1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 1426| General Conference 2000

ś 1426. The specific responsibilities of the Section of Elders and Local Pastors shall be:

1. To study ministerial needs and resources in The United Methodist Church and to cooperate with appropriate groups in the interpretation of ministry as a vocation, in an effort to enlist suitable persons for ordained ministry.

2. To prescribe the Course of Study, which shall include studies required for license as local pastor and the basic five-year Course of Study. It also shall provide an Advanced Course of Study for preachers who have finished the above courses and who meet the requirements of ś 326(3). All work in the ministerial Course of Study for candidates for elder in full connection (śś 323{@-}327), renewal of licenses, associate member, probationary member (ś 315), and local pastors qualifying for appointment (śś 340{@-}344) shall be taken under the direction of the section in an approved Course of Study school. The section shall cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry and other conference boards in organizing, financing, and conducting Course of Study schools. (For exceptional provisions for taking the Course of Study by correspondence, see ś 343.1.)

3. To cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry in annual conferences by: (a) providing guidance in counseling and examination of ministerial students, and (b) assisting in interpretation of current legislation concerning ordained ministry.

4. To provide resources to the district committee on superintendency and to the annual conference cabinet in the fulfillment of their work.

5. To provide jointly with the General Council on Ministries and the Council of Bishops the training of district superintendents.

6. To lead in the churchwide interpretation and promotion of the Ministerial Education Fund.

7. To recommend and help organize, finance, and conduct continuing formation and spiritual growth opportunities for all ordained ministers subsequent to ordination and to advise means of in-service training and evaluation, with special care being given that programs are available and relevant for all racial, cultural, and special needs groups within the denomination.

8. To maintain the educational standards of the ordained ministry of The United Methodist Church and to study problems relating to ministerial status, morale, and support, and to cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry in: (a) studying problems relating to clergy morale, clergy housing and itineracy, and clergy families; and (b) developing resources and programs for clergy and clergy families.

9. To study and support coordination and mutual ministry including possibilities for merger of schools.

10. To certify the course offerings in non-United Methodist seminaries for meeting the requirements in United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity specified in ś 326(3) and to provide boards of ordained ministry with a list of the courses approved. The section will also monitor the implementation of ś 1428.

11. To provide for recruiting and preparation of persons for ordained ministry among ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and those of other national and ethnic origin. Provision for special resources in pretheological and theological education shall be undertaken as training for these distinctive ethnic ministries. Provision for evaluating the credentials and training of such persons shall be undertaken in cooperation with bishops and annual conference boards of ordained ministry.

12. The section shall develop policies and guidelines for annual conference boards of ordained ministry that will recognize and empower Native American pastoral leadership that emerges from and is affirmed by a Native American community.

13. To participate in the Crusade Scholarship program.

14. The purpose and responsibilities of the Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers shall be: to cooperate in the study of the needs of the United Methodist ministry, especially in regard to diaconal ministry and order of deacon, to make recommendations accordingly.

15. To cooperate with other units of the board and other denominational agencies in interpreting the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon as vocation and the educational preparation for such ministry.

16. To provide guidance and standards for the academic preparation for diaconal ministry and the order of deacon.

17. To develop personal, Church, and professional standards for persons in the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon of The United Methodist Church and to provide guidance relating to the ethical and moral problems in specialized ministry.

18. To participate in the continuing study of the ministry so as to include matters of importance to the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon in its reports to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference.

19. To study needs and develop standards and procedures for certification in professional ministry careers of The United Methodist Church.

20. To review the conference boards of ordained ministry recommendations of persons to be approved for professional certification by the Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

21. To provide guidance and standards for the academic preparation for professional ministry careers.

22. To develop guidelines and resources for continuing education of persons subsequent to their consecration and/or certification, and to develop means of in-service training and continuing education to strengthen their ministry.

23. To develop guidelines and resources for the work of the conference board of ordained ministry.

24. To provide resources and training to the conference board of ordained ministry concerning counseling and examination of candidates for consecration to the office of diaconal minister and order of deacon and for certification in professional ministry careers.

25. To develop and recommend to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference the requirements and standards that shall be minimal for consecration to the office of diaconal minister and ordination of deacon in The United Methodist Church.

26. To develop and recommend to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference the requirements and standards that shall be minimal for certification in professional ministry careers of The United Methodist Church, after consultation with the agencies responsible for programs and areas of work related to the careers.

27. To work with the graduate theological seminaries, other graduate schools, colleges, and universities in development of curricula for the academic preparation of diaconal ministers, deacons, and others in professional ministry careers, including the Foundational Studies for Diaconal Ministers and the Certification Studies in Ministry Careers.

28. To develop and recommend programs of continuing education for diaconal ministers, deacons, and others in professional ministry careers.

29. To participate in the study and interpreation of opportunities in diaconal careers.

30. To work with conference board of ordained ministry in their responsibility to enlist women and men of all races and ethnic origins for diaconal ministry.

31. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry in their responsibility for administering the standards and requirements for the office of diaconal minister and deacon in full connection.

32. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry in their responsibility for administering the standards and requirements for certification in professional ministry careers.³⁵

[FTN] 35. See Judicial Council Decision 507.

33. To work with the annual conference boards of ordained ministry to encourage the recognition of persons at the time of their entrance into a career in the diaconal ministry and at the time of the completion of their service in that career.

34. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry to ensure for the diaconal minister and deacon in full connection conditions of employment, support, and benefits commensurate with the diaconal minister's and deacon's training, ability, and experience.

35. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry and other United Methodist agencies to foster cooperative relationships among persons in the diaconate of The United Methodist Church and with their colleagues in other denominations and faiths.

36. To cooperate with the Christian Educators Fellowship of The United Methodist Church; the Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship, Music, and Other Arts; and other professional associations and fellowships, in ways that will be supportive of their professional ministry careers.

37. To cooperate with other United Methodist agencies and general boards in their resourcing of members in the professional associations and fellowships.

38. To cooperate with the Section of Elders and Local Pastors and the Section of Chaplains and Related Ministries in the continuing study of the ordained ministry and in others areas of mutual concern.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 1426
	ś 1426. The specific responsibilities of the Section of Elders and Local Pastors shall be: 1. To study ministerial needs and resources in The United Methodist Church and to cooperate with appropriate groups in the interpretation of ministry as a vocation, in an effort to enlist suitable persons for ordained ministry. 2. To prescribe the Course of Study, which shall include studies required for license as local pastor and the basic five-year Course of Study. It also shall provide an Advanced Course of Study for preachers who have finished the above courses and who meet the requirements of ś 326(3). All work in the ministerial Course of Study for candidates for elder in full connection (śś 323{@-}327), renewal of licenses, associate member, probationary member (ś 315), and local pastors qualifying for appointment (śś 340{@-}344) shall be taken under the direction of the section in an approved Course of Study school. The section shall cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry and other conference boards in organizing, financing, and conducting Course of Study schools. (For exceptional provisions for taking the Course of Study by correspondence, see ś 343.1.) 3. To cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry in annual conferences by: (a) providing guidance in counseling and examination of ministerial students, and (b) assisting in interpretation of current legislation concerning ordained ministry. 4. To provide resources to the district committee on superintendency and to the annual conference cabinet in the fulfillment of their work. 5. To provide jointly with the General Council on Ministries and the Council of Bishops the training of district superintendents. 6. To lead in the churchwide interpretation and promotion of the Ministerial Education Fund. 7. To recommend and help organize, finance, and conduct continuing formation and spiritual growth opportunities for all ordained ministers subsequent to ordination and to advise means of in-service training and evaluation, with special care being given that programs are available and relevant for all racial, cultural, and special needs groups within the denomination. 8. To maintain the educational standards of the ordained ministry of The United Methodist Church and to study problems relating to ministerial status, morale, and support, and to cooperate with the boards of ordained ministry in: (a) studying problems relating to clergy morale, clergy housing and itineracy, and clergy families; and (b) developing resources and programs for clergy and clergy families. 9. To study and support coordination and mutual ministry including possibilities for merger of schools. 10. To certify the course offerings in non-United Methodist seminaries for meeting the requirements in United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity specified in ś 326(3) and to provide boards of ordained ministry with a list of the courses approved. The section will also monitor the implementation of ś 1428. 11. To provide for recruiting and preparation of persons for ordained ministry among ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and those of other national and ethnic origin. Provision for special resources in pretheological and theological education shall be undertaken as training for these distinctive ethnic ministries. Provision for evaluating the credentials and training of such persons shall be undertaken in cooperation with bishops and annual conference boards of ordained ministry. 12. The section shall develop policies and guidelines for annual conference boards of ordained ministry that will recognize and empower Native American pastoral leadership that emerges from and is affirmed by a Native American community. 13. To participate in the Crusade Scholarship program. 14. The purpose and responsibilities of the Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers shall be: to cooperate in the study of the needs of the United Methodist ministry, especially in regard to diaconal ministry and order of deacon, to make recommendations accordingly. 15. To cooperate with other units of the board and other denominational agencies in interpreting the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon as vocation and the educational preparation for such ministry. 16. To provide guidance and standards for the academic preparation for diaconal ministry and the order of deacon. 17. To develop personal, Church, and professional standards for persons in the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon of The United Methodist Church and to provide guidance relating to the ethical and moral problems in specialized ministry. 18. To participate in the continuing study of the ministry so as to include matters of importance to the diaconal ministry and the order of deacon in its reports to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference. 19. To study needs and develop standards and procedures for certification in professional ministry careers of The United Methodist Church. 20. To review the conference boards of ordained ministry recommendations of persons to be approved for professional certification by the Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. 21. To provide guidance and standards for the academic preparation for professional ministry careers. 22. To develop guidelines and resources for continuing education of persons subsequent to their consecration and/or certification, and to develop means of in-service training and continuing education to strengthen their ministry. 23. To develop guidelines and resources for the work of the conference board of ordained ministry. 24. To provide resources and training to the conference board of ordained ministry concerning counseling and examination of candidates for consecration to the office of diaconal minister and order of deacon and for certification in professional ministry careers. 25. To develop and recommend to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference the requirements and standards that shall be minimal for consecration to the office of diaconal minister and ordination of deacon in The United Methodist Church. 26. To develop and recommend to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and to the General Conference the requirements and standards that shall be minimal for certification in professional ministry careers of The United Methodist Church, after consultation with the agencies responsible for programs and areas of work related to the careers. 27. To work with the graduate theological seminaries, other graduate schools, colleges, and universities in development of curricula for the academic preparation of diaconal ministers, deacons, and others in professional ministry careers, including the Foundational Studies for Diaconal Ministers and the Certification Studies in Ministry Careers. 28. To develop and recommend programs of continuing education for diaconal ministers, deacons, and others in professional ministry careers. 29. To participate in the study and interpreation of opportunities in diaconal careers. 30. To work with conference board of ordained ministry in their responsibility to enlist women and men of all races and ethnic origins for diaconal ministry. 31. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry in their responsibility for administering the standards and requirements for the office of diaconal minister and deacon in full connection. 32. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry in their responsibility for administering the standards and requirements for certification in professional ministry careers.³⁵ [FTN] 35. See Judicial Council Decision 507. 33. To work with the annual conference boards of ordained ministry to encourage the recognition of persons at the time of their entrance into a career in the diaconal ministry and at the time of the completion of their service in that career. 34. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry to ensure for the diaconal minister and deacon in full connection conditions of employment, support, and benefits commensurate with the diaconal minister's and deacon's training, ability, and experience. 35. To work with conference boards of ordained ministry and other United Methodist agencies to foster cooperative relationships among persons in the diaconate of The United Methodist Church and with their colleagues in other denominations and faiths. 36. To cooperate with the Christian Educators Fellowship of The United Methodist Church; the Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship, Music, and Other Arts; and other professional associations and fellowships, in ways that will be supportive of their professional ministry careers. 37. To cooperate with other United Methodist agencies and general boards in their resourcing of members in the professional associations and fellowships. 38. To cooperate with the Section of Elders and Local Pastors and the Section of Chaplains and Related Ministries in the continuing study of the ordained ministry and in others areas of mutual concern.
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1996 Discipline ¶ 1426