All persons not ordained as elders who are appointed to preach and conduct divine worship and perform the duties of a pastor shall have a license for pastoral ministry.
The Board of Ordained Ministry (¶635.2h) may recommend to the clergy session of the annual conference the licensing of those persons who are:
- Provisional elders commissioned by the annual conference, or
- Local pastors who have completed the following:
- The conditions for candidacy certification in ¶310.1-2
- The Orientation to Ministry [Candidacy Summit]
- The studies for the license as a local pastor as prescribed and supervised by the Division of Ordained Ministry or one-third of their work for a Master of Divinity degree at a school of theology listed by the University Senate
- Additional written responses to questions as listed in Passage | UMC
- Been examined and recommended by a three-fourths majority vote of the district committee on ordained ministry (¶666.9)
In every case, those who are licensed shall have:
- a) Released the required psychological reports, criminal background and credit checks, and reports of sexual misconduct and/or child abuse. They shall submit, on a form provided by the conference Board of Ordained Ministry: (1) a notarized statement detailing any convictions for felony or misdemeanor or written accusations of sexual misconduct or child abuse; or (2) a notarized statement certifying that the candidate has not been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, or accused in writing of sexual misconduct or child abuse.
- b) Been approved by a three-fourths majority vote of the Board of Ordained Ministry (¶635.2h);
- c) Provided the board with a satisfactory certificate of good health on a prescribed form from a physician approved by that board.
- d) Received approval by a three-fourths majority vote of the clergy session.