do now with our lives is the work of the Candidacy Committee. As the Christian Church participates in God’s mission in the world, there is a renewed awareness that God is making all things new. As both the Church and its contexts for ministry change, so do the leadership needs of the Church.

Discernment is a life-long process which continually assesses how God may be calling a person into ministry. It is a means for determining who might serve as a rostered leader, as well as who might serve in a variety of lay leadership roles in the church or in the world. Through congregational involvement, mentoring, working with a Candidacy Committee, and engaging in theological education, a person arrives at a sense of the kind of leader God is calling them to be.

• Virginia Synod Candidacy Committee Guidelines

• The Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick Assistant to the Bishop
• Deacon Lisa Geiger Candidacy Process Administrator
• The Rev. Derek Boggs Chaplain, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mt. Sidney
• Robert Quandahl, Committee Chair, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hampton
• Jim Ingraham, Lay Member – Christ Lutheran Church, Richmond
• Gary Kinder, Lay Member – Grace Lutheran Church, Rural Retreat
• Anna Lehman, Lay Member – Grace Lutheran Church, Winchester
• The Rev. Anne Jones Martin, Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg
• David Mayersky, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Lexington
• The Rev. Viktoria Parvin, St. Mark Lutheran Church, Charlottesville
• The Rev. Luke Swanson, Trinity Lutheran Church, Roanoke
• Carl Williams Lay Member – Grace and Glory Lutheran Church, Palmyra
• The Rev. Sonya Williams-Giersch, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Winchester
• Dr. Brent Driggers, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
• The Rev. Lianet Ramirez Barrientos, Region 9 Candidacy and Leadership Manager

Anyone discerning a call to rostered ministry is encouraged to attend the Vocations Conference in August of each year – the sooner in your discernment, the better equipped you will be to prayerfully consider how God is calling you to use your faith gifts through your vocational call.

The Virginia Synod Vocations Conference allows persons who are wondering what professional ministry in the church is like to spend time with those who have experience within the church. It allows time for reflection, conversations, and questions concerning one’s call and gifts for ministry through ample opportunities for fellowship and free time. It provides a retreat setting for helping individuals discern their gifts for ministry.

2023 Vocations Retreat on August 4-5 at Roslyn Conference and Retreat Center in Richmond or digitally online.

In a famous fishing episode in the Gospel of John, Jesus invites weary fisherman to be brave and try a creative casting approach: toss the net on the other side of the boat! Trusting in Jesus’ word and the Spirit’s power, seminarians, rostered ministers, and congregations are “casting in a new direction.” God is equipping us to vision for ministry on the other side of the pandemic with the Spirit’s innovation and boldness.

The Candidacy Committee of the Virginia Synod invites those discerning a call to public ministry and candidates for the Ministry of Word and Service (Deacon) and Word and Sacrament (Pastor) to attend the 2023 Vocations Retreat: Casting in a New Direction. Those in attendance will hear stories from seminarians, deacons, and pastors who are active in both traditional settings and outsider-the-box contexts. The retreat will include worship, opportunities for spiritual renewal, fellowship, and an overview of the candidacy process.

Registration Information: While some keynote conversations will be offered in a hybrid format, all other parts of the retreat are in-person only.

Cost: There is no cost for candidacy committee members, for VA Synod pastors and deacons, and for VA Synod candidates for ministry (who have had an Entrance interview). For all others, the cost is $50 for in-person and $25 for online. Congregations are encouraged to pay for those who are discerning a call to ordained ministry to attend this retreat.

Register Here.

The 2021 Vocations Conference was held via Zoom. You can view an edited recording of the Conference here.

Intro to Candidacy Materials:

• FAQ
• 2020 Candidacy Manual
• Summary of Candidacy
• Process Checklist
• Wholeness Wheel
• Financial Information Form
• Candidate_FERPA Release Form
• ELCA Candidacy Forms & Information
• Called to Lead (Discernment Guide)

Reading Material:

• Reading List
• Definitions and Guidelines

For information on submitting Candidacy Forms, please contact Deacon Lisa Geiger: geiger@vasynod.org