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Ordination to Specialized Ministry

Description of Credential

Those ordained to specialized ministry are called broadly to preach and teach, administer the sacraments, and be involved in the life of the whole church. Within that context, they are called to serve in an area of specialty. Their call includes being a leader in their area of specialty to the local church and the Church at large. They are in service together with the person ordained to word and sacrament whose leadership and care exercises oversight of the congregation's entire ministry. Their training comes from broad theological work, usually a master's degree in a theological discipline, or a secular master's degree with additional theological studies.

Who is eligible for the Credential?

Those who seek ordained to specialized ministry are usually called to staff ministry, have a master's level training from a seminary or a secular master's plus a year of theological education. They hold coursework in an area of specialization. Candidates must meet the following requirements in order to be ordained to specialized ministry:

• Be engaged in full-time staff ministry. The candidate serving in a non-staff ministry position shall demonstrate its relationship to a local ECC congregation.
• Be a member of an ECC congregation.

In addition, candidates shall have completed one of the following courses of preparation in order to be ordained to specialized ministry.

• A Master of Arts degree from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (a two-year program comprising sixty semester credit hours or its equivalent) with an appropriate area of specialization totaling thirteen semester credit hours or its equivalent.
• A Master of Divinity degree from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools with an appropriate area of specialization.
• A non-theological master's degree in the area of specialization, and at least one year of full-time graduate theological studies (thirty semester hours or its equivalent) taken for credit from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. Courses of preparation shall include survey courses in systematic theology, Old Testament, New Testament, and church history.
• Candidates preparing for ministry primarily in the Hispanic community, and for whom Spanish is the primary language, may receive their training in specialized ministry from CHET.

What are the requirements of the credential?

• Complete at least two years of successful full-time ministry prior to ordination.
• Complete a year of residency at North Park Theological Seminary or complete the Covenant Orientation.
• Candidates preparing for ministry primarily in the Hispanic community, and for whom Spanish is the primary language, may receive their training from CHET.
• Spend two years in a mentoring relationship approved by the Board.
• Participate in the pension plan of the ECC.
• Submit a completed minister's profile form, signed baptism statement and background check, and criminal record screening.

Detailed Procedure

Once the candidate has completed the above requirements, he/she notifies the Department of the Ordered Ministry and is placed on the ordained to specialized ministry candidate list at a June meeting of the Board of the Ordered Ministry.

• The Department of the Ordered Ministry sends all potential candidates a letter in June asking if they wish to be ordained to specialized ministry at next year's Annual Meeting.
• The candidate responds to the letter before July 15.
• The Department of the Ordered Ministry sends all candidates an application for ordained to specialized ministry, and guidelines and questions for the final paper.
  
• The candidate sends the completed ordained to specialized ministry application (including recommendation of Covenant church where membership is held) and final paper to conference office by September 1.
• The Conference committee on ministerial standing interviews the candidate based on the final paper. The committee makes its recommendation and may require the candidate to rewrite sections of the paper.
• The Conference committee on ministerial standing sends its written report on the interviews to the Department of the Ordered Ministry.
• The Board of the Ordered Ministry interviews the candidate at its Midwinter meeting and makes a recommendation.
• The candidate must receive a favorable recommendation from the Board of the Ordered Ministry, a favorable recommendation from the regional conference ministerial association at its annual meeting, approval of the Covenant Ministerium, and approval of the Covenant Annual Meeting.
• The candidate must participate in the ordination/commissioning service at the Covenant Annual Meeting.