Any credentialed* Covenant pastor may express a willingness to have his or her name be open to a new call. We ask that pastors take the following steps when going through the call process:

• The pastor must inform the conference superintendent and/or the Department of the Ordered Ministry of their interest in being open to a call.
• The pastor must complete the Covenant Minister’s Profile Form on CovConnect which may then be viewed by the department staff and all superintendents. (Access to CovConnect is password-protected. If you do not have your username and password, contact us (see sidebar).
• The pastor must have a current (within seven years, if serving continuously in a ministry setting) Criminal Record Screening Form on file with the Department of the Ordered Ministry.

Through the CovConnect program, superintendents will be able to match open pastors with open positions. The superintendents may then refer candidates to churches with an active position search. A pastor may also submit his or her name directly to a church, informing the superintendent in that area that he or she has done so.

During the period in which a pastor is open to call, the pastor is encouraged to be his or her own advocate, contacting the superintendent or the Department of the Ordered Ministry for updates and information on the process. The Evangelical Covenant Church does not function as a placement agency and can only recommend names to the local church. Each church is autonomous and makes its own decisions regarding the call of pastors and staff.

* Non-credentialed graduates of North Park Theological Seminary, CHET, and Covenant Orientation enrollees may also be placed on the Open to Call list.

Church Search Committees

If you are serving on a search committee or your church is in the process of seeking a pastor or staff member, contact your conference office for specific resources to assist you. The following resources may also be of help to you.

You are encouraged to complete a position profile online through CovConnect.