This application is designed to provide information to the members of the Committee on Ministry who will be considering your request to come under care. The information you provide will be treated with confidence and only members of the Committee on Ministry will have access to your personal information and history.

Personal Information

Name

Gender

Male
Female
Nonbinary
Prefer Not to Say

Date of Birth

Primary Email

Mobile Phone Number

Yes, it's okay to send me text messages including confirmations, changes, updates, and/or promotions. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. View our terms of service & privacy policy.

Address

Children (Names and ages in birth order)

Please reflect on any personal loss in your essay. Also include discussion or your family members' support of your decision to enter into ministry.

Current Occupation (include both the field and your place of employment)

Emergency Contact Name

Emergency Contact Relationship

Emergency Contact Phone Number

Emergency Contact Email

Church Membership

Home Church

Pastor

Home Church Address

Current Church

Pastor

Current Church Address

When did you first become a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)?

Please reflect on significant churches and pastors in your spiritual development section of your essay.

Education

High School

Years Attended

Graduated?

GPA

College/University

Years Attended

Graduated?

Degree

GPA

Graduate School

Years Attended

Graduated

Degree

GPA

Seminary

Years Attended

Graduated

Degree

GPA

Ministry Track

We offer four different paths to ministry with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest. These include:

Commissioned Ministry Education Program: This program typically requires 3 years of study and supervised experience. Coursework is primarily offered through the Upper Midwest School of Ministry in a format conducive to maintaining full-time employment throughout the program.
Ordination Seminary Track: This program requires completion of a Master of Divinity degree at an accredited seminary.
Ordination Alternative Track: For this program, the candidate consults with the Executive Unit of the Committee on Ministry to determine an alternate but equivalent path to completing the education and experience required for the M.Div. program at an accredited seminary.
Ordination Recognition: This option is specifically for individuals who have been ordained through another denomination and are seeking to have their ordination recognized by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Which program are you seeking to enter?

Commissioned Ministry Education Program
Ordination Seminary Track
Ordination Alternative Track
Ordination Recognition

If Ordination Recognition, please provide the denomination and year you were ordained.

Expectations for Coming Under Care

I understand...

that by coming under the support of the Committee on Ministry that I will be required to provide periodic reports.*

the requirements for standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) include an approved Disciple History and Polity course.

that the ordination tracks require one unit of CPE.

that my standing in the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest requires a criminal background check by an agency approved by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at my expense or the expense of a supporting congregation.

that maintaining standing in the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest will require 16 hours of continuing education in ethics, professional boundaries and skills development.

that if taken under care of the Committee on Ministry, I will be required to complete a Ministerial Profile.

that I will be asked to complete basic background check if taken under care of the Committee on Ministry. (Authorization for this will be completed through the company with which we contract to complete the checks.)

Additional Requirements for Application

A complete application to come under care of the Committee on Ministry for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest includes this completed application as well as the following:

Congregational Sponsorship Form.docx
Current Resume
Two (2) Letters of Recommendation (one from your pastor and one from the chairperson of your congregation's official Board or leadership team)

These letters may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Committee on Ministry, 5064 Lincoln St., Newton, IA 50208.

Essay Response to the following prompt:

Should total approximately 5-10 pages single-spaced.

1) Personal History: Reflect on your life, providing a reasonably full account from earliest memories. Describe your relationships in your family. Include your place in the family and your understanding of how others have affected your development and shaped your life and personality. What meaning have you made of those relationships and experiences? Include any major losses or other life changing/challenging events such as deaths, divorce, illness, and relationship changes.

2) Spiritual Development: Reflect on important persons, events, church involvement, pastors, and other spiritual leaders that have influenced your sense of calling and your basic beliefs. Include the names or churches and church leaders. Feel free to name beliefs of which you feel quite certain as well as your uncertainties and your growing edges.

3) Vision of Your Future in Ministry: Describe the type of ministry to which you feel called (minister/pastor, minister of education or music, missionary, journalism, chaplaincy, or other forms of ministry). Based on your strengths and aptitudes, write about what might seem to be an ideal type of ministry for you. Delineate your strengths and limitations as part of evaluating your aptitude and vision for your future. You may choose to include the results of any aptitude tests and personality type indicators such as the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator to support your understanding.

4) Call to Ministry: Discuss your decision to pursue ministry as a profession. What is your understanding of how you came to this decision? Reflect on your sense of calling - internally, spiritually, and how have others validated your sense of calling?

5) Understanding of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): Reflect on your understanding of the central beliefs held by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Which of these beliefs are most important to you and why? In light of your personality and gifts, reflect on how you expect to promote these beliefs.

Almost done. Where should we send the confirmation?

Name

Mobile Phone Number