Committee on Preparation for Ministry
Membership:
Chair, Vice-Chair, (or Two Co-chairs) Seven Members-at-Large
Purpose:
As a commission of Shenandoah Presbytery, the CPM guides and nurtures inquirers and candidates and oversees the process of preparation for ministry or certification as a Christian educator (G-3.0307), elects readers to evaluate the ordination examinations approved by the General Assembly (G-3.0302b), and, with the Committee on Ministry, approves the first calls for and examines candidates for ordination as ministers of the Word and Sacrament (G-2.0702).
Responsibilities:
- Provide an orientation and training of the CPM’s work for CPM members and church sessions.
- Develop and approve policies and procedures for relationships with inquirers and candidates and criteria by which to measure individuals’ development for ordered ministry.
- Provide liaisons and support throughout the process for those seeking certification as a Christian Educator as well as aid for the Education Certification Reference Group.
- Receive reports or recommendations regarding each person considered for inquiry, candidacy, certification of readiness to be examined for ordination, and approval to negotiate for service in a ministry that would require ordination as a minister of the Word and Sacrament.
- Maintain a roll of inquirers and candidates (G-2.0609), and report actions related to this roll to the Office of the General Assembly through the online preparation for ministry management system. Approve enrolling, transferring, and removing inquirers and candidates and report to the Presbytery.
- Provide for the election of standard ordination exam readers as requested by the Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates (PCC) through Mid Council Ministries of the Office of the General Assembly (G 3.0302b) and report their names and terms of service through the online preparation for ministry management system.
- Require a background check for inquirers advancing to candidacy.
- Determine the records management system and the records maintenance and retention policies.
- Decide whether to enroll an inquirer.
- Decide whether to transition an inquirer to candidacy.
- Approve inquirers and candidates to take the standard ordination exams.
- Approve alternate means of taking the standard ordination exams for good and sufficient reasons.
- Assess candidates for readiness to be examined for ordination and/or negotiate for service.
- Grant waivers to constitutional standards (G-2.0610) or CPM requirements of all inquirers and candidates as “accommodations to the particular circumstances” of an inquirer or candidate.
- For any candidate, including those under our care, who receive a first call within Shenandoah Presbytery, the CPM and COM will establish a temporary joint commission to examine the candidate for ordination and installation.
- Establish a temporary commission to conduct an ordination and/or installation service.
- Oversee and administer Presbytery funds related to Inquirers and Candidates.
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