Application for Candidacy for Ordained Ministry

For use by those in formation towards Ordination, and those seeking to transfer their ministerial credentials into the New Methodist Conference.

Applications must be submitted in hard copy to the Ministry Team.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed for candidacy determination. Applications that are not actively moving forward will be deemed closed and will be securely disposed of.

There are three parts to the application.
Parts 1 and 2 must be submitted in hard copy (no electronic submissions will be accepted):

  • Part 1 (The Profile, Attached Documents, and Signed Statement) must be submitted together in one packet.
  • Part 2 (Transcripts, References and Background) must be received directly by the Conference Office.
  • Part 3 (Interviews) will be scheduled after all the paperwork has been received and reviewed. One of the interviews must be in person.

Upon completion of the Interviews, the Ministry Team will review the applicant's file and determine in a timely way whether to accept the applicant into candidacy. All applicants will be notified in writing.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
Upon completion of the application process (if candidacy status is denied) or upon completion of candidacy (if candidacy status is accepted), the application documents will be securely shredded. Application information is never released or shared.

PART 1:
PROFILE

  1. Today's date.
  2. Your Full Name.
  3. Date and place of Birth.
  4. Citizenship.
  5. Present Address and email address.
  6. Phone Number
  7. Relationship Status (single, married/gay partnered, divorced, widowed, etc.)
  8. Name of Significant Other and any children, with ages.
  9. Overview of your religious/church affiliations since childhood: in what tradition were you raised? baptized? confirmed? married? etc. Have you been ordained or licensed? What strengths and/or shortcomings do you carry with you from those affiliations?
  10. Are you currently ordained/licensed? In what denomination?
  11. Are you currently under the care of another denomination? Who? If you were under care, but are no longer, please describe the circumstances of the separation.

    Note: We will not receive into candidacy any ordained person who has not been released by his/her previous denomination, except in special circumstances which must be adjudicated by the Ministry Team.

  12. Are you now being, or have you ever been, treated for a chronic physical, mental, or emotional illness? Include experience with 12 step recovery programs. Please describe.
  13. Have you ever been charged or convicted of any crime in any jurisdiction, church, criminal, or civil courts?

    Note: Please answer honestly. Illness, addiction, or criminal proceedings will not necessarily bar a candidate from ministry, but it is imperative that we establish honest grounds for relationship from the beginning. We require background checks on all candidates, to protect those who will be ministered to.

ATTACHED DOCUMENTS

  1. Standard resume of your work experience and educational histories. Indicate if any previous or current employers may be contacted for information.
  2. Detailed autobiographical essay.
  3. Essay discussing your understanding of the Christian Tradition and the place of New Methodist Conference. Reflect on where you locate yourself within the Christian Tradition of faith, and how you feel the New Methodist Conference will provide you with the context to live out the ministry you are called to do. Reflect on Wesley's Two Questions: has Jesus the Nazarene become the Christ for you?; and how does your daily life reflect that Christ is at work in you? How do you understand the core of the Gospel message? How do you understand the problem of human suffering and a loving God?

    Please do not send originals of the following documentation.

  4. Certificates/Diplomas showing completion of education, formation and training
  5. Baptismal and confirmation certificates (or date/location/denomination)

    For ordained clergy transferring to the New Methodist Conference:

  6. Letter of transfer or letter of excardination from your present ecclesiastical authority (if you were not provided with this, please explain the circumstances).
  7. Ordination certificates (deacon, priest/elder), and for bishops: Consecration certificate

SIGNED STATEMENT
Please copy the following statement to a separate sheet of paper, and sign and date it.

I, (insert your full name), do hereby apply for admission into candidacy status with the New Methodist Conference. I understand that submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance into candidacy. I understand that acceptance into candidacy does not guarantee I will be ordained. I understand that no church official is making any promises to me regarding future employment or income, the provision of health insurance or other benefits, or any other guarantees. The information in all parts of this application is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, and I understand that providing false information for the purposes of ordination can result in civil action against me as well as termination of ministerial license and/or connectional affiliation.

(Please Sign and Date)

PART 2:
TRANSCRIPTS, REFERENCES & BACKGROUND
The following documents must be sent in hard copy directly from the source (school, reference, service provider), to the Conference Office.

  1. Educational transcripts for each educational or vocational program (college, vocational school, etc.) undertaken (completed or not)
  2. Three letters of reference, sent directly from the reference. At least one should be from an academic perspective (on school letterhead), and one should be from a pastoral perspective. If you have completed any accredited units of Clinical Pastoral Education, please provide copies of both self and supervisor evaluations.
  3. Results from any psychological testing conducted by a seminary or required by the Ministry Team. The Ministry Team may recommend specific unaffiliated providers to conduct appropriate testing and review. All candidates without exception will complete the psychological testing process.
  4. Results from any background records checks, which will include criminal activity and financial history. The Ministry Team may recommend specific unaffiliated providers to conduct appropriate records searches and reporting. All candidates without exception will undergo background checks.

PART 3:
INTERVIEWS
Every candidate will participate in at least one face-to-face interview (and at least one phone interview) with designated Conference leaders. Your interviews are an opportunity for us to get to know you better, and for you to get to know us better. We encourage you to take your time, and try to feel comfortable and have fun. Let yourself shine through. Some of the suggested areas that your interviewers will likely ask you about are:

  1. Describe what particular ministry you are called to do. (Pastoral counseling, healing, local worship community, contemplative, missionary work, etc.) How have you discerned this? What gifts of the Spirit do you bring to the ministry? If you feel you must be ordained to do this ministry, explain why.
  2. Brag time: talk about your hobbies, and the things you do to rejuvenate your heart and soul. How do you relieve stress? What in your life are you especially proud of?
  3. What three words best describe you?
  4. How do you believe the New Methodist Conference can contribute to the building up of your ministry? And how do you believe you can contribute to the building up of the New Methodist Conference?