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Is Your Congregation SAM Leadership Team Struggling to call a full or part time pastor due to limited finances Located in a place where there is a limited number of supply and interim pastors who can provide consistent leadership Worried about its future and afraid that without a consistent pastor you won t survive Longing for pastoral leadership to care for your members and lead worship Willing to receive an authorized and approved SAM to provide weekly worship pastoral care and more The SAM Leadership Team consists of rostered ministers who give their time and expertise to guide SAM candidates during the formation and placement process Their work is supported by rostered ministers who mentor SAMS after they have been placed The Rev Anna Havron serves as chair of the SAM Leadership Team and is the first point of contact The Rev Kelly Bayer Derrick Assistant to the Bishop works with the leadership team If so we invite you to prayerfully consider requesting a Synodically Authorized Minister Interested If you are interested in learning more about the SAM Formation Program or becoming a SAM please contact Pastor Anna Havron at sams vasynod org For more information Does Your Congregation Have someone who is willing to enter the SAM formation process so that they can be authorized to serve your congregation vasynod org synod authorized ministers Virginia Synod ELCA 540 389 1000 www vasynod org PO Box 70 Salem VA 24153 Congregations and Synod Authorized Ministers What is a SAM SAMs are Synod Authorized Ministers who have completed an 18 month program and have been approved by the bishop of the VA Synod to serve in small congregations that can t call an ordained pastor due to geographic or financial challenges

Is a SAM Right for You A Synod Authorized Minister may be right for your congregation if You re a small congregation and are unable to fund a full or part time pastor You re located in a geographic area where there aren t ordained people who can serve as a supply or interim pastor If one or both of these situations describe you then having a SAM may be a good solution for you SAMs Are MEMBERS They are active members of ELCA congregations in the Virginia Synod TRAINED They have completed the 18month formation program and have been approved and authorized to preach plan and lead worship administer the sacraments and provide pastoral care in a specific congregation TRUSTWORTHY They are committed to adhering to the Definitions and Guidelines for Rostered Ministers WILLING They are willing to serve at the discretion of the bishop of the Virginia Synod Identifying a SAM Receiving a SAM Be open to receiving a SAM when a member of the VA Synod s staff mentions the possibility to you Prayerfully consider how the SAM can serve your congregation Talk with congregation members to enlist their support and acceptance When a SAM is assigned to your congregation be sure to complete the SAM covenant making it clear what the congregation expects of the SAM and what the SAM expects of the congregation The covenant will be sent to the SAM Leadership Team Commit to praying for the SAM and their family Make every effort to welcome and support them Compensation SAMs are compensated by the congregation they serve and the compensation for each worship service they lead should be between 200 and 300 The SAM Leadership Team is developing guidelines for additional SAM compensation Is there someone in your congregation who is a recognized leader with gifts for ministry If so this person may be willing to be trained and approved as a SAM Speak with this person and invite them to prayerfully consider serving as a SAM Once trained the person may be authorized to serve in your congregation or in another congregation in the synod Sometimes a person may sense a call to be trained as a SAM They may initiate a conversation with their pastor and congregation council The sponsoring pastor and congregation council should submit a recommendation for the candidate to the SAM Leadership Team Program Costs The non refundable application fee is 50 This fee covers the background check and administrative costs The anticipated program costs are estimated to be 2 250 over the 18 month period The SAM Formation Program costs are split into two parts 1 theology Bible preaching and worship 5 courses 1 500 2 pastoral care and leadership 3 courses 750 The cost for the program should be shared between the sponsoring congregation 75 and the SAM candidate 25