All rostered church workers are eligible for ecclesiastical ecclesiastical endorsement within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) to bring Word and Sacrament-centered care beyond the traditional congregational setting.
Ecclesiastical Endorsement Standards and Procedures, a manual from LCMS Specialized Spiritual Care Ministry, provides a comprehensive framework for obtaining and maintaining the necessary levels of theological and ministerial competence for ministry in these settings:
- Hospitals,
- Senior living communities,
- Correctional facilities,
- Emergency services agencies,
- Disaster response efforts, and
- Other specialized environments.
This ecclesiastical endorsement is different than the endorsement needed by military or VA chaplains;
that endorsement is granted by LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces.