Presbytery of East Iowa

Different Pastoral Relationships

There are several different pastoral relationships, or positions, that may be occupied by a Minister of the Word and Sacrament, or by an elder, inquirer or candidate. It is helpful to understand these differences prior to seeking a new pastor. This is a summary of these relationships. For more details, please consult the Book of Order, sections G-14.0501 through G-14.0513 and G-14.0801 (Commissioned Lay Pastor). When a church is without a pastor, the session of the church should consult with the Committee on Ministry (COM) in making a decision on the type of pastoral relationship that would be appropriate for the church to pursue.

There are three basic types of pastoral relationships that may be held by a minister of the Word and Sacrament: Permanent, Designated, and Temporary. In some cases an elder, inquirer or candidate may be a Temporary Supply. In addition the Presbytery of East Iowa trains elders to serve as Commissioned Lay Pastors. Ministers taking the positions of Permanent Pastor and Designated Pastor are formally installed by the presbytery. Those filling a temporary relationship are not formally installed. The call and contract forms for each of these relationships is available as a link from this page. Each relationship is summarized below.

Permanent Pastor
Permanent pastoral relationships for a minister of the Word and Sacrament are pastor, co-pastor or associate pastor. In seeking a Permanent Pastor, the church conducts a full national search through its elected pastor nominating committee. The Permanent Pastor is called by a vote of the congregation for an indefinite period of time, approved by COM on behalf of the presbytery, and installed to the position by the presbytery.

Temporary Relationships
When a church is without a pastor, or the pastor is incapacitated, the church may wish to contract for temporary pastoral services. There is no formal call from the congregation or formal installation. The relationship is written into a contract between the person providing the temporary services, the church session and the presbytery, which approves the contract through its Committee on Ministry. The temporary pastoral relationships are those of Stated Supply, Interim Pastor, Interim Co-Pastor, Interim Associate Pastor, Temporary Supply and Organizing Pastor. The relationships are summarized below:

Stated Supply
A Stated Supply is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament who has been appointed by COM, on behalf of the presbytery, after consultation with the session, to perform the functions of a pastor in a church which is not seeking an installed pastor. The relationship is for no more than twelve months and may be renewed. The Committee on Ministry may appoint the Stated Supply as moderator of the session.

Interim Pastor
An interim Pastor is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament invited by the session of a church without an installed pastor to act as pastor for a specified period not to exceed twelve months while the church is seeking a Permanent Pastor. The relationship must be approved by the Committee on Ministry and may be renewed. An Interim Pastor may not be called to be the next installed pastor, co-pastor or associate pastor of a church he or she has served as Interim Pastor.

Temporary Supply
A church without a pastor may wish to secure the services of a Temporary Supply after consultation with, and approval of COM acting on behalf of the presbytery. A Temporary Supply is usually a Minister of the Word and Sacrament, but may also be a candidate, an inquirer, a commissioned lay pastor, or an elder. A Temporary Supply may be called as Permanent Pastor of a church served as Temporary Supply after six months have elapsed since the end of the temporary supply relationship, or with a two-thirds vote of presbytery. Presbytery may shorten the six month period.

Designated Pastor
A Designated Pastor, Associate Pastor or Co-Pastor is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament nominated by the church’s pastor nominating committee only from among the names provided and approved by COM. The minister is elected for not less than two years or more than four years by the congregation and is installed by the presbytery. The term may be renewed. The Committee on Ministry may appoint the Designated Pastor as moderator of the session.

The Designated Pastor may be called as Permanent Pastor if certain conditions are met: (1) there must have been an open search by the Committee on Ministry resulting in submission of no less than three candidates for Designated Pastor to the church for consideration, (2) after two years of the designated pastoral relationship, and (3) with approval of the Committee on Ministry. If these conditions have been met, the session may act in place of a pastor nominating committee to call a congregational meeting for the purpose of calling the Designated Pastor as Permanent Pastor. Alternatively, the session may call a congregational meeting to elect a pastor nominating committee either to conduct a full pastoral search or to prosecute the call by nominating the Designated Pastor as Permanent Pastor in a subsequent congregational meeting.

Commissioned Lay Pastor
The Commissioned Lay Pastor (CLP) is an elder of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who is granted a local commission by the presbytery to be a CLP. The commission is for a specific church or churches and for a term of no more than three years. The term may be renewed. A CLP receives formal training in preparation for service and must be supervised by a Minister of the Word and Sacrament. The Committee on Ministry may appoint the CLP as moderator of the session. A CLP may be authorized to perform any or all of the following functions: