Retirement
Ministers shall have the privilege of retiring at the age of sixty-six years, if they so desire.
(Acts of Synod 2011, p. 813)
Ministerial professors in the college and seminary shall be granted the privilege of honorable retirement with full retirement bene ts at the age of sixty-five, if they so desire.
(Acts of Synod 1960, p. 53)
Supervision of an emeritus minister (except when the minister
remains as a member in the congregation, or when the emeritation
is expected to be of a temporary nature) may be transferred, at
the minister’s request, to the church where they become a member
after emeritation.
This transfer is to be made in the following manner: the council
of the church which the emeritus minister served last formally
requests the council of the church which the emeritus minister
wishes to join, to exercise supervision over the minister.
(Acts of Synod 1968, p. 69)
Early Retirement Option
Ministers of the Word shall be granted the privilege of retiring at the age of fifty-five years, with the approval of the classes involved, under the reduced pension scale adopted by Synod 2011.
(Acts of Synod 1993, p. 579)
(Acts of Synod 2011, p. 813)
“Official Acts of Ministry”
1) Certain acts of ministry — among them the preaching of the
Word, the administration of the sacraments, the pronouncement of
blessings for the people, the laying of hands on new leaders, and
the reception and formal dismissal of members — are part of the
ministry of Christ to his followers and are entrusted to the
church and, within the church, to its ordained leaders, not to a
specific office.
2) Therefore, no long-standing, organized congregation of
Christians should be deprived of these liturgical acts simply
because it cannot provide for the presence of an ordained
minister or commissioned pastor.
3) These acts of ministry symbolize and strengthen the
relationships among the Lord, leaders, and the people of God.
Their use is a sacred trust given to leaders by the Lord for the
purpose of strengthening the flock. Therefore the administration
of these acts should continue to be regulated by the church.
(Acts of Synod 2001, p. 504)