FYI 2016
Overview of Ministerial Candidate Preparation
for the 2016 East Ohio District Assembly
This timetable is intended as a help for those pastors and ministerial candidates who have requested an overview of the process that brings candidates to the District Assembly for licensing (new and renewal), ordination (elder or deacon) and recognition of credentials.
This is a summary and not a detailed checklist; it does not lessen one’s responsibility to know the policies and procedures found in the Manual. You may depend upon the Manual along with communications from the district secretary and other district leaders to provide the vital information you need for your ministerial journey.
If you have further questions about credentials contact District Secretary Rev. Greg Kasler at (740-584-8721) or .
A - District / B - Pastor / C - Candidate1 / 2/10/16 - District secretary contacts all district pastors whose churches will be required to recommend ministerial candidates to this year’s District Assembly for minister’s license (new or renewal) or ordination (elder or deacon).
Enclosed Documents:
Candidate Recommendation Form / Candidates for New District License must have served for 1 year as a locally licensed (church board approved) minister, and MUST have attended the Ministry Development and Assessment Conference held in January. Any candidate with a divorce in his or her background must meet with the credentials board concerning “removal of divorce as a barrier to licensing” prior to district assembly. The credentials board meets annually for this purpose, usually in November. Every year, a notification is sent to all pastors via leaderslink in the month prior to this important meeting.
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R / 2/19/16 - District secretary forwards letter and necessary forms to candidates for minister’s license (new or renewal), ordination (elder or deacon), or recognition of credentials from another denomination.
Enclosed Documents:
FYI-Candidate Preparation Overview
Candidate Recommendation Form
License Application
Ordination Application
Background Search Form
Annual Report of Ordained Minister or Licensed Minister (This is required for all ministers who are not submitting the online Annual Pastor's Report on behalf of the local church, or an evangelist’s report form, or a retired minister’s report form) / 3/15/16 - Deadline for Ministerial Candidate Recommendation Form(s) to reach the district secretary (see cell 1A.)
Note: completion of this form requires local board interview and vote, and approval from the District Superintendent if candidate will be paid staff.
District licensed ministers who are pastoring churches must also submit a completed recommendation form on their own behalf, but the authorizing signatures will be provided by the district advisory board.
(For candidates requesting Recognition of Credentials from another denomination, this recommendation form does not apply.) / 3/15/16 - Deadline for the district secretary’s receiving candidates’ completed application forms (see cell 2A) for district minister’s license (new or renewal), ordination (elder or deacon), or recognition.
Those applying for new district license or transferring to the East Ohio District must enclose a $30 check to East Ohio District COTN for their one-time background search.
This is also the deadline for the pastor’s recommendation of the candidate to reach the district secretary (see cells 1B and 2B). You and the pastor have both received a copy of the same recommendation form so that it would not be missed. Candidates, respectfully request of your pastor that your recommendation for district license (new or renewal) or ordination (elder or deacon) appear on the board agenda prior to this deadline.
NOTE: The local church and pastor are entrusted with the prayerful task of seeking God’s best for a candidate’s life, the local church, and the Church of the Nazarene. Candidates should never view their local church’s recommendation for district minister’s license as a right or a guarantee. On the contrary, many candidates experience perceived “setbacks” in their preparation. But experienced ministers have come to know that God uses such times to shape them for ministry in a way that could not otherwise be done, as long as they yield to God’s timing. One of the best lessons a candidate can learn is to humbly submit to the caring, godly leadership of the church and district. Candidates should prayerfully condition their hearts to receive God’s will at this time in their lives.
A – District / B - Pastor / C - Candidate
3 / District secretary processes applications and contacts candidates for clarifications and corrections.
4 / 3/16/16 - District secretary begins to e-mail or call candidates with their credentials board interview times. / Candidates receive their appointment times for their credentials interview and are instructed to allow time in case the interviews are running early, or more likely, late. Candidates’ appointments are pending a clear recommendation from the district ministerial studies board (5C).
5 / 3/8/16 - District ministerial studies board conducts interviews with some candidates. / 3/8/16 - Candidates who have not yet graduated from the course of study may be required to interview with the district ministerial studies board at the district office in Canton. Students are to know the educational requirements and are to contact the studies board secretary, Rev. Darrell Frazier (330-644-7685) with any questions prior to the interview.
6 / 4/5/16 - District ministerial credentials board meets at Canton First Church of the Nazarene to interview candidates for license (new or renewal), ordination (elder or deacon), and recognition of credentials. Interviews begin at 9am. / 4/5/16 - District ministerial credentials board meets at Canton First Church of the Nazarene to interview candidates for license (new or renewal), ordination (elder or deacon), and recognition of credentials.
Interviews for district license are about 15 minutes each, begin at 9am, and run until noon or early afternoon.
Interviews for ordination or recognition of credentials follow and can be from 45 minutes to over an hour in length.
You may request a desired time of day, but we are not always able to accommodate these requests.
7 / 4/6/16 - District secretary contacts candidates for ordination/recognition by phone with the credentials board's decision concerning recommendation based on candidate interviews.
For licensed minister candidates (new/renewal) the district secretary mails letters with the decision of the credentials board concerning recommendation based on candidate interviews. These will include areas of growth for licensed ministers to work on with their pastors. / District secretary mails pastors a copy of the letter(s) sent to their licensed minister candidate(s) (see cell 7A) with the credentials board's recommendations for growth based on candidate interviews. / Receive communication by phone and/or letter from the district secretary with the recommendations of the credentials board based on the candidate’s interview (see cell 7A).
Candidates who will be recommended to the Assembly for license, license renewal or ordination/recognition will receive instructions for their participation in the ordination and licensingceremony to be held 7pm, June 13 at Canton First Church of the Nazarene (see cell 8C).
8 / 6/13/16 - The East Ohio District Assembly votes on the recommendations of the district ministerial credentials board. / 6/13/16 - Pastors and church delegates attend District Assembly. / 6/13/16 - The East Ohio District Assembly votes on the recommendations of the district ministerial credentials board. This vote is early in the day so that the licensed ministers become voting members of the assembly.
9 / 6/13/16, 7pm - Ordination Service at Canton First Church of the Nazarene. / 6/13/16, 7pm - Ordination Service at Canton First Church of the Nazarene. / 6/13/16, 7pm - Ordination service at Canton First Church of the Nazarene. This is a profoundly significant service involving this year’s ordinands, licensed ministers (new/renewal), all ministers, their spouses, families and friends and the entire East Ohio District.