Current Graduates

The Conference of Presidents of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has provided the following categories under which biographies are placed in the Book of Candidates.

1. Available for Assignment

Current or past graduates who have been presented to the church by Martin Luther College and are available for assignment anywhere.  Some candidates have delayed availability for assignment because they have not yet fulfilled all of the requirements necessary for assignment or because they have a spouse or fiancée/fiancé who is not in fellowship with WELS.

2. Declining Assignment

Current or past graduates who have been presented to the church by Martin Luther College but are declining to be assigned because they do not desire to teach in our WELS educational system at this time.

3. Deferring Assignment

Current or past graduates who have been presented to the church by Martin Luther College but have asked that their assignment be deferred to a later date.  Assignment may be deferred for one or two years, after which the candidate returns to the assignment committee.  Deferring students who do not present themselves for assignment after two years, by that action, indicate that they are declining assignment. Those who decline assignment in this way but at a later time desire to receive a call into the teaching ministry must do so by contacting the president of the district in which they reside.  If three or more years have passed since graduation, they must also meet requirements for re-certification as WELS teachers.

4. Limited Availability for Assignment

Current or past graduates who are available for assignment but are limited to a certain geographic area for legitimate and compelling reasons (e.g., marriage or marriage plans or spouse’s assignment).

Right of Refusal

Candidates who are offered the opportunity to decline an assignment include:

• Those assigned to foreign fields, including Canada.
• Female students assigned as tutors and married to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary students (when the husband would be required to live in the dormitory and commute to the seminary).
• Those assigned to other unique or unusual circumstances as determined by the Assignment Committee.

Eligibility for Assignment

• Candidates who have deferred their assignment or who have been unassigned are eligible for assignment for a total of three assignment cycles.  In the case of students who defer assignment, each year of deferment is included in the three-year limit.  In other words, candidates who defer for one year are eligible for assignment for two more years; candidates who defer for two years are eligible for assignment for one more year.  Candidates who defer for a third year are no longer eligible for assignment.
• Candidates who have declined their assignment but change their minds within three years of graduation should make a request of their district president to be made available for assignment.
• Eligible candidates who are unassigned at the spring assignment meeting will continue to be considered for assignment throughout the following year and can be assigned at any time.
• Assignment of candidates after an assignment meeting will be done by the respective district president and the synod president, with the Conference of Presidents being informed of the assignment.
• Candidates may be considered for assignment at three spring assignment meetings (and in the year following the third assignment meeting).  After three years of being unassigned, the candidate will no longer be considered for assignment.  Such candidates may, however, be called directly by congregations in consultation with their district president.
• Candidates assigned to temporary calls shall be considered for assignment at the three spring assignment meetings following the end of their temporary service.  During a third year of temporary assignment, candidates may be called directly by congregations in consultation with their district president.