Congratulations!
You are entering a journey that will change your life. It is our goal to support you as you discern your call toward ordained ministry.
One of the strengths of the Free Methodist Church is that the path toward ordination is a communal discernment process.
This means that a person who believes they are called into full time ministry is surrounded by a community that affirms those gifts & graces or helps to discern a different path.
So… where do I start?
At the beginning of this process, the local church, pastor and board functions as part of the discernment process as well as the Conference MEG (Ministerial Education and Guidance) board. This process is called Local Ministerial Candidacy.
First, contact Katrina at the Conference office. She will send you an email outlining the next steps.
Second, download the LMC Handbook and begin working through it with your lead pastor.
Continue to be in prayer and in community as you use this time to discern your calling.
Please be advised as an LMC, you will be required to that the Free Methodist History & Polity class. This is offered as an online or correspondence course through the denomination, occasionally through the Pleasantville Center for Training and Renewal, and through Northeastern Seminary.
What’s next?
Once a person is approved to become a Conference Ministerial Candidate (CMC), the Conference is in touch with the candidate through individual conversations with the Director of Ministerial Candidates and yearly interviews with the MEG board.
As a CMC, your next steps are outlined in the CMC Workbook. If you have any questions, please contact Gloria Roorda, the Director of Ministerial Candidates. We expect the steps outlined in the brochure to take at least 3 years.
As you follow the process and get closer to an interview to determine your readiness for ordination, you will need to respond, in writing, to the CMC Theological Proficiency Assessment, aka Ordination Essays. These questions are designed to help you and the Conference in the discernment process.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Katrina or Gloria.