Navigating the Online Candidacy Process for...

Navigating the Online Candidacy Process

for Licensed or Ordained Ministry

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry

ContinuingCandidacy

Licensed LocalPastor

Probationary Member

Ordination

Deacon Elder

Inquiring

Enrolling

Declaring

CertifiedCandidate

Candidacy Process for Licensed or Ordained Ministry

Inquiring Enrolling Declaring CertifiedCandidate

Continuing Candidacy

s Licensed LocalPastor

Probationary Member

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Ordination

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Deacon

Elder

InquiringContact your local church pastor, another deacon or elder,

or your district superintendent.

Recommended Reading: The Christian as Minister and Ministry Inquiry Process




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Requirements for Enrollment1. An exploring applicant must have been a member of the United

Methodist Church for two (2) years immediately precedingapplication, including one (1) year of service in some form ofleadership.

2. Apply in writing to the district superintendent of your area forcandidacy (copy to Board of Ordained Ministry registrar anddistrict Committee on Ordained Ministry). At this point, acandidacy mentor will be assigned.




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Enrolling1. The mentor will contact the inquirer and assist them in enrolling

in the candidacy process.

2. The mentor will provide the Web address for the onlineenrollment application.




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This is the system’sHome Page.

This Log-In is only fordistrict superintendentsand mentors to accessthe system with theirassigned username andpassword.

New applicants click on the “Begin theEnrollment Process”link at the bottom of thehome page.




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Before you begin theapplication, you will wantto gather all your personal,academic, employment,and family information. Thetime limit for submittingeach page of the onlineapplication is 45 minutes.

Please note that all**Required** sectionsmust be completed. Theapplicant will be promptedif any required sections aremissed. An incompleteapplication cannot besubmitted.




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Candidate must selecttheir home conferencefrom the drop-downmenu in order to activatethe drop-down menus fordistrict superintendentname and mentor name.




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1. Enter your e-mailaddress.

2. Choose a password.3. Click submit to notify

your district super-intendent and mentor,who will review and signyour application.

4. You will be sent an e-mail with instructionsto log-in and make youronline payment.

5. Your e-mail addressbecomes your username.

6. Clicking submit is theequivalent of yoursignature.




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The DistrictSuperintendentSignaturePhaseWhen the candidate hassubmitted theapplication, the districtsuperintendent willreceive an auto-generated e-mailnotification requestingtheir signature.

Sample e-mail to district superintendent

12/8/2006Dear Superintendent *****,

Candidate has submitted an electronic application. To review andelectronically sign the application, please navigate tohttps://public.gbhem.org/candidacy/ds/sign_candidates.aspx andlog in to the Candidacy Online system. By so signing, you indicateyour approval for the applicant to proceed into candidacy.

Your "electronic signature" must be received in order for theCandidacy Enlistment Office to process applications. Please click"Sign for Candidates" at the left of your Candidacy Online webpage to review and give your permission to process applications.Click the link to "Sign" beside each candidate's name.

You may also review information for your other current andcomplete candidates by clicking the appropriate links on yourhome page.

Thank you.

This message was generated by GBHEM's Candidacy OnlineSystem.




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The links in the taskbarto the left enable thedistrict superintendent toapprove mentorassignments and viewcandidates in process aswell as completedcandidates.




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The MentorSignaturePhaseWhen the districtsuperintendent haselectronically signed theapplication, the mentorwill receive an auto-generated e-mailrequesting theirsignature on theapplication.

Sample e-mail to mentor

12/14/2006Dear Mentor *****,

The district superintendent for your candidate has signed form101. Please navigate tohttps://public.gbhem.org/candidacy/mentor/sign_candidates.aspxand log in to the Candidacy Online system to view and add yourelectronic signature to the 101. Please click "Sign for Candidates"at the left of your Candidacy Online web page to review and giveyour permission to process applications. Click the link to "Sign"beside each candidate's name.

By so signing, you are indicating your approval of the applicant'srequest for candidate status. Please also print a copy of the signed101 for your candidate's file.

You may also review information for your other current andcomplete candidates by clicking the appropriate links on yourhome page.

Thank you.

This message was generated by GBHEM's Candidacy Onlinesystem.




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Payment Phase: $751. Once the mentor has

signed the application, thecandidate will receive anauto-generated e-mailnotifying them how tosubmit their candidacy fee.

2. Fee can be paid online bycredit card. To pay bycheck or money order sendpayment to:

Candidacy OfficeP.O. Box 340007Nashville, TN 37203-0007

(Write “Candidacy Fee”and print your name in thememo line of the check)

Sample e-mail to candidate with payment instructions

Dear Candidate,

Both our district superintendent and mentor have reviewed and"signed" your candidacy application. Please navigate tohttps://public.gbhem.org/candidacy/CandStart/online_payment.aspx?a=1187&g=22b9b6ba-f5e8-4c3b-85e9-5c4b28136739<https://public.gbhem.org/candidacy/CandStart/online_payment.aspx?a=1187&g=22b9b6ba-f5e8-4c3b-85e9-5c4b28136739>to enter the Candidacy Online system and submit your paymentfor the candidacy processing fee.

Thank you.





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3. Once the fee is paid,district superintendentswill see the candidate’sname in the “CurrentCandidates” link.

4. Candidate will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of payment.

Sample e-mail to candidate once paymenthas been submitted

“Welcome! Username: >Username<Password: >Password<

Thank you! Your application and payment for the CandidacyGuidebook application has been received. Please print a copy ofthis email for your records as proof of your payment.

Your guidebook, which will be delivered to your home address asyou listed it on the application, should be received within the next2-3 weeks.

Please feel free to contact the Enlistment Office at any time. Yourquestions are always welcomed!

Blessings.





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Inventory ofReligious Activitiesand Interests (IRAI)PhaseOnce the fee isprocessed, the candidatecan go to the home pageto log back into thesystem using theirusername and password.There they will see thispage and can click onthe IRAI link to completethe invenory.




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From this page,candidates click on eachcategory to complete theIRAI.




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1. Once the IRAI hasbeen submitted, it isprocessed and e-mailed to yourmentor.

2. Your mentor willcontact you to meetand review theinventory results.

3. Following thismeeting, you areready to begin thepsychologicalassessment.

Sample e-mail to candidate

3/21/2007Dear Candidate,

Your Inventory of Religious Activities and Interests (IRAI) has beenprocessed. If you have not already reviewed your IRAI report withyour mentor, the next step is for your mentor to access, print, andreview your IRAI profile with you. Your mentor has been sent an e-mail with a link to the profile report.

Following that meeting with your mentor, you will be ready to beginthe psychological assessment part of your candidacy process.

Your annual conference currently does not use GBHEM forpsychological assessment. Your mentor will need to initiate thisprocess with your annual conference. Once you have completedthe assessment and have met with the dCOM, your mentor willneed to log into Candidacy Online and fill in a dCOM meetingcompleted date for you.

Thank you.





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After the mentor andcandidate have met togo over the IRAI results,the mentor logs backinto this page and clicksthe “COMPLETE” button.Once this has beendone, the mentor willsee one of two screens.




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The Psychological Assessment Phase1. Some annual conferences use The General Board of Higher

Education and Ministry (GBHEM) for psychologicalassessments.

a. Mentors from conferences that use GBHEM will see Form 112, “Request for Psychological Assessment Packet.”

b. The candidate will receive an email asking them to logback into the system and complete the Personal DataInventory and reference list.

2. The Online Candidacy Application System recognizesconferences that do not use GBHEM for psychologicalassessment. In this case, the candidate and mentor receive anemail to initiate the process with their annual conference.




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Declaring Candidacy1. Candidate must have completed high school.

2. Submit written statement of call & request recommendationfrom staff-parish relations committee.

3. Use Form 104, which you will receive from your mentor, todeclare your candidacy. You must be recommended by yourhome church charge conference, in writing, by 2/3 of thosepresent.

4. Continue candidacy studies with your mentor and requirededucation.




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To Become a Certified Candidate1. Submit written response to questions in ¶311.3 (b) & (c) in

The Book of Discipline, providing evidence of understandingand expectation concerning the following:

• The most formative experiences of your Christian life• God’s call to ordained ministry and the role of the church in

your call• Reflect on your year’s experience in leadership in the congregation• Your future usefulness as a minister in The United Methodist Church• Your personal beliefs as a Christian• Your personal gifts for ministry• How your personal relationships may affect your future ministry• Submit a written response providing evidence of understanding the

ministries of local pastors, deacons, and elders within The UnitedMethodist Church




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To Become a Certified Candidate (cont.)2. Provide other information upon request.

3. Agree to highest ideals of Christian life as set forth in ¶¶102-104; 160-166 in The Book of Discipline.

4. Upon examination and approval by the district Committee onOrdained Ministry (dCOM), the mentor will log back into thesystem and complete Form 113 “District Committee Report.”By so doing, the action of the dCOM will be logged into theCandidate’s record. The choice of the dCOM (certification,delay, or denied) will be recorded and the process is complete.




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Continuing Candidacy1. Annual recommendation by charge conference.

2. Annual written report by candidacy mentor to districtCommittee on Ordained Ministry (dCOM).

3. Annual school transcripts to dCOM.

4. Annual interview and renewal by dCOM. (¶312 of The Book of Discipline)




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Requirements for the Local Pastor¶315 of The Book of Discipline

Qualifications• Certified Candidate

Education• Studies for license as a local pastor or 1/3 the work for

Master of Divinity degree

Each Candidate Shall• Present a certificate of good health• Submit Candidate Disclosure Form 114• Complete a doctrinal examination/biographical statement• Be interviewed and recommended by the district Committee

on Ordained Ministry (3/4 majority vote)• Be interviewed and recommended by the Board of Ordained

Ministry (2/3 majority vote)




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Requirements for Local PastorsPreparing to Become Elders

¶324.6 of The Book of Discipline

• 40 years of age• Satisfied all requirements of Sections 1-3 and 7-14 of ¶324.6 of

The Book of Discipline• Bachelor’s degree and five-year Course of Study• 32 hours graduate theological study or equivalent (Advanced

Course of Study) including the areas of evangelism and UnitedMethodist history, doctrine, and polity




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Requirements for ProbationaryMembership for Deacons

¶324 of The Book of Discipline

Qualifications• Certified Candidate for at least one (1) year, maximum 12

years• Demonstrated his or her gifts for ministries of service

and leadership to the satisfaction of the district Committee on Ordained Ministry (dCOM). (¶324.2 of The Book of Discipline)

Requirements for ProbationaryMembership for Deacons (cont.)


Education• Bachelor’s degree• Theological Master’s Degree

or• Master’s in specialized ministry

> Including basic graduate theological studies (24 hours)within cohesive program

> A person may be eligible for commissioning aftercompleting half of graduate education, including basicgraduate theological studies (BGTS).




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Each Candidate Shall• Present a certificate of good health• Submit Candidate Disclosure Form 114• Complete a doctrinal examination/biographical statement• Be interviewed and recommended by dCOM (3/4 majority vote)• Be interviewed and recommended by the Board of Ordained





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Alternative Education for Deacon in Full Connection• 35 years of age• Bachelor’s degree• Certification or license in area of service (minimum of eight

graduate hours)• Basic graduate theological studies (24 hours)




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Requirements for ProbationaryMembership for Elders


Qualifications• Certified Candidate for at least one (1) year, maximum 12

years• Demonstrated his or her gifts for ministries of service and

leadership to the satisfaction of the district Committee onOrdained Ministry (dCOM). (¶324.2 of The Book of Discipline)




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Requirements for ProbationaryMembership for Elders (cont.)


Education• Bachelor’s degree• Master of Divinity including basic graduate theological

studies (minimum of 24 hours)• A person may be eligible for commissioning after completing

half of graduate education, including basic graduatetheological studies (BGTS).




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Requirements for ProbationaryMembership for Elders (cont.)


Each Candidate Shall• Present a certificate of good health• Submit Candidate Disclosure Form 114• Complete a doctrinal examination/biographical statement• Be interviewed and recommended by the district Committee

on Ordained Ministry (dCOM) (3/4 majority vote)• Be interviewed and recommended by the Board of Ordained


Registrar

The Big Picture

Candidate

Train, Interpret,Record Keeping,

Reports

GBHEM-DOM

Enrollment,PsychologicalAssessment,Consultant

dCOM

Enlist, Assign Mentors,Examine, Certify

Mentor

Assist Discernment,Facilitate Reflection& Growth, Guide &

Councel, Report

DS

Receive WrittenApplication (letter),Nominate Guides

& Mentors, Approve Service

Appointments

BOM

Receive Candidatefrom dCOM,

Interview, Defer orRecommend forCommissioning

General Board of Higher Education and MinistryPO Box 340007

Nashville, TN 37203-0007

For information, contact:[email protected]

(615) 340-7374

Navigating the Online Candidacy Process for...

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