304. Candidacy for Diaconal Ministry--A person seeking to enter the diaconal ministry of The United Methodist Church, upon hearing and heeding the call to serve, shall initiate the process toward the diaconal ministry by contacting the conference board of diaconal ministry to take the first step to qualify as a candidate. The person thus is under the care and supervision of the conference board of diaconal ministry. (Where appropriate, the candidates may also be related to a district committee on diaconal ministry.) A certificate of candidacy shall be issued by the conference board of diaconal ministry after the person has met the following conditions.
1. Each person seeking to enter the diaconal ministry must have agreed for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ in the world and the most effective witness to the Christian gospel, and in consideration of his/her influence as a minister, to make a complete dedication of himself/herself to the highest ideals of the Christian life as set forth in 66-76 and to this end agree to exercise responsible self-control by personal habits conducive to the bodily health, mental and emotional maturity, fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness, social responsibility, and growth in grace and the knowledge and love of God.
2. Each person must have been a member in good standing of a local United Methodist congregation for at least one year immediately preceding the application for candidacy.
3. Each person must have been graduated from an accredited high school or its equivalent. He/she must have completed the exploration phase preceeding the candidacy process as prescribed by the Division of Diaconal Ministry.
4. Each person must have met with the committee on pastor-parish (staff-parish) relations and the pastor of his/her local congregation for consultation after submitting a written request and statement; the committee shall use the questions in 303 as a guide in examination of the person and shall make its recommendation to the charge conference.
5. Each person must have secured the recommendation of the charge conference of the local Church in which he/she holds membership in the following way: A charge conference for the purpose of recommending a person for diaconal candidacy must be preceded by at least two public announcements. The authorized presiding elder shall counsel with those present regarding the ability and qualifications of the applicant and make plain the importance of such recommendation to the diaconal candidacy; to be valid, such a recommendation must be voted by written ballot by two-thirds of the members of the charge conference present at this meeting. An affiliate member can be recommended by the charge conference provided he/she has been an affiliate member of that local congregation for one year, has been in consultation and has received the support of the charge conference of the home Church where membership is held.
6. Each person must have applied to the conference board of diaconal ministry in writing and be interviewed for candidacy. The conference board will then determine whether or not the person will be approved as an official candidate before a candidacy certificate may be issued.
7. The conference board of diaconal ministry shall require psychological assessment to provide additional information on each person's gifts for diaconal ministry following the criteria established by the Division of Diaconal Ministry. This assessment shall occur during the first year of candidacy and prior to the first renewal of candidacy. He/she must complete the studies exploring his/her spiritual, professional, academic, and personal potentialities as recommended by the Division of Diaconal Ministry and provide such other information as the board may require for determining his/her gifts and promise for ministry.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 304
1996 United Methodist General Conference