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Ordination to Word and Sacrament

Description of Credential

When the church ordains to word and sacrament, it "sets apart" persons with the authority to preach and teach the Word, administer the sacraments and rites of the church, and exercise pastoral care and leadership. Theologically, the question is, ordained to what end? The "end" or purpose is that to which the person senses a call and the church, by its designated processes, attests that such a call has been discerned appropriately. The person responding to this call has a broad classical theological education, usually a Master of Divinity, and holds the church true to the whole gospel. He or she functions as theologian in residence and missional leader, overseeing, empowering, and enabling all forms of the church's ministry. This office is performed in three areas of competency: preaching well, teaching well, and caring well. The emphasis on word and sacrament through all aspects of ministry ensures that the basic apostolic vocation keeps the beginnings of the faith alive in whatever contemporary configurations emerge in the various ministries of the church. Those seeking Ordination to Word and Sacrament normally hold a Ministry License while working toward this credential.

Who is eligible for the credential?

Those who seek to be ordained to word and sacrament are usually called to ministry as lead or solo pastor and have a Master of Divinity degree. Candidates must meet the following requirements in order to be ordained to word and sacrament:

• Be engaged in full-time pastoral ministry. The candidate serving in a non-pastoral ministry position shall demonstrate its relationship to a local ECC congregation.
• Hold a Master of Divinity degree from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (submit transcripts).
• Be a member of an ECC congregation.

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 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 ordination candidate list at a June meeting of the Board of the Ordered Ministry. If you would like to verify if your name is on the list of potential candidates, please email the Department of the Ordered Ministry.  Note that the ordination process takes about a year and always culminates with the Service of Ordination, Commissioning, and Consecration at the Covenant Annual Meeting in June.  Therefore, if a candidate wishes to be ordained in any given June, he or she must enter into the process no later than July 15 of the previous year.

• The Department of the Ordered Ministry sends all potential candidates a letter in June asking if they wish to be ordained 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 ordination, instructions for the Example of Proclamation, and questions for the final ordination/commissioning/transfer paper.
• The candidate sends the completed ordination application (including recommendation of Covenant church where membership is held), ordination paper, and example of proclamation to the conference office by September 1.
• The Conference committee on ministerial standing interviews the candidate based on the ordination 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 service of ordination, commissioning, and consecration at the Covenant Annual Meeting.