Dear Colleagues,
As we prepare to enter a new chapter in the life of our Region, I want to provide clarity regarding clergy standing requirements for 2027.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin will become the Living Waters Region. This transition represents more than a change in name or geographic configuration. We are bringing together congregations, clergy, governance structures, policies, procedures, and administrative practices from two regions into one regional structure.
Because this work is occurring in stages, the standing requirements for clergy in 2027 will not be identical across the two regions during the transition year.
A Transitional Year
For clergy serving in Michigan, the existing Michigan clergy standing requirements and applicable policies will remain in effect during 2027 until the new Living Waters governance, policies, and procedures have been formally reviewed, approved, and implemented.
For clergy serving in Illinois and Wisconsin, the existing regional requirements will continue to guide the standing process during this same transitional period.
This means that, during 2027, there may be differences in the requirements, documentation, deadlines, or processes applicable to clergy depending upon the state in which they are serving.
These differences are intentional and temporary. They are not intended to establish different standards of worthiness, professional expectation, or accountability among our clergy. Rather, they recognize that we cannot responsibly declare a single set of regional policies operational until the necessary governance structures have been established and the policies and procedures have been properly reviewed and adopted.
Why This Matters
The new Living Waters Region will have a new Regional Church Council, Executive Committee, committees, and other governing structures. Those bodies will need sufficient opportunity to examine the policies and procedures that will govern the Region, including matters related to clergy standing.
The Policy and Procedures Committee will also be engaged in the important work of bringing our existing policies into alignment while ensuring that the resulting policies meet the legal, ecclesial, and administrative requirements of all three states.
We do not want to rush this process simply to create the appearance of uniformity.
Uniformity is important, but so is due process. Our goal is to establish policies that are clear, fair, sustainable, legally appropriate, and reflective of the ecclesiology and ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
What Clergy Should Expect in 2027
Clergy should therefore understand 2027 as a transition year.
Until the Living Waters policies and procedures become fully operational:
- Clergy should continue to meet the standing requirements currently applicable to their current region.
- Michigan clergy should continue to follow the applicable Michigan standing requirements.
- Illinois and Wisconsin clergy should continue to follow the requirements currently applicable in their region.
- Clergy should not assume that the adoption of the Living Waters Region on January 1, 2027, automatically makes every new regional policy immediately operational.
- Any changes to clergy standing requirements will be communicated clearly once the appropriate governance bodies have reviewed, approved, and established an implementation date.
We anticipate that this convergence work will continue throughout 2027. The exact implementation timeline will depend upon the work of the new Living Waters governance structures and the completion of the necessary policy and procedural reviews.
A Commitment to Fairness
I recognize that having different requirements during a transition year may create questions. It is important, therefore, to state clearly that different does not mean unequal.
We are honoring the structures that are currently in place while we build something new together.
Our responsibility is to make this transition carefully, transparently, and faithfully. We owe that to our clergy, our congregations, our Regional Church Councils, and ultimately to the church we are called to serve.As we move toward becoming the Living Waters Region, our hope is that the policies and procedures eventually adopted will provide a common framework for all of our clergy while respecting the distinct legal and ecclesial contexts from which we come.
Thank you for your patience, your ministry, and your willingness to walk together through this important season of transition.
We are building this new Region together… with wisdom, with care, and with living water.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Dr. William E. Crowder Jr.
Regional Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin