Chapter 2 District Committee on Ordained Ministry (dCOM)

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SECTION 1 | Organization and Governance

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For more information, contact GBHEM’s Executive Director of Candidacy and Conference Relations at [email protected] or

615-340-7374.

“e district Committee on Ordained Ministry shall be amenable to the Annual Conference through the Board of Ordained

Ministry.” (¶666.1)

“e Board [of Ordained Ministry] shall select from its own membership an oﬃcial representative to serve as a member of each

dCOM, which shall function as subcommittees of the board.” (¶635.1g)

“e committee shall supervise all matters of candidacy for ordained ministry and licensing for local pastors.” (¶666.5)

Membership

Overall membership should include a balance of female and male members as well as racial/ethnic members (¶666.1). e

District Superintendent, in consultation with the chairperson or executive committee of the BOM, annually nominates

dCOM members for approval by the Annual Conference. e District Superintendent also ﬁlls interim vacancies.

CLERGY

• e District Superintendent (who shall not serve as the chairperson)

• At least six other clergy in the district, including elders and deacons

– A deacon or an elder age 35 or younger, when possible

– An associate member, when possible

– May include one local pastor who has completed the Course of Study

LAITY – At least three professing members of local churches in the district

Ofﬁcers

dCOM oﬃcers are elected at the ﬁrst meeting following the Annual Conference session when the members were elected (¶666.2).

CHAIR

May be held by the BOM representative, but not the District Superintendent (¶666.1)

• Ensures committee members are properly trained and understand their responsibilities

• Regularly calls meetings and informs members, candidates and local pastors of the time, place and agenda

• Presides over meetings or assigns someone to preside

• Maintains a working relationship with the BOM, especially the Candidacy and BOM Registrar, and others who require

information from the dCOM

• Works with the BOM and other dCOM chairs to ensure consistent expectations for candidates and procedures

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REGISTRAR – e dCOM elects a Registrar other than the District Superintendent or dCOM chair.

• Serves as custodian for all dCOM ﬁles (all ﬁles, including psychological assessment reports, belong to the Annual

Conference)

• Keeps a separate ﬁle on each person for whom the dCOM is responsible

• Informs those responsible which materials are needed

• Instructs the dCOM on what decisions are required for diﬀerent candidates.

• Immediately informs the BOM Registrar of any actions taken and decisions made.

• Transfers individual’s ﬁles to other districts or Annual Conferences upon receipt of a written request by the receiving district

or Annual Conference

• Forwards all ﬁles to the BOM registrar when a candidate receives approval from the dCOM to interview with the BOM

for associate or provisional membership (complete ﬁles are sent to the BOM along with any recommendations and do not

require written permission of the candidate to provide to the BOM)

• Informs all interviewed candidates of decisions and recommendations both orally and in writing as soon as possible

(¶666.12)

BOM REPRESENTATIVE

“e BOM shall select from its own membership an oﬃcial representative to serve as a member of each district Committee on

Ordained Ministry, which shall function as subcommittees of the board.” (¶635.1g)

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (optional)

• Records and distributes each meeting’s minutes to committee members if there is no Recording Secretary

• Conducts correspondence and business as directed by the chairperson

ADDITIONAL OFFICERS – e dCOM may appoint or elect other oﬃcers as needed (such as an Enlistment or Continuing

Education Oﬃcer or a Secretary). Immediately following election, a list of dCOM oﬃcers should be sent to the BOM Registrar.

Functions

e Book of Discipline mandates the dCOM’s responsibilities. (¶666)

ENLISTMENT (further information provided in Chapter 3)

• Encourages those discerning a call to licensed or ordained ministry to enter candidacy

• Consults with the District Superintendent and the Vocational Discernment Coordinator to assign candidates to a candidacy

mentoring group or to a Candidacy Mentor when beginning candidacy (¶310.1b, ¶349.1)

• Ensures that candidates are invited to register in United Methodis Candidate and Record Entry System (UMCARES)

(¶310.1b)

• Maintains a list of all current candidates (¶666.3)

• Works with the District Superintendent to ensure that laity serving in pulpit supply for more than one year begin the

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SECTION 1 | Organization and Governance

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certiﬁed candidacy process or the application for Certiﬁed Lay Minister (¶205.4)

CANDIDACY MENTORING (further information provided in Chapter 5)

• Each candidate is assigned to a candidacy mentoring group wherever possible or to a Candidacy Mentor by the dCOM in

consultation with the District Superintendent and the Vocational Discernment Coordinator (wherever named)

• Each candidate is expected to continue candidacy mentoring until they begin serving as a local pastor or a provisional

member (¶348.1a)

• Candidacy Mentor

– Shall be recommended by the Cabinet and selected and trained by the BOM and are accountable to both the dCOM

and the BOM

– Encourages and nurtures candidates as they consider diﬀerent dimensions of vocational and life decisions

– Serves as co-discerner, consultant and catalyst in a way that provides freedom, conﬁdentiality, ﬂexibility and stability for

the candidate in discerning God’s call.

– Assists candidates through the candidacy stages using Answering the Call: Candidacy Guidebook or other conference

approved candidacy resources

– Records decisions made about candidates’ progress in the online candidacy system

• Vocational Discernment Coordinator

– Coordinates the Annual Conference’s candidacy mentoring process

– Ensures that the candidacy process is easily accessible

– Guides and trains Candidacy Mentors

– Implements a group candidacy mentoring process for the Annual Conference wherever possible

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (further information provided in Chapter 8)

• Communicates with the chairperson of the BOM’s Psychological Assessment Committee for the receipt, utilization and

return of the psychological assessment report

• Receives psychological assessment reports from the BOM psychological assessment committee for use in the dCOM’s

evaluation of the candidate

• Reviews each psychological assessment report for the candidate’s competence and readiness for licensed and ordained

ministry

• Honors conﬁdentiality issues as outlined in the “Authorization for Release of Information” signed by the candidate and uses

the reports appropriately

• Treats the report as a consultative factor rather than a determinative factor in recommending a decision to approve, defer or

deny the candidate

• Returns the report to the Psychological Assessment Committee chairperson for the BOM’s use

• Refers to GBHEM’s “Behavioral Health Guidelines” for guidance in addressing critical issues identiﬁed in the report

INTERVIEWING

At the heart of the dCOM’s work and one of the most basic personnel functions of the church, the dCOM uses interviews for

various purposes. (further information provided in Chapter 9)

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CANDIDACY CERTIFICATION

• Evaluates candidates for certiﬁcation after they meet all requirements in ¶310

• Informs the BOM Candidacy Registrar of those approved for certiﬁcation (¶666.3)

• Communicates with the BOM to ensure that all candidates participate in Orientation to Ministry at the proper time (¶312)

• Approves service settings for certiﬁed candidates working toward provisional membership (¶324.2)

• Maintains communication with all candidates

• Provides counsel regarding pre-theological studies (¶666.5) and encourages candidates to attend a UM theological school (¶310.2f)

• Informs candidates about scholarships and educational loans

• Receives transcripts and reports from colleges and seminaries to review academic progress (¶313.2)

CONTINUATION OF CERTIFIED CANDIDACY AND APPROVAL FOR PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP

e dCOM annually interviews candidates and evaluates whether or not their candidacy may be continued (¶313, ¶666.10).

Candidates must meet the conditions for renewal.

• Apply in writing for candidacy renewal (¶666.10)

• Receive recommendation for renewal by their charge conference or equivalent body as speciﬁed by the dCOM

(¶313.1, ¶666.10)

• Present an oﬃcial transcript demonstrating satisfactory educational progress and recommends a report detailing the local

church spiritual and ﬁnancial support of the candidate (¶313.2)

• Demonstrate gifts, grace and fruit for the work of ministry (¶313, ¶666.10)

ASSOCIATE AND PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP

• Interviews and recommends to the BOM those whom they approve for associate membership (¶321, ¶322, ¶666.8)

• Interviews and recommends to the BOM those whom they approve for provisional membership. Each candidate is

recommended in writing after a three-fourth majority vote of the dCOM (¶324.10, ¶666.8).

LICENSING OF PASTORAL MINISTRY FOR LOCAL PASTORS

• Approves, continues and oversees the work of local pastors who serve in their district

• Examines certiﬁed candidates for licensing as local pastors (¶315, ¶666.9)

• Helps applicants enroll in a licensing school

• Upon approval, recommends to the BOM that the Clergy Session approve a license for those who have satisfactorily

completed the requirements (¶315)

• Gives the BOM local pastors or Elders Registrar the names and addresses of all those approved for licensing

• Refers approved local pastors to the appropriate BOM Registrar for enrollment in the Course of Study and receives progress

reports through the District Superintendent

• Recommends those who qualify for annual continuance as local pastors to the BOM (¶319.2, ¶666.9). is includes those

enrolled in Course of Study and those who have completed it.

• Communicates to the BOM registrar the circumstances of any discontinuance of a local pastor (¶320.1)

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• Recommends to the BOM those who qualify for restoration of credentials as a local pastor (¶320.4, ¶666.9)

• Oversees a process of evaluation and supervision for personal and professional growth for local pastors

• Oversees clergy mentoring for local pastors

– Local pastors in the Course of Study are assigned a Clergy Mentor who may or may not have been their Candidacy

Mentor. Mentors are recommended by the District Superintendent and trained and assigned by the dCOM (¶348.1b, 4).

– e local pastor and Clergy Mentor review learning goals and plans the local pastor had as a certiﬁed candidate, and

then establish a learning goals covenant to coincide with new responsibilities.

– e mentor reports annually to both the dCOM and BOM, in order to maintain communication between the local

pastor and the dCOM in helping track the local pastor’s growth and discernment process.

– Conversations between mentor and local pastor are conﬁdential, and information may be released only with written

consent of the local pastor and mentor.

– e report is kept in the local pastor’s ﬁle by the dCOM and BOM.

– Clergy Mentors are integral to local pastors’ education, both formally and informally by:

• Assisting local pastors to reﬂect and learn from their experiences in ministry

• Monitoring preparation of material for Course of Study classes

• Helping local pastors integrate theology and theory into their practice of ministry

CERTIFIED LAY MINISTERS

• “When a pastoral charge is not able to be served by ordained or licensed clergy, the bishop, upon recommendation of the

Cabinet, may assign a qualiﬁed, trained lay person, lay minister or lay missioner to do the work of ministry in that charge.

e lay person assigned is accountable to the policies and procedures of the Annual Conference where assigned.” (¶205.4)

• “In order to enhance the quality of ministry to small membership churches, expand team ministry in churches and in

deference to an expression of gifts and evidence of God’s grace associated with the lay ministry of early Methodism, the

certiﬁed lay minister is to be recognized and utilized.” (¶271)

• “e Certiﬁed Lay Minister shall preach the Word, provide a care ministry to the congregation, assist in program leadership

and be a witness in the community for the growth, missional and connectional thrust of e United Methodist Church as

part of a ministry team with the supervision and support of a clergy person.” (¶271.1)

• A certiﬁed lay speaker or a person with equivalent training (as deﬁned by their district or conference) may be certiﬁed as a

lay minister by the dCOM after they have completed certain requirements.

– Been recommended by the pastor and vote of the church council or charge conference of the local church where they

hold membership

– Completed courses relevant to their assignment, including preaching and exegesis, congregational care and other courses

as recommended by Discipleship Ministries and GBHEM in consultation with Annual Conference leaders and other

appropriate agencies and organizations (¶271.2)

– Demonstrated appreciation of the history, polity, doctrine, worship and liturgy of the UMC through service in his/her

local church

– Been recommended by the District Superintendent after completion of appropriate screening

– Made application in writing to the dCOM

– Appeared before the dCOM for review and approval

• Recertiﬁcation (¶271.3,4)

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– e Certiﬁed Lay Minister is to apply in writing and appear before the dCOM biennially

– Ministry review by the church council or charge conference from the congregation of which they are a member will have

a ministry review

– Satisfactory completion of an approved continuing education event (check Annual Conference guidelines)

– Recommendation of the District Superintendent

• A Certiﬁed Lay Minister who moves may transfer certiﬁcation to the new district upon receipt of a letter from the previous

district’s dCOM conﬁrming current certiﬁcation (¶271.5)

• As a lay person, the Certiﬁed Lay Minister is not eligible to receive pension or equitable compensation funds that are

provided for clergy members (¶271.6)

• Each year the dCOM shall report to the BOM and Annual Conference a roster of all Certiﬁed Lay Ministers (¶666.10)

READMISSION TO CANDIDACY OR CONFERENCE MEMBERSHIP

• If candidacy has lapsed or been discontinued, it may be reinstated only at the discretion of the dCOM in which the

candidate was discontinued (¶314.2).

• Interview discontinued provisional members who are requesting readmission and recommend to the BOM and Cabinet

those the dCOM approves for readmission to provisional membership (¶364, ¶666.9).

• Interview and recommend to the BOM and Cabinet those the dCOM approves who are requesting readmission from

honorable location and administrative location, or who have previously exited the ministerial oﬃce (¶365, ¶366, ¶666.9)

Resources for dCOM and Candidates

FROM COKESBURY

• e Christian as Minister: An Exploration Into the Meaning of God’s Call, Eighth Edition (ISBN# 9780938162636)

• El Cristiano como Ministro: Explora el signiﬁcado del llamado de Dios al ministerio, Traducción de la Octava Edición (ISBN#

9780938162780)

FROM GBHEM

• e BOM Library (www.bomlibrary.org) contains a variety of information and resources that are helpful to dCOMs and

BOMs. Resources include:

– Set of Brochures on the Ministry of Deacons, Ministry of Elders, Ministry of Local Pastors and Ministry of Edorsed Clergy

– Action outlines and ﬁle content checklists. e dCOM chair or registrar can use these outlines to guide the dCOM’s work

– Glossary of Candidacy Terms

– Handbook on Ministry Interpretation (e Red Book) – Provides a quick overview of Disciplinary requirements for

dCOM/BOM action items needed for candidates and clergy conference relations changes

• Answering the Call: Candidacy Guidebook (2016) – Available for candidates and candidacy mentors after setting up a user

account in UMCARES (e United Methodist Candidate and Record Entry System)