Vocation
But if the Bible says anything clearly, it says this: God calls
us: calls us to do whatever God has in mind; calls us to set
a great many other things aside and follow God's bidding.
— James O. Chatham
from Is It I, Lord? Discerning God's Call to be a Pastor (Westminster John Knox Press, 2002)
New handbook available
Preparation for Ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Advisory Handbook
Provides moderators, presbytery staff, and applicants with
an overview of the process and resources, its intentions and
goals. Provides moderators, presbytery staff, and applicants with
an overview of the process and resources, its intentions and
goals. The handbook will be available soon through the Presbyterian Distribution Service. For now you can download a copy in PDF format:
Download the previous version of the Preparation for Ministry Handbook:
Download the previous version of the Preparation for Ministry Manual:
Workshop notes for COM/CPM/Seminary Conference now available
Workshop notes from the 2007 Conference are now available.
See list of workshop notes.
Ordination
Within the ministry of the whole people of God, persons may be called to perform specific functions that are important to the life of particular communities of faith.
Read more of this article by Joseph D. Small.
Constitution Changed
As of June 22, 2007, the Book
of Order has been revised by the amendment process. The
2007-2009 Book of Order is now available online.
The changes include significant
revisions to Chapter XIV.
Compare the 2005-2007 Book and
the new current Book.
Mini-Study
on Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
A questionnaire was sent to all moderators
of Committee on Preparation for Ministry (CPM) electronically
on February 16, 2007. Learn more
about the study.
Committee
on Preparation Trainers Network
The purpose of the Trainers Network is to provide training
for Committees on Preparation for Ministry, using the gifts,
skills and knowledge of experienced Presbyterians who have served
or are serving fruitfully on Committee for Preparation for Ministry.
Download a brochure about the Trainers Network
Essential Tool
Kit for CPMs
Following is a list of resources that are most helpful for
Committees on Preparation for Ministry.
Consider
Your Calling
What Do You Want to Do with Your Life?
Consider your own call, sisters and brothers. (1 Corinthians
1:26)
Do you feel God is calling you into Christian vocation? This
list of resources will help you discern what God has planned
for you. See the new brochure collection that can help you
through the process.
The
Presbyterian Pastoral Leadership Search Effort
The Presbyterian Pastoral
Leadership Search Effort (PLSE, pronounced ‘pulse’)
helps denominations and congregations identify and cultivate
gifted young people interested in exploring the ministry as
a possible vocation.
Journeying
Together: 
A Visual Flowchart
Want the CPM process drawn out for you? Print
this colorful Journeying Together chart. — 
People
Preparing for Ministry: A Statistical Overview
Examine this "snapshot"—in the form of a statistical
chart broken up by race, gender and ethnicity—of persons
preparing for Ministry in the United States. —
Middle Governing Body
(MGB) Connect
Models, best
practices, and policies from presbyteries and synods on Preparation
for Ministry. We make no endorsements of these
models and practices, but provide them in support of the mission
and ministries of middle governing bodies. Please contact the
author/governing body listed for further information.
Items marked with are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. For best results, right-click
the link (or click and hold for Macintosh), select "save target
as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing.
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