Ordained Elders

Description

Elders are those members of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, who have been called by God and are pursuing employment as professional members of the clergy. Their call has been confirmed by the church through a process of examination, education, and accountability. Ordination is the third step in a process which began with the local church license and continued with the national conference license.

Qualifications

To become a candidate for ordination, a national conference minister must accomplish the following:

1. Earn a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited seminary or the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry degree from the Huntington University Graduate School of Christian Ministries.

2. Serve for one year in a recognized ministry appointment approved by the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team.

3. Demonstrate a level of faithfulness and competency which warrants consideration for the status of ordained elder.

Procedure

The following procedure is established for the ordination of ministers:

1. Request of the National Conference Minister

After holding a national conference license for a minimum of two years, individuals may submit a request to the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team for consideration for the office of ordained eider in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.

2. Examination

Applicants shall be examined by the Ministerial Licensing and Ordination Team. They shall present the following to the committee:

a. Five letters of reference. These letters should give evidence of the applicant's marriage and family relationships, interpersonal relationship and social skills, and faithfulness in Christian living. They should be obtained from the following individuals:

(1) A faculty or graduate school member in the candidate's major area of study.

(2) The pastor of the local United Brethren church the candidate attends (or, if the candidate is the pastor, from another United Brethren pastor).

(3) The lay leader (or a key layperson) of the local United Brethren church the candidate attends.

(4) The cluster coach.

(5) A friend or relative.

b. A copy of his/her academic transcripts.

c. Written responses to the questions in Chapter 8, "Examination of Candidates for Ordination."

Based on these documents and any others the committee may require, the candidate shall be examined to determine matters of personal integrity, commitment to the Christian faith, ministerial call, relationships with others, spiritual maturity, and understanding of the doctrinal distinctives, history, and polity of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.

3. Report to the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team

Following the examination, the examining committee shall report its findings to the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team and make any recommendations it deems consistent with its findings. Pending a favorable recommendation from the examining committee, the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team may choose to grant ordination status.

4. Loss of the License

The Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team shall have the authority to revoke the credentials of any elders whose lives and ministries are inconsistent with the expectations detailed in the Discipline. Should they desire, elders shall be granted an opportunity for a hearing before final action is taken. Failure to retain membership in a United Brethren church will also result in loss of license.

5. Elders from Other Denominations

Ordained ministers from other denominations who seek to be ordained by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, must demonstrate that their ordinations are still considered to be in good standing from their denomination of origin, and provide documentation that verifies they meet the educational requirements for ordination in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

These elders will be examined by the Ministerial Licensing and Ordination Team. Once that examination has occurred and a favorable recommendation has been approved by Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team, these elders will be granted a national conference license. Upon completion of the one year of service requirement and the course in United Brethren church history their prior ordination will be recognized.

Ministers from other denominations who are over 35 years of age will be permitted to meet the educational requirements for ordination through a Diploma of Pastoral Leadership program or a ministerial training correspondence program approved by the Pastoral Ministries Leadership Team.

Continuing Education for Elders

All elders who are actively serving in a local church are required to complete two continuing education units (CEUs) and read four ministry-related books during each calendar year. (Each CEU is the equivalent of 10 hours classroom contact time.) Reports for each are to be filed with the bishop and cluster coach at the time of the annual audit.

Expectations of Elders

In addition to the general expectations of all ministers and members in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, elders are expected to faithfully fulfill the following:

1. Annual Reporting

All elders must file an annual report of their activities with the bishop and cluster coach.

2. Accountability

Since this license is granted by the national conference, ordained ministers are accountable to the national conference. They are also required to participate in and be accountable to a cluster.

3. Ministerial Service

Elders shall work under the direction of the bishop. They are authorized to officiate at funerals and weddings and to administer the ordinances of baptism and communion. If they consistently fail to meet the continuing education requirements described above, they will no longer be eligible to serve as a pastor in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA. No ordained elder is guaranteed a pastoral assignment in the denomination.