A Word to Candidates for Ministry

When you have completed all of the requirements for ordination and been approved by your Committee on Preparation for Ministry to circulate your Personal Information Form, you may begin your search. Prior to this you should not be in conversation with any church. While you may be approached, you must make it clear that you must wait and give them a date when you expect to be cleared to search. While this seems harsh, this Book of Order policy allows you to focus on the task of completing your preparation process and allows all candidates to have an equal opportunity.

You will proceed in the search process as described previously in this manual except that the moderator of your Committee on Preparation for Ministry (rather than the presbytery stated clerk) will be asked to attest that you have permission to seek a call.

Process

The Book of Order (G-14.0314) now states that:

It is the responsibility of the presbytery of call to conduct the examination for ordination. Ordinarily it is the presbytery of care that ordains a candidate. However, the candidate may request his/her presbytery of care to permit the ordination service to take place within the presbytery of call, and that presbytery may grant such permission when requested by the presbytery of care.

1. If you are seeking a call in your presbytery, what are the steps to be followed?
   • Complete a successful final assessment.
   • CPM gives permission to circulate the PIF.
   • CPM initiates conversation with the COM moderator.
   • CPM reviews with you the process leading to a call.
   • CPM prepares you for examination by presbytery.
   • The presbytery examines for ordination. This examination includes the preaching of a sermon. The COM has been authority to conduct this examination in many presbyteries.
   • With guidance from the presbytery, select names for the ordination and installation commission to presbytery.

If you are a candidate seeking your first call, it is critical that there be coordination between your presbytery of care and the presbytery of the church you will serve.

2. If you are receiving a call in a presbytery other than your "home presbytery," what else might you expect?
   • The presbytery of call may have different requirements that you will be expected to meet.
   • Time schedules for committee and presbytery meetings may not mesh together smoothly and the process may take longer than you would like. Be patient and cooperative.
   • Both the COM and CPM of the calling presbytery may be interviewing you. The CPM might examine you for ordination and the COM for membership in the presbytery and suitability for a particular call. Be sure to contact the COM and CPM chair in the new presbytery to coordinate the requirements you will need to meet.

A Word to Interim Pastors

Individuals interested in serving as interim pastors or filling interim governing body positions complete the Personal Information Form in accordance with the instructions given above. You may indicate your interest in interim ministry on your PIF by including these position types in your selection.

We recommend that interim pastors submit their PIF six months before they expect to be available for a new interim position. In completing your PIF, be sure to include in "Work History" detail about the congregations or governing bodies you have served as interim. In the "Training/Certification" section, indicate your PC(USA) or Interim Ministry Network Training along with the location and score of your training. CRS staff will confirm your certification as an Interim Ministry Specialist, and indicate such on your PIF.

It may be to your advantage to complete a separate Part II of the PIF, to be used exclusively for matching with interim positions. (see Multiple PIFs) The narrative sections, particularly the sections discussing leadership style and accomplishments in your present call, can be written to emphasize those characteristics and skills especially pertinent to serving as an interim.

Likewise, in the section on church characteristics desired, you will want to indicate the specific type of interim position in which you are interested: e.g., interim head of staff, interim solo pastor, or interim presbytery executive, etc. Do not include these designations in the position type listing at the beginning of Part II - only check interim ministry. You may also want to include your preferences for short-term or long-term positions.

Remember, "The session may not secure or dissolve a relationship with an interim pastor or interim co-pastor without the concurrence of the presbytery through its committee on ministry (Book of Order G-14.0503c)." So establish and maintain communication with the COM moderator early in your negotiations with the session.

Review frequently the Diversified Listing on the Opportunities Search. Interim positions are posted and filled more quickly than regular installed positions.

A Word to Christian Educators

Christian Educators complete the Personal Information Form following the same basic instructions given above. However, Christian Educators should note the following differences:

• Presbytery of Membership: Select "N/A"
• Church Membership: Fill in your Church 5-digit 0GA PIN or use the "look up" feature to find the PIN.
• Experience Level: If you are looking for your first professional position as a Christian educator, select "0 to 2 years". Otherwise, select the appropriate level for the number of years of your professional church educator experience.
• Training/Certification: Indicate if you are a Certified Christian Educator or Certified Associate Educator. If you are in the process of certification, indicate your training in the "Continuing Education" section.
• Geographical Search Area: Many educators are restricted to a relatively small geographical search area. The more mobile you are, the more likely you are to find a call quickly offering a good position at a good salary.

Upon submission of your Personal Information Form, the stated clerk of the presbytery in which your church membership resides will be asked to attest that you are an active member in good standing. To decrease the time required to obtain this attestation, you may want to print a copy of the attestation form (from Printable Forms on the CLC Main Menu page) and have the stated clerk complete the form. This can be mailed or faxed to our office or attached to your paper version of the PIF.

Review often the Diversified Listings of the Opportunity Search. There are an increasing number of openings for church educators, and more congregations are opening associate pastor positions, formerly available only to ordained pastors, to lay Christian educators.