Procedural Steps in Ordination and Licensure

Policy Section 1120

1. The leadership of the congregation or agency discerns the need.*
2. The congregation affirms the need.**
3. A candidate is identified through the work of a leadership team, such as the congregational leadership, a search committee, or an agency board or committee.
4. The candidate completes the Questionnaire for Candidates for the Ministry and submits it to the officiating minister.
5. If the Questionnaire for Candidates for the Ministry is found acceptable by the officiating minister and the nominating group, the candidate may be invited to the congregation for introduction before or after the next two steps.
6. The officiating minister submits the Questionnaire with comment to the general secretary for forwarding to the Ministerial Committee and the Executive Board.
7. The Ministerial Committee and Executive Board process the Questionnaire in separate session or, if needed, in joint session.
8. Candidates for licensure and their wives may be requested to meet in person with the Ministerial Committee at the discretion of the Ministerial Committee. Candidates for ordination and their wives are requested, as regular procedure, to meet in person with the Ministerial Committee before authorization for ordination is granted, with the possibility of exception being granted by the Ministerial Committee.
9. The general secretary reports to the officiating minister the response of the Executive Board in the case of license or the business meeting in the case of ordination.
10. The officiating minister and congregational leadership proceed with the congregation in final selection and the ordination or licensure.
11. The officiating minister sees that a report of the ordination or licensing is promptly sent to the CMC office.
12. Upon receipt of the report, the general secretary issues a billfold card certificate and reports the ordination or licensing to the Executive Board.
13. The ordination or licensure is reported to the semi-annual business meeting.
14. In the case of ordination, a framable ordination certificate, which includes the signature of the officiating minister, is issued and sent to the ordinand.

*The steps which follow apply to the congregational setting and, with appropriate modification, to an agency or institution.

**Step 2 may be taken later. Authorization can be requested with congregational approval or subject to it.

Back to top