Ministry commission puts recommendations, survey online
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The Rev. Walt Everett leads worship at the
United Methodist Church of Hartford (Conn.) in 2005. A UMNS file photo
by John Gordon.
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By Vicki Brown*
Jan. 23, 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - A draft report by the Study of Ministry
Commission for the 2008 General Conference proposes eight
recommendations about the ordering of ministry, including the creation
of three classifications of ordained elders and separation of ordination
from full conference membership.
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Bishop William H. Willimon
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The report, which is framed in the historic form of Methodist
conferences as "minutes of several conversations," is available at www.gbhem.org, along with an online survey for reactions to the report.
"The commission is determined to draw on the collective insight and
wisdom of all United Methodists in preparing this important report. And
so we offer this initial draft of the report for examination and
comment," said Bishop William H. Willimon, who leads the denomination's
Birmingham (Ala.) Area and chairs the Study of Ministry Commission. "The
commission will consider all contributions in preparing the final
document."
The commission is inviting people to read the report and take the
online survey by logging onto the Web site and clicking on the Study of
Ministry button.
A catalyst for discussion
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The Rev. Mary Ann Moman
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The Rev. Mary Ann Moman, a commission member and staff executive with
the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry's Division
of Ordained Ministry, said the draft reflects the commission's work in
addressing the General Conference request to bring clarity to the
ordering of ministry.
"We are pleased with the Wesleyan model of questions and response. It
is our expectation that this teaching document will become the catalyst
for The United Methodist Church to discuss these important issues,"
Moman said.
The commission recommended classifications of itinerant elder,
associate elder and local elder. Itinerant elder is essentially the same
as the current classification of elder. All three could administer the
sacraments, but associate elders and local elders could do so only in
the charge to which they are appointed.
Additional key points
The other recommendations:
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Pastors-in-charge who are not ordained as elders will be licensed
lay pastors. This will incorporate certified lay ministers, student
local pastors, part-time local pastors and full-time local pastors who
have not completed either the denomination's Course of Study or a master
of divinity degree.
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Every licensed lay pastor shall be authorized, blessed, and sent
out annually for his or her appointment through a liturgy to be
conducted at annual or district conference each year.
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The United Methodist Church must sustain the traditional Wesleyan
understanding that the authority to celebrate the sacraments derives
from ordination as an elder by the presiding bishop upon election by an
annual conference. Therefore, licensed lay pastors shall not administer
baptism or Holy Communion in the charges to which they are appointed.
Itinerant elders designated as presiding elders shall be assigned by the
cabinet to circuits of local churches served by licensed lay pastors to
administer the sacraments on a regular, rotating basis. The bishop may
grant provisional authority to administer the sacraments to certain
licensed lay pastors under exceptional circumstances, in order to
advance the mission of the church in a particular place. Deacons are not
ordained to administer the sacraments but to assist in their
administration and to lead the congregation in extending the table of
Holy Communion into the world.
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Deacons and itinerant elders will be ordained at the conclusion of
educational and examination requirements rather than at the end of a
probationary process. This realigns ordination and conference
membership, granting sacramental authority to at least an additional
2,000 pastors under appointment in any given year. Under the
commission's proposal, these ordained elders and deacons will have full
authority for ministry. Elders will continue on trial to become full
members of the Order of Elders, while deacons will also be on probation
for a period.
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Elders shall be ordained to Word, Sacrament and Order, while deacons are ordained to Word and Service.
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All deacons and itinerant elders will be reviewed every five years
by a group of peers from within their respective annual conference
orders.
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The commission will propose that 2008 General Conference authorize a
study of the diaconate during the 2009-2012 quadrennium, including a
review of how the office is being practiced across the connection and
what challenges remain in fulfilling the potential of the office of
deacon.
Concerns at General Conference
The draft incorporates issues identified by the commission, as well
as comments from the focus groups and results from an earlier survey.
The 2004 General Conference established the commission because of
questions, concerns and uncertainty regarding the two ordained clergy
orders - deacons and elders - and local pastors. Both the 2000 and 2004
General Conferences received a large number of petitions related to
certified lay ministers, local pastors, deacons and elders. The Study of
Ministry Commission was established to "theologically discuss and
clearly define the ordering of our shared life together in The United
Methodist Church."
*Brown is an associate editor and writer in the Office of
Interpretation at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and
Ministry.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Draft of Study of Ministry Report
Commission on the Study of Ministry Survey |