Ministerial Functions and Assignments
Policy Section 1030
The selection and assignment of an overseer is accomplished through local process with approval of the CMC Executive Board. Other assignments, such as senior pastor, associate pastor, and ordained deacon are local responsibilities, not requiring approval of the Executive Board or the CMC business meeting except as needed for licensure, ordination, or transfer of ministerial credentials.
A minister may serve in a variety of functions or assignments. The CMC Directory of Ministers lists these functions: associate or assistant pastor (ap), chaplain in a setting such as a hospital, nursing home, or prison (ch), ordained deacon (de), non-pastoring active evangelist/preacher/teacher (ev), missionary (mi), serving in an institution or agency of or compatible with CMC (in), overseer or non-pastor bishop-in-charge (ov), senior pastor (pa), and regular preaching ministry in a congregation but not on pastoral team (pr).
Two additional categories are included in the Directory of Ministers: (1) Ministers who are below retirement age and are not active in ministry represented by ordination are designated by nf and (2) ministers of retirement age (62 or older) who are retired, even though they may preach occasionally, but not regularly, are designated by re. An inactive minister (nf) may be designated by request as retired if sixty-two years of age or older. Upon reaching seventy years of age, the inactive minister (nf) is automatically designated as retired (re).