Friday, December 03, 2004
Employee Screening - In the News
Excerpt from:
Lutherans adopt new policy with stricter screening for pastors
03 Dec 2004
The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted the 2004 edition of the "Candidacy Manual of the ELCA," which guides the church's candidacy process, including ways it screens potential pastors and professional lay ministers, according to the ELCA News Service...
The revised manual emphasizes principles of hospitality, accountability and communication in the candidacy process, Olson said. It also gives added importance to the health and wellness of church leaders, he said.
Background checks into criminal records, motor vehicle records and credit information are new to the process, Olson said. While the information from a background check would not automatically disqualify someone from candidacy, he said, it may provide candidacy committees topics to pursue with candidates. The manual also provides churchwide standards for the candidacy process, he said.
The revised manual will be available in print and on the Internet, according to Olson. All procedures revised in the new manual will go into effect Feb. 1, 2005.
