Admission and Continuance on Probationaty Membership
413. Eligibility and Rights of Probationary Membership--Probationary members are on trial in preparation for membership in full connection with the annual conference. They are on probation as to character, preaching, and effectiveness as pastors. The annual conference has jurisdiction over probationary members. Annually the board of ordained ministry shall review and evaluate their relationship and make recommendation to the clergy members in full connection regarding their continuance. Probationary members may request discontinuance of this relationship or may be discontinued by the Annual Conference, upon recommendation of the board of ordained ministry (418).
1. Probationary members are eligible for ordination as deacons but may not be ordained elders until they qualify for membership in full connection in the annual conference.
2. Probationary members shall have the right to vote in the annual conference on all matters except the following: (a) constitutional amendments; (b) election of delegates to the General and jurisdictional or central conferences; (c) all matters of ordination, character, and conference relations of clergy.
3. Probationary members may serve on any board, commission, or committee of the annual conference except the board of ordained ministry and board of trustees (733.1, 2513.1). They shall not be eligible for election as delegates to the General or jurisdictional conferences.
4. Probationary members shall be amenable to the annual conference in the performance of their ministry and shall be granted the same security of appointment as associate members and members in full connection as long as they are probationary members.
5. Probationary members who are regularly appointed to a pastoral charge are subject to the provisions of the Discipline in the performance of their pastoral duties. The district superintendent under whom they are appointed shall provide guidance through the board of ordained ministry and the educational institution in performance of work.
6. Probationary members in appointments beyond the local Church shall relate themselves to the district superintendent in the area where their work is done. The district superintendent shall give them supervision and report annually to their board of ordained ministry.
7. Each probationary member shall have an elder in full connection assigned by the board of ordained ministry as counseling elder during the period of probation. The counseling elder is to advise and counsel the probationer in light of the expectations for United Methodist ministry reflected in 423-424.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 413
1996 United Methodist General Conference