Greetings from the Northeast Area Committee on Ministry (NEA COM),
The next Area Committee on Ministry meeting will be held at FCC Tyler on Saturday, September 6, 2008. Paperwork will be mailed to licensed ministers who need to apply for a renewal of their license. Anyone interested in applying for a new ministerial license should contact the Area Office at (903) 561-7086.
If you are in need of attending a Clergy Sexual Misconduct Prevention Seminar, your next opportunity within the Northeast Area will be on Saturday, August 2, 2008 at FCC Tyler. The seminar will begin at 10:00 am and conclude at 4:00 pm the same day. The cost is $50.00 per attendee and includes lunch. Click here for a registration form. The registration deadline is July 18th but I encourage you to register now as space is limited and is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions, please call us at the Area Office, (903) 561-7086.
For continuing education, the Stalcup School of Theology for the Laity at Brite Divinity School offers a series of courses and seminars each year. For more information on this series, you can visit their website at http://www.brite.tcu.edu/degrees/stalcup.asp.
The School for Nurture and Education of Licensed Ministers is preparing classes for Year C: Spiritual Formation and will be publicizing the details soon. As a sneak peak, you can put the following dates on your calendar:
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sincerely,
Rev. Coretha Loughridge
Area Minister, Northeast Area
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Licensed Ministry Application Process Flow Chart
This chart is intended to clarify the process for one to enter the candidacy for licensed ministry. It is to be read from the top to the bottom. Step one is to meet with the Area Minister and proceed down through the chart.
Discernment Interview with Northeast Area Minister
1. Obtain a copy of the Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry of the
Christian Church (DOC)
2. Receive a copy of Application Process to Become a Licensed Minister
3. Obtain a copy of the Application Form which includes:
a. Endorsement letter from the candidate’s employing church/
institution including the Northeast Area Congregational Covenant
b. License Request Form, CCSW Committee on Ministry
c. Personal Disclosure Form, CCSW Committee on Ministry
d. Personal Data Form, CCSW Committee on Ministry
Submission
Submit the above application packet along with a paper (double-spaced) from the applicant describing the applicant’s:
1. Faith Journey
2. Understanding of Ministry
3. Understanding of Licensed Ministry in the CC (DOC)
TO: Northeast Area Office of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Attention: Northeast Area COM
100 Independence Place, Suite 305, Tyler, TX 75703
Receipt and Interview
Upon receipt, an interview will be scheduled with the Northeast Area Committee on Ministry after one year of education has been obtained through the Northeast Area Committee on Ministry’s Education and Nurture program. Only three interviews are offered per year and all paper work must be received in the NEA office thirty days prior to the scheduled interview.
Decision
Following the interview with the Area COM, three possible decisions may be made:
1. Admission into the Candidacy for Licensed Ministry with specified follow-up requirements.
2. A licensed may be granted.
3. A licensed may be denied.
This decision will be forwarded to the Regional Committee on Ministry. If a license is approved, the Region is the institution who will issue a license and arrange for it to be mailed or delivered to the applicant.
What’s next!
If a licensed is granted, in order to maintain standing and licensure, the new licensed minister must:
1. Obtain a mentor, preferably an ordained clergy. When this option is not available, he/she will work with the Area COM to obtain a mentor in this area,
2. Participate in the licensed minister continuing education program provided by the NEA COM (unless the applicant is enrolled in an ATS accredited seminary for MDIV degree),
3. Complete the Clergy Sexual Misconduct Prevention Seminar and provide a copy of one’s completion certificate to the Area office to be placed in your licensed minister’s file within 180 days of the issue of the license,
4. Provide a copy of the licensed minister’s job description to the Area office to be placed in the licensed minister’s file,
5. Maintain a relationship with one’s local congregation, area, and area committee on ministry.
Note: Whenever, the application involves an individual related to the Texas Christian Missionary Fellowship (TCMF), the decision on the application will also be communicated to the TCMF by the Northeast Area.
