Procedural Steps in Ordination and Licensure
- The leadership of the congregation or agency discerns the need.*
- The congregation affirms the need.**
- A candidate is identified through the work of a leadership team, such as the congregational leadership, a search committee, or an agency board or committee.
- The candidate completes the Questionnaire for Candidates for the Ministry and submits it to the officiating minister.
- If the Questionnaire for Candidates for the Ministry is found acceptable by the officiating minister and the nominating group, the candidate may be invited to the congregation for introduction before or after the next two steps.
- The officiating minister submits the Questionnaire with comment to the executive director for forwarding to the Ministerial Committee.
- The Ministerial Committee processes the Questionnaire and refers to the Executive Board questions which arise that require further processing.
- Candidates for licensure and ordination and their wives are requested, as regular procedure, to meet in person with the Ministerial Committee before authorization for licensure or ordination is granted, with the possibility of exception being granted by the Ministerial Committee.
- The executive director reports to the officiating minister the response of the Executive Board to the request for authorization of licensure or ordination.
- The officiating minister and congregational leadership proceed with the congregation in final selection and the ordination or licensure.
- The officiating minister sees that a report of the ordination or licensing is promptly sent to the Rosedale Network office.
- Upon receipt of the report, the executive director issues a billfold card certificate and reports the ordination or licensing to the Executive Board.
- The ordination or licensure is reported to the semi-annual business meeting.
- In the case of ordination, an ordination certificate is issued and sent to the newly ordained minister.
* The steps which follow apply to the congregational setting and, with appropriate modification, to an agency or institution.
** Step 2 may be taken later. Authorization can be requested with congregational approval or subject to it.