COMMITTEE ON PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY
Report to Presbytery ~ September 2006

Committee members: 

Clay Rosa, Virginia Galle, Doug Dent, Ruby Kleymann, John Lindhom, Gerald Olson and Donna Buell (chair)

UPDATES ON CANDIDATES:

      Ruth Goldthwaite has been certified ready to receive a call.  She is completing her CPE Residency in Chicago, and is finalizing her PIF.  The CPM recommends to the Presbytery that we continue Ruth as a Candidate.

      Sara Stegemann met with the CPM on June 10, 2006.  She had another great year at Austin Theological Seminary. She did Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sioux Falls this summer, took her ordination exams in August, and is going to be continuing her field work this fall at a church in Austin. Sara will be married in March 2007 and she will graduate in May 2007. The CPM recommends to the Presbytery that we continue Sara as a Candidate.

UPDATES ON INQUIRERS: 

      Chris Conlin met with the CPM for his annual consultation on June 10, 2006. He continues to work full time at Minnesota State University in Mankato and as a Commissioned Lay Pastor at Kasota Presbyterian Church. He took his Bible Content Exam in February and received a score of 99/100! He still needs to do a unit of CPE and take Greek before taking ordination exams. The CPM recommends to the Presbytery that we continue Chris as an Inquirer. 

      Jeremiah Knabe met with the CPM on June 10, 2006. The Session of the Jackson Presbyterian Church met with Jeremiah earlier that week and endorsed his application to become a Candidate and CPM concurred with that endorsement.  Jeremiah has completed his first year at Princeton Theological Seminary.  He passed the Bible Content Exam in February.  He worked part time at a church in Princeton where he will do field work this coming year.  Jeremiah was married this summer.  His fiancé’s name is Lindsey. CPM asked Jeremiah to enroll in a CPE program in the Summer of 2007 and gave approval for him to take standard ordination exams in August of 2007 as he enters his Senior year.  The CPM recommends that the Presbytery vote, upon examination, to approve Jeremiah Knabe’s request to become a Candidate for ministry in the PC(USA) and to enroll him as a Candidate.  Information about Jeremiah’s sense of call and his statement of faith are attached.  

G – 14.0305e. The presbytery shall receive the report and recommendation of its committee and shall examine the inquirer in person with respect to his or her Christian faith, forms of Christian service undertaken, and motives for seeking the ministry.

OTHER COMMITTEE NEWS:

CPM will be working with COM as we seek to implement any needed changes as a result of the Peace Unity and Purity report which was adopted at General Assembly.  We will also be working with the IDLM Committee on increasing our role in the certification of CLP’s at the completion of the IDLM program. 

CPM will be needing one new committee member for the class of 2009.  We are particularly in need of a female elder to help balance the committee.  Someone with knowledge of the IDLM program would be particularly helpful.  If this sounds like you, please make your interest known to The Nominating Committee. 

Respectfully submitted,

Donna Buell, CPM chairperson