That particular problem has been wrestled with for many centuries by the various Catholic groups, and was at one time (13th/14th centuries) thought resolved when all the deacons were gathered together into wealthy and powerful abbeys.
The Protestant Reformation swept that aside and the Counter-reformation put the priests back into the parishes ~ which did tend to muddy the waters.
The ELCA carries with it a history of Scandinavian style "Lutheranism" which involves making the ministers (priests) into government employees ~ but absent those church taxes in the old world, thrown back on their own resources as a denomination formed out of the wreckage of several dozen different ethnic/national group synods, they've become prey for hungry retirees.
One thing Fur Shur, the Roman Catholics are holding the line at allowing priests to marry, but they are living longer and costing more in the long run.
I hope no one things I've intruded into theological matters in this problem which is quite arguably purely ecclesiastical and universal!