Cast Out! is an organization for ELCA pastors who have been arbitrarily removed from the clergy roster.  Such pastors have not been guilty of heresy, immoral behaviour, malfeasance, or breach of confidentiality. Typically, they are forced from a call, placed on the “on leave from call” list, and then removed from that list by the bishop and the synod council. On some occasions, this is done at the end of three years; sometimes, it is done sooner.  This is done generally after a bishop, who has complete control over the call process, either does nothing to recommend a pastor to a congregation, or actively prevents the pastor from finding a call.  The bishop then recommends that a pastor be taken off the roster, as the bishop concludes that “nobody wants this pastor,” and that it is therefore not necessary to keep the pastor on the roster. The pastor is typically not present at the synod council meeting wherein this action takes place, and is not invited.

 We in Cast Out! are such pastors.  We offer support to our brother and sister pastors who have suffered this fate of cynical, arbitrary removal from the clergy roster.  In addition to mutual support, we want the immediate reinstatement of all pastors who have been cast out, and we want to see changes made to end this practice. And, remember that we are still pastors, still ordained, still called to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.  The Church may control our Careers, but our Call has come from God.

IF YOU ARE SUCH A PASTOR, please join us.  Help us to support one another, and to formulate together a plan of action.

IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOU, BUT YOU ARE BACK ON THE ROSTER, please support us: let us stop this practice.

IF YOU ARE A PASTOR, AND THIS HASN'T HAPPENED TO YOU, but know an injustice when you see one, please support us.

IF YOU ARE A LAYPERSON who thinks that arbitrarily removing pastors from the roster is wrong, please support us.