Eastern
Pennsylvania Conference
Board of Ordained Ministry
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Website ________________
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Local Church Resources
Paragraph 247.8 of the 2004 Book of Discipline states that "it is out of the faith and witness of the congregation that men and women respond to God's call to ordained ministry. Every local church should [therefore] intentionally nurture candidates for ordained ministry and provide spiritual and some financial support."
Within the structure of the church, there are three primary persons/groups who have responsibility for encouraging persons to become candidates for ordained ministry, and supporting them once they respond: the pastor, the Staff-Parish Committee, and the Charge Conference.
The Pastor
The pastor can encourage people to consider if God might be calling them into ordained ministry by highlighting the the role of ordained pastors in the work of the church through a special Sunday each year (as approved by Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference action), and speaking specifically with persons who exhibit the appropriate gifts and graces for ordained ministry. The pastor is also charged with helping an inquiring candidate obtain the book The Christian As Minister, discussing it with them if needed, helping them consult with the District Superintendent about working through the Ministry Inquiry Process with a guide (an ordained Elder or Deacon), and serving as a resource to interpret the steps the candidate will need to work through to be ordained. After a person becomes a candidate, the pastor can continue to be supportive by helping them navigate the candidacy process, and serving as a mentor.
Staff-Parish Committee
Paragraph 310.2a states that when a candidate completes The Christian As Minister and the Ministry Inquiry Process, and has decided to officially enter into the candidacy process, they are to "consult with their pastor and committee on pastor or staff-parish relations after formulating a written statement reflecting their call to ministry and requesting recommendation for certification." A very important instruction for the nature of this examination then states that "the candidate shall be interviewed by the committee on his or her statement of call and Wesley's historic questions in paragraph 305."
Charge Conference
If the Staff-Parish Committee agrees to recommend the candidate, they are brought before the Charge Conference, which "shall examine and recommend to the District Committee on Ordained Ministry, faithfully adhering to the provisions of paragraph 311.2b, candidates for the ordained ministry who have been professing members in good standing of the United Methodist Church for at least two years; whose gifts, evidence of God's grace, and call to the ministry clearly establish them as candidates; and who have met the educational requirements." The Charge Conference is also then required to annually renew their approval of the candidate continuing in the ordination process.
There is great deal of information on this site to help the local church perform its role in examining and recommending candidates for ordained ministry to the District Committee on Ministry. Particular items that would be helpful for the Staff-Parish Committee to have available are:
Local Church Responsibility Checklist
Candidacy
Guidebook Application (Form 101)
Charge Conference Candadate Approval Form (Form 104)
Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
Since there are costs with many of the items listed above, the local church may want to consider how it could be supportive of the candidate in accordance with paragraph 247.8 of the 2004 Book of Discipline.
For an overview of the candidacy process, or to download the forms a candidate will need for candidacy toward ordained ministry click here.
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