Eastern
Pennsylvania
Conference
Board of Ordained Ministry
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Website ________________
________________
Committees/Work Areas
To carry out its work, the Board has numerous standing committees. For more information about a committee, or to get a particular form, click on the appropriate work area below or scroll down to that section.
Ethnic Recruitment Extension Ministries
Marital Separation & Divorce Pastoral Care
Retired Clergy Seminary Visitation
Vocational Intern Program and Young Clergy Initiative
For information about recruitment of ethnic minorities for ordained and licensed ministry in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, please contact Allen Jenkins, 215-468-1999, stbarnbeth@aol.com.
Paragraph 343 of the 2004 Book of Discipline states that "Elders in effective relationship may be appointed to serve in ministry settings beyond the local United Methodist church in the witness and service of Christ's love and justice. Persons in these appointments remain with the itineracy and shall be accountable to the annual conference. One way that accountability is maintained is through the submission of an annual report, including Report Form 0-687-099692, Eastern PA Conference Supplement to Form No. 251737 and a one or two page narrative about your work. For questions or information about submitting this report and time of submission, contact your District Superintendent. An alternate contact for information is the Extension Ministry Liaison on the Board of Ordained Ministry, Candace Carter, 215-638-4090, Candace0108@aol.com.
The Social Principles state in ¶161d the United Methodist position on divorce. It states that "God's plan is for lifelong, faithful marriage. The Church must be on the forefront of premarital and postmarital counseling in order to create and preserve strong marriages. However, when a married couple is estranged beyond reconciliation, even after thoughtful consideration and counsel, divorce is a regrettable alternative in the midst of brokenness. We grieve over the devastating emotional, spiritual, and economic consequences of divorce for all involved and are concerned about high divorce rates."
This
position/belief is especially true when it comes to ordained clergy and
their
families. Should you find yourself in a situation of marital
difficulty,
separation, or a pending or completed divorce, the Marital Separation
&
Divorce Committee requests that you be in communication with them as
soon as
possible. To initiate this process, contact Rev. Charles Cole (610) 644-5300
revcharliecole@yahoo.com
The purpose of the Pastoral Care Committee of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference is to help clergy and their families with pastoral care needs and to provide workshops for sexual ethics and self care.
Sexual Ethics Education Requirements
All incoming clergy must take the Basic Sexual Ethics seminar before being ordained, or in the year they begin serving as a local pastor or transfer into this conference. The basic workshop is offered yearly.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference requires all clergy whether serving a local church or on extension ministry (and retired clergy who are serving in appointments) to take an Advanced Sexual Ethics Workshop (.5 CEU’s) each quadrennium. The Pastoral Care Committee will provide these workshops.
For further information about pastoral care issues or subsidies, or sexual ethics training requirements, please contact Rev. Mark Young (610) 737-1295 alvkrinst@aol.com
Subsidies
There is subsidy help available for clergy and their families for pastoral care or spiritual direction. To read the policy governing subsidies, click here.
Paragraph 359 of the 2004 Book of Discipline contains complete information about clergy retirement status and procedures, including the requirement that "requests for retirement shall be stated in writing to the bishop, cabinet, and Board of Ordained Ministry at least one hundred and twenty day prior to the date on which retirement is to be effective."
For more
information, and
help with contacting the numerous entities involved in this process,
contact Mrs.
Judy Ehninger (610) 965-2290
ehninger@ptd.net
For information about seminary visitation, contact
Vocational
Intern Program and Young Clergy Initiative
The Vocational Intern Program is a project of the Board of Ordained Ministry for men and women college age and beyond who are considering a vocation in ministry in the United Methodist Church. The Vocational Intern Program provides an opportunity for participants to have “real life” experiences of Christian ministry in parish situations or specialized settings.
Participants receive a stipend of $3000 for ten weeks of service, normally in the period of June through August. Applicants must have completed at least one year of college and be a member of the United Methodist Church. Applications are due by May 1 each year. To find out more, print out the brochure. To take the next step, print and fill out the following materials:
Expectations Explanation Intern Application Church/Agency Application
Questions
may be addressed to
Rev.
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