Confidential Report:
Ministry Committee Interview of Candidate for Ministry
To be used to prepare a report on anApplicant for Ordained Ministry
Name of Applicant:
Name of Presbytery:
Ministry Applied For:Ministry of the Word / Ministry of Deacon
Date of the Meeting:
Ministry Committee Attendance:
PRESBYTERY RESPONSIBILITIES IN SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR MINISTER OF WORD or DEACON
2.3.2.3 (a) As soon as possible following receipt of an application the Presbytery shall request a confidential report from an appropriate Minister and shall seek comment from the Church Council where the applicant’s membership is held and other referees, and shall then consider the application in accordance with the Regulations.
The Presbytery or a designated committee of the Presbytery shall:
(i) receive the application together with the confidential report of the Minister and the comments of the Church Council;
(ii) consider the references submitted by the nominated referees and by other persons as it sees fit;
(iii) interview the applicant;
(iv) conduct such other tests or call for such other information as it may require or as may be required by the selection panel; and
(v) prepare a report and recommendation to the selection panel
In considering its report and recommendation under Regulation2.3.2.3(a)(v) the Presbytery or Presbytery committee shall satisfy itselfregarding the matters mentioned in Regulation 2.3.2.1, and have regard,among other things, to:
(i) the nature of the services to be performed within the ministryfor which application is made;
(ii) the present qualifications and apparent potential of theapplicant;
(iii) the spiritual maturity and motivations of the applicant; and
(iv) the applicant’s personality and character.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED OF AN APPLICANT FOR CANDIDATURE
Reg. 2.3.2.1 (a) An applicant for candidature as a Minister shall satisfy the Presbytery:
(i) that the applicant is, and for the period of twelve months prior to making an application under Regulation 2.3.2.2 has been, a confirmed member of the Church;
(ii) that the applicant is suitable in character, personality and spiritual maturity and has the capacity to exercise the responsibilities of the specific ministry for which application is made; and
(iii) that the applicant has engaged satisfactorily in the period of discernment.
(c) An applicant for candidature as a Minister shall, in addition to therequirements of paragraph (a), satisfy the Presbytery:
(i) that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the final yearsof secondary education at a level sufficient to secure entranceto a degree course in an Australian University; or
(ii) that the applicant has educational qualifications acceptableto the Assembly as equivalent thereto;
Membership of the Uniting Church
The applicant has satisfied the Presbytery Ministry Committee that the applicant is a confirmed member of the Uniting Church in Australia and has been for a period of at least 12 months
Date of Baptism/Confirmation:______
Length of Membership in Uniting Church in Australia:______
NOTE: TRANSFER OF MEMBERS
Reg 1.7.2 (b) A person who is a confirmed member of another denomination desiring to transfer membership to the Church shall present a certificate of transfer or other evidence to the Church Council which shall determine the matter. A person so accepted shall be received and recognised at an appropriate ceremony and the member’s name entered on the roll of confirmed members.
Reg 2.3.2.1 (b) The Presbytery may waive the 12 month requirement in (a)(i) in exceptional circumstances.
What Congregation is the applicant a Member of?______
Date Membership was established:______
NOTE: TRANSFER OF MEMBERS
Reg 1.7.1 (a) A member or the parents or guardians of a baptised member may requestand shall be granted by the Church Council a certificate of transfer to aspecific Congregation in another place. In addition, the secretary of theChurch Council shall forward an appropriate letter to the secretary ofthe Church Council of the new Congregation.
(b) In the event of a member moving beyond the bounds of theCongregation but no certificate of transfer being sought, the secretary ofthe Church Council shall forward an appropriate letter to the secretaryof the Church Council related to the new Congregation, if known. If norequest for transfer is received within two years of a member leaving theCongregation the member’s name shall be removed from the members’roll and the reason for the removal entered therein.
PERIOD OF DISCERNMENT (POD)
The applicant has satisfied the Presbytery Ministry Committee that Regulation. 2.3.1.has been fulfilled
Date when POD began: ______
Date when completed: ______
MINIMUM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
The applicant has satisfied the Presbytery Ministry Committee that Regulation. 2.3.2.1. (c) has been fulfilled
Educational Qualification:______
Date when completed: ______
DOCUMENTATION FOR SYNOD SELECTION PANEL (if applicant progresses)
NOTE: Where the Presbytery resolves to commend the applicant to the selection panel, the Presbytery shall forward to the selection panel its report and resolutions together with other reports, references and information conveyed to it in accordance with Regulation 2.3.2.2 and 2.3.2.3.
THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE FORWARED TO THE SYNOD SELECTION PANEL IF THE PRESBYTERY RESOLVES TO COMMEND THE APPLICANT:
●THIS WHOLE REPORT SHOULD ACCOMPANY THE APPLICATION
●AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION SUCH AS REPORT FROM CONGREGATION AND REFERENCE ETC SHOULD ALSO BE FORWARDED TO THE DEAN OF CANDIDATES
- WRITTEN REFERENCES AS SPECIFIED IN APPLICATION FORM.
A. Introduction
At the beginning of the time together:
- Introduce each Committee member briefly.
- Remind person being interviewed to please ask for clarification if any questions are not clear.
- Remember this is a conversation of mutual discernment
- Pray for God’s embrace, courage, leading and wisdom.
B. Call to Ministry
1.What has led you to make this application to become a candidate for Ordained Ministry?
(These questions usually help everyone feel more comfortable, and help establish a tone of intimacy and trust)
- You have given us an introduction to yourself through your papers, but it would help us get to know you better if you tell us, briefly, about yourself and what has brought you to this interview. That is, please briefly describe who you are and how you feel called to ministry, particularly ordained ministry.
Comments:
- Perhaps you could share with us a particularly significant experiences which have confirmed for you your sense of call to ministry.
(The sharing of one’s personal experiences can give an indication of how well a person relates with others, particularly during discussions of faith.)
Comments:
2.What are your gifts for ministry?
- Please describe some of your gifts or strengths for ministry, and what you have to offer to the Uniting Church.
Comments:
C.Qualifications for Ordained Ministry
3.How have you been engaged in ministry as a lay person?
(This series of dot-points are based upon the duties of an ordained minister Reg. 2.2.1)
- How have you been involved in preaching?
- What involvement have you had in regard to the celebration of the sacraments?
- How have you included, worked with and/or assisted others to encourage them in leadership of worship?
- What experiences can you tell us about where you have been involved with witnessing in the community to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
- How have you been involved in guiding and instructing the members of the Church?
- How have you assisted in your congregation or other places in equipping people for their own ministry in the community – church or wider community?
- What involvement have you had in working with an ordained person or elders/leaders in nurturing candidates for baptism and confirmation?
- How have you been involved in pastoral care of people, especially within a congregation or other community?
- What ways have you been involved in serving in the community, especially among those who are hurt, dis-advantaged, oppressed or marginalized?
- How organised are you and what experience have you had with administrative responsibilities?
- How have you worked for the enhancement of your own gifts for ministry?
- What experience or involvement have you had in pioneering new expressions of the gospel and encouraging effective ways of fulfilling the mission of the Church?
4. Why do you feel qualified to apply for ordained ministry?
- What training have you had which might ready you to enter formation for ordained ministry?
Comments:
- How has your employment and other aspects of your ministry helped prepare you for ministry? How might the values, knowledge, skills and wisdom from your life beyond participation in a congregation be helpful in ordained ministry?
Comments:
D. Applicant’s ability to think critically and reflect theologically
5.Describeyour theology. How does it influence your discipleship?
- What do you understand to be the essence of the gospel? What influence does the gospel have on the way you exercise ministry/service with others?
Comments:
- How do you describe God? What is God like for you?
- How has God been at work in your life?
Comments:
- Share a particular experience of when you felt used by God,
Comments:
- When you think of your call to ministry, is there a particular Biblical character with whom you most identify? Why is this?
Comments:
D.Applicant’s ability to think critically and reflect theologically (Continued)
- What Biblical image or character comes to mind when you think of your journey in faith thus far? Why is this?
Comments:
E. Understanding of Ordination
6.What do you think ordained ministry is (and is about)?
- What is ministry?
- How would you define ministry in general and, in particular, how would you define ordained ministry within the Uniting Church?
- What have you learned about ordained ministry from the ordained people you have known?
Comments:
7. Why have you applied to be a minister of the Word /Deacon? Why not the other type?
- What makes you believe yourself called to ordained ministry that you have applied for?
- How do you understand the difference between the Ministry of the Word and the Diaconate?
Comments:
E.Applicant’s Understanding of Ordination (Continued)
8.What do you think will be different about your ministry should you be accepted as an ordained person?
- What do you see as the difference between lay and ordained ministry?
- Why not stay doing the lay ministry that you are involved in?
Comments:
F.Questions about Leadership and Authority
9.What do you think is important in the relationship of an ordained minister and other people in the Church and their ministries?
(The following questions might be asked depending on the particular presentation and qualities of the individual being interviewed)
- How would you describe yourself as a leader in ministry?
Comments:
- What is your understanding of the authority and power of an ordained minister?
Comments:
- What is your preferred style of leadership?
- What other styles have you used and when have you used them?
Comments:
G.Questions about boundaries and self-care
10.What do you think is important in the relationship of an ordained minister and other people which they might serve and engage in ministry with?
- How important do you feel personal and professional boundaries are for ordained ministers?
Comments:
- How do handle you the dynamic balance between work and home life?
- How do you nurture your wellbeing?
- How do you care for yourself in terms of body, mind and spirit?
Comments:
- Tell us about a time when God has placed you in a situation in which you felt that you were out of your depth? How did you cope? How did you care for yourself and let other care for you?
Comments:
- How do you draw energy from the ministry that you are already doing?
- Have you experienced ‘burn-out’ in an area of your life? How do you work to avoid that now?
Comments:
- What do you think self-reflection is? How do you use it in your life? How do you work God into your self-reflection?
Comments:
H.Questions about Uniting Church Mission, Theology, Ethos and Practices
11. UCA ethos and policies
These are important questions and should be put to the applicant to find out their position and understanding in relation to such things
Sacraments
- Describe what you believe about Baptism/Confirmation/Communion;
- What do you understand as the Uniting Church’s position on Baptism?
Comments:
Ordination of Men and Women
- What is your understanding of the role of women and men as ministers?
- What is your understanding of the Uniting Church’s position on the ordination of both men and women? Can you affirm it?
Comments:
Mutuality in Ministry
- What do you understand in relation to the Uniting Church’s position on mutuality in ministry? Can you affirm it?
Comments:
Ministry of the Whole People of God
- What do you understand in relation to the Uniting Church’s position on the ministry of the whole people of God? Can you affirm it?
Comments:
Sexuality
- What do you understand as the Uniting Church’s approach to sexual orientation?
- What do you understand as the Uniting Church’s position on leaders within the church who have a same-sex sexual orientation? How comfortable are you with this and can you affirm it?
Comments:
I. Thinking About the Uniting Church
(The following questions are examples, and are meant to be asked only as needed or as time permits. Which ones chosen may depend on the areas that may need to be further explored with the individual being interviewed based on responses to previous questions)
12.What are the main strengths and challenges of the Uniting Church?
- What do you love most about the Uniting Church? What do you love least?
Comments:
- What do you feel is the greatest challenge facing the Uniting Church today? How do you feel called to help in the meeting of this challenge?
Comments:
13.What is your understanding of the mission of the Church?
- How would you describe the mission of the Church (both worldwide and Uniting Church)?
Comments:
I.Applicant’s Understanding of the Uniting Church(Continued)
- Have you read the Basis of Union? What is your response to it?
- Are there particular ideas that stand out for you in it?
Comments:
- How do you understand the role of the Church in Social Justice?
- What involvement have you had in working for social justice, either as part of your Church life or other parts of your life?
Comments:
- How do you understand the way that the Uniting Church is structured?
- What do you understand as the way the Uniting Church seeks to make decisions about what God may be calling it to do and be?
Comments:
- What do you understand as the role of the different councils in the Uniting Church – i.e. Presbytery/Synod/General Assembly?
Comments:
J. Closure Questions
14. Is there anything that has been unsaid or that you feel needs to be known?
- Is there anything more about yourself or your call that you would like to share?
Comments:
15. Is there anything that you feel that you haven’t had an opportunity to talk about?
- Is there anything that you would like further clarification about?
- Do you have any questions for the ministry committee?
Comments:
It is appropriate to close in prayer.
Summary Report to Presbytery
The Ministry Committee make the following report to the Presbytery in relation to the application of ______to be considered as suitable for candidature for the ordained ministry of Word / Deacon(cross out as appropriate).
The Ministry Committee:
●Describes the personality and character of the applicant in the following ways…
● Discerns a degree of spiritual maturity in the applicant as evidenced by…
●Affirms the following gifts and talents for ministry:
● Identifies that the applicant has shown potential suitability for ordained (or lay) ministry based on the following:
Proposalto Presbytery
The Committee decided by consensus / agreement / voting (being at least two-thirds of the committee present)and proposes the following to the presbytery.
That the Presbytery of ______as per Regulation 2.3.2.3 (b)
commend______to the Synod Selection Panel to be considered as suitable for candidature for the ordained ministry applied for.
defer making a commendation to the Synod Selection Panel in relation to ______application to be considered for ordained ministry. This is because of the following reasons.
rejectthe application of ______for the ordained ministry applied for and encourage them to continue in lay ministry
Decision of Presbytery
On ______the Presbytery of ______
resolvedto Commend to Synod Selection Panel / Defer / Reject
the application of ______for the ministry of Word / Deacon
by consensus
agreement
formal voting (at least two thirds majority is required before an applicant can be commended to the Synod Selection Panel for consideration)
Signed: ______
Name: ______Date: ______
Presbytery Role:______
Confidential Presbytery ReportRegarding an Applicantfor Ordained Ministry Page 1