PALS facilitators gather for training, collaboration

The Rev. Jonathan Manor, director of PALS, talks to the Rev. Steve and Calie Vera during the 2026 PALS Facilitators Conference. Steve Vera serves as pastor of King of Kings Lutheran Church, Mountain Lakes, N.J. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

On June 22 and 23, PALS (Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support) facilitators from around the country gathered at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) International Center (IC) in St. Louis for the annual PALS Facilitators Conference. The 24 facilitators who attended included eight new facilitators who are just beginning their service with PALS, which assists new pastors and their families with the transition from seminary to parish life.

This year’s conference theme coincided with the theme of the 2026 LCMS convention: “Christ Is Risen Indeed.” Each day of the conference began with Bible study, focusing on Christ’s resurrection and the resurrection of all flesh as promised in 1 Corinthians 15:50–58:

“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. … Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

The conference also included time for conversation, worship and fellowship, as well as the opportunity to celebrate all the blessings of PALS. The Rev. Jonathan Manor, director of PALS and continuing education for the LCMS Office of Pastoral Education, summarizes a few of those blessings: “God’s Word; each of our facilitators; each pastor and wife in every PALS group; future church workers; and all the ways PALS has impacted pastors and their families, congregations and facilitators over the years.”

The Rev. Christopher and Heather Nitzel, who are beginning their sixth year as PALS facilitators in LCMS Iowa District West, decided to become facilitators after personally experiencing the benefits of the program as participants. Noting the camaraderie and close relationships seminarians tend to develop as part of their formation, Rev. Nitzel said it can be difficult to make the transition to a context in which that community is no longer as readily accessible. PALS fills that gap, at least to some extent: “You [PALS participants] are all going through the same thing in different situations. Whether you’re second career or you went straight to seminary from college, you’re all in your first call, all in a new place, going through this as a family.”

Heather Nitzel agrees: “Wives can feel isolated. … Most of them come from this great seminary experience where they had wives’ groups and support and [other] families [to interact with] … and [their husband] may be very busy trying to get things done, so … wives and families can feel very lonely.” Because PALS events typically include activities for both wives and children, they provide a means for the whole family to create relationships with others in the district — relationships that typically have a ripple effect, making it easier to connect even beyond the PALS group.

A full two days

During the conference, experienced and new facilitators broke into groups to focus on what was most important for each: New facilitators covered the nuts and bolts of serving as facilitators, while their more experienced counterparts spent time sharing both the joys and challenges of serving. In addition, the full group discussed the current PALS curriculum, considering which resources have been well received, what additional continuing education resources have been used and what new resources are being developed.

Participants also:

Heard updates about Set Apart to Serve, the Synodwide effort to build a culture of church work recruitment and formation;

Were reminded to encourage the pastors in their PALS groups to avail themselves of continuing education opportunities available through the two LCMS seminaries, the Preach the Word project and the DOXOLOGY Classic Program;

Heard results of a recent survey of pastors in their first 15 years of ministry, conducted by LCMS Rosters, Statistics and Research Services, that give insight into reasons people participate (or not) in PALS, the benefits of PALS participation and ideas on how the PALS program could be improved;

Received practical tips, information on best practices and suggestions for free resources from LCMS Communications;

Heard from the Rev. Dr. Thomas Egger, president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, who expressed his thanks to the facilitators for their care and support for graduates as they transition from seminary to their first calls; and

Visited with LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison in his office at the IC.

Manor summarized the conference: “What a joy for the PALS facilitators and PALS staff to spend this time together at our annual conference, encouraging one another and rejoicing in the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior for our forgiveness and salvation.”

Learn more about PALS.

Posted Aug. 21, 2026