Ministerial Ethics
The United Church of Christ takes great care to provide adequate oversight for the ministries of the church for which ecclesiastical authorization is required. Ordained, commissioned, and licensed ministries of the United Church of Christ come under an oversight of watchful care provided by Associations, since Associations are responsible for authorizing these ministries on behalf of the whole church. In addition, Associations grant privilege of call, receive students in care, and provide other forms of authorization for ministry. It is incumbent upon Associations, in covenant with others, to exercise careful oversight of these authorized ministries so that they may be carried out in a manner reflective of the purposes set for them by the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ. This section of Manual on Ministry provides guidance and support to Associations as they fulfill this role and responsibility.
Oversight of authorized ministry includes nurturing authorized ministries and ensuring appropriate accountability. Like two sides of the same coin, both nurture and ecclesiastical accountability are necessary for maintaining the ministry of the church; neither can function in the absence of the other without compromising the fullness and integrity of the whole ministry. Oversight as nurture involves deliberate and intentional effort to identify, build up, and strengthen those God has called into the authorized ministries of the church. Nurture provides usable feedback and reflection on those ministries and equips persons for effective and capable ministry on behalf of the church.
Oversight as ecclesiastical accountability involves evaluation, review, and assessment to ensure that those engaged in ministry embody faithful witness to, and extension of, the ministry of God in Jesus Christ—that they are accountable for the ministry they carry out on behalf of the church. When necessary, ecclesiastical accountability may include disciplinary actions, including removal of ecclesiastical authorization.
Authorized Ministers
Those authorized for ministry in the United Church of Christ include:
1. Students in care.
2. Ordained ministers holding their ordained ministerial standing
within the Association, including those who are on leave of absence
and those who are retired.
3. Ordained ministers of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
holding ordained ministerial partner standing within the Association.
4. Ordained ministers from other denominations who have been
granted dual standing or privilege of call.
5. Commissioned ministers holding their commission within the Association,
including those who are on leave of absence.
6. Licensed ministers who have been licensed by the Association or
who have been approved for licensing.
Associations have the responsibility for extending nurture and ensuring ecclesiastical accountability for all authorized ministers, including retired ordained ministers and those serving in ministry settings other than in local churches such as chaplains, professors, pastoral counselors, and persons engaged in secular employment. All persons authorized for ministry are also expected to participate fully in the Association’s oversight proceedings.
Four Oversight Proceedings
Four distinct proceedings are related to the oversight of authorized ministries of the church: Periodic Support Consultation, Situational Support Consultation, Information Review, and Fitness Review. Taken together, the four proceedings provide a comprehensive system for oversight. It is important to understand the differences, however, so that each proceeding is considered and used appropriately.
The four proceedings may be distinguished from one another by considering the basic and underlying purpose of the proceeding. Is the proceeding fundamentally designed to provide nurture and support, or is the foundational purpose of the proceeding to describe the means and manner by which ecclesiastical authorization is maintained and persons are held accountable for the ministry they have been authorized to undertake?
• Support Proceedings. The Periodic Support Consultation and the Situational Support Consultation are intended to provide ongoing nurture and support for the authorized ministries of the church. All persons who have been called and authorized for ministry on behalf of the church may expect nurture and support from the church on an ongoing basis and in response to specific situations.
• Ecclesiastical Reviews. The Information Review and the Fitness Review provide the means for the review of ecclesiastical credentials and the continuance of ministerial authorization. It is incumbent upon all persons authorized for ministry on behalf of the church to continue to meet the expectations and standards for ministry in the church. The ecclesiastical reviews provide a means for the church to provide this form of ecclesiastical oversight.
The four proceedings may also be distinguished from one another by considering whether a particular proceeding is regularly scheduled or occurs only when circumstances warrant.
To learn more about minsterial ethics, including the UCC Manual on Ministry, click here.
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