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COMMITTEE ON PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY
Report to Presbytery ~ November 28, 2006
Doug Dent, Virginia
Galle, Ruby Kleymann, John Lindhom, Gerald Olson, Clay Rosa
and Donna Buell (chair)
UPDATES ON CANDIDATES:
Ruth Goldthwaite
certified ready to receive a call. Ruth has been
interviewing for hospital chaplain positions and I
understand she has several offers to choose from. She will
be in conversation with the appropriate Presbytery in
regards to examination for ordination.
Sara Stegemann
in her
senior year at Austin Theological Seminary. Sara took her
ordination exams at the end of August and she passed all of
them with very good marks and positive comments from her
readers. She completed her CPE requirement this summer and
received a very positive evaluation from her supervisor.
Shes completing her field work assignment this fall and
will be making arrangements to meet with CPM for her Final
Assessment sometime this winter. She is engaged to be
married in March, and will graduate in May.
Jeremiah
Knabe in his middler year at Princeton Theological
Seminary. Jeremiah was received as a Candidate at the
September meeting of Presbytery. He is doing field work at
a local church, and is hoping to do CPE and take ordination
exams this summer.
UPDATES ON INQUIRERS:
Chris Conlin
CLP
at Kasota, professor of Microbiology at Mankato. Chris is
on a long term track toward ordination. He is planning
to take Greek or do CPE this summer.
RECENT COMMITTEE
WORK:
Our committee has been in conversation with
Lay Development for Ministry and the Committee on
Ministry in regards to the process of certifying Lay
Pastors. Current plans are for CPM to get involved after
LDM attests that persons have satisfactorily completed all
coursework. CPM will review their files, interview them, and
make recommendations to Presbytery in regards to
certification. Certified Lay Pastors will then come under
the care of CPM. Those Certified Lay Pastors who receive a
Commission will appear before Presbytery for examination and
approval. While Commissioned they will be under the care of
COM. Revisions are being prepared for the Manual of
Operations.
Our committee has also done a lot of work in
trying to standardize our process and procedures. For
instance we have decided what written materials will be
required at each step in the process for meetings with the
committee and for appearances before Presbytery. We will be
creating written pieces which will be included in the
Presbytery packet when persons appear before the Presbytery
to be examined for Candidacy or Ordination, explaining where
they are in the process, what written materials will be
attached, what will happen on the floor of Presbytery, and
what kinds of questions are appropriate during examination.
We have also talked about ways we can be even
more intentional about helping our Inquirers and Candidates
discern whether they are being called to the Ministry of
Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church USA. To
provide opportunities for constructive conversation about
these issues, we have decided to require those applying
for Candidacy and those coming to the committee to be
Certified Ready to receive a Call, to provide us with a
written paper explaining how they understand each of the
ordination questions found in G-14.0405b. In addition we
are beginning to identify some questions we want to be sure
to raise with persons at each stage in the process.
The committee
has learned of several persons considering preparation for
ministry out of the Presbyterian Church in Luverne. We will
work with the Session to provide training and support as
they nurture these persons.
Committee
members are being encouraged to attend the annual Synod COM/CPM
training event late January/early February.
Finally, I want
to thank Virginia Galle for 6 years of faithful service on
Committee on Preparation for Ministry.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Donna R. Buell,
Chairperson, Committee on Preparation for Ministry
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