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COM: Appendix 8 – Covenant for Candidates Under Care

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Candidacy Agreement and Covenant for Candidates with "Under Care" Status with The Florida Disciples Regional Church

 

1. I, hereby request to be admitted to candidacy, and I agree to submit to the Commission on Ministry and to the Regional Church, those documents required for “under‐care” status as outlined in the Welcome Packet. I understand that these items shall be required before I can receive “under care” status and pursue commission and/or ordination. I further understand that a decision by the Commission on Ministry to approve my candidacy does not mean that I am thereby approved for commission/ordination itself.

2. I further grant the Commission on Ministry permission routinely to receive: a) reports from my Field Education and/or Sponsoring supervising pastor(s) and/or committee(s); b) reports and evaluations from faculty or staff of my educational institution(s) and/or other venues of academic pursuit; c) reports from the Lutheran Counseling Center (or similar institution) concerning my assessment process; d) reports from other Regions of the Christian Church (or other judicatories) in the event that I have been in a previous “in care” process; e) reports from my Clinical Pastoral Education supervisor. I understand that the Commission on Ministry, through Regional Ministerial staff may request other references or evaluations that the COM believes might be relevant concerning my candidacy, and I will give waivers if necessary in order to facilitate such references/evaluations. I understand that the Commission on Ministry will respect the wishes of any persons supplying reports mentioned in this paragraph with regard to confidentiality, but will also make no judgments about my candidacy based on anonymous information.

3. I will make available to the COM upon their request a copy of my transcripts, and if applicable, including a final official transcript when approved for graduation. (I will also make available any transcripts reflecting any previous graduate education).
 4. I hereby assert that I have never been the subject of an official disciplinary review by an oversight body of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) or any other church body that resulted in official censure or suspension of ministerial standing or other serious consequence. I further assert that I have never been the subject of an official disciplinary review by any other professional or trade organization or association that resulted in censure or sanction. I further assert that I have never been arrested or convicted on a felony charge, or on any charge that would call into question my fitness for ministry.
 5. In light of the statement in the “Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)” that admission to the Order of Ministry includes “Personal fitness sufficient to the demands of the office, including mental and physical capacities, emotional stability and maturity, and standards of morality” (par. C.1.c.), I hereby assert that I believe I meet these criteria and that there is nothing in my past background or actions that would significantly call that assertion into question.

6. During the course of my relationship with the COM, I agree that should my circumstances change such that either of the previous two paragraphs would no longer be true, I will immediately disclose those circumstances to the COM. I understand that failure to do so may be treated as grounds for the revocation of candidacy. 

7. I acknowledge receiving a copy of the Welcome Packet for new candidates under care, and a copy of the Region’s “Order of Ministry Policies,” and will read and seek to understand these documents. In this regard, I understand that the Regional Church’s requirements for ordination are not necessarily the same as the requirements for the M.Div. degree.

8. I understand that by prior request to the Regional Minister, I may examine my COM file in the Regional Office at a mutually agreeable time, with the exception of individual members’ notes or items otherwise denoted as “confidential” by the writer.

9. I agree to make myself available for regular meetings with the COM. I understand that the COM and Region warrant that any materials that are a part of my file and all dealings with the COM will be confidential unless I give explicit written permission otherwise (with the exceptions of: [a] any matters that may be required by law to be reported to civil authorities, or [b] if I shall initiate a formal appeal of any COM decision. In the latter event, the materials upon which the COM based its decision will be forwarded to the body charged with dealing with my appeal request).

10. I understand that should the COM at any point decline to approve my candidacy, withdraw my approval for candidacy, decline to approve me for ordination, decline to approve a request for commission by a congregation/agency where I am serving and which has made such a request, or any other serious action affecting my vocation, I may request formal appeal of such action(s) to the Regional Assembly specified by Regional policy or to the General Commission on Ministry and that Regional ministerial staff will help to facilitate such a request.

11. I agree that near the end of my Under Care candidacy, and on an Ordination Track, if I desire to be considered for ordination approval, I will submit to the COM in a timely way: a) a letter of request for ordination, b) an Ordination Paper, c) a letter of sponsorship for ordination, d) and three letters of reference. The COM must approve a date for ordination before arrangements are finalized and invitations are extended for the event.

12. I understand that any process(es) used by my sponsoring congregation(s) to help them make decisions concerning that sponsorship are distinct from the COM process, and that the congregation may specify what information it needs from me in order to make decisions about sponsorship.

This Section is to be Filled out by the Commission on Ministry Chair