Editor's Note: Edgewood recently celebrated Pastor Alma's ordination as an elder in the Free Methodist Church. On that same day, Baiba Peelle, a layperson at Edgewood, was received into conference ministerial candidacy. To help others better understand the process of becoming a pastor in the Free Methodist denomination, Pastor Alma put together the following primer on the ordination process.

The Free Methodist Church believes that the call to pastoral ministry is twofold. First, an individual must feel a call from God to the pastorate. Second, the gifts and graces for this call must also be observed and confirmed by the local church, and eventually by the annual conference as well. The ordination process is also twofold -- combining academic requirements and several years of supervised service in a local church.

The process usually begins when an individual whispers in a pastor's ear, "I think I feel a call to pastoral ministry."

The pastor begins to mentor the individual, using the Local Ministerial Candidate Handbook. This "course of study" is for the express purpose of evaluating whether or not a person is truly called to the pastorate. During this time members of the congregation offer invaluable help by observing and giving feedback. Individuals at this point need to hear what their gifts and graces are according to those with whom they worship, as well as to receive constructive feedback as they grow and develop.

When the handbook is completed and the call is confirmed, the mentoring pastor recommends the individual to a church's local board [or similar group at the local church level tasked with overseeing the process]. Using questions outlined in the denominational Book of Discipline, the board interviews the individual in order to highlight any red flags that still may need to be addressed and, finally, to approve the individual as a local ministerial candidate (LMC).

Once approved, the local ministerial candidate answers questions before the congregation and is presented a certificate of standing as a LMC in the Free Methodist Church.

While continuing in active ministry within the local congregation, the LMC takes a foundational course, the History and Polity of the Free Methodist Church. Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the local board recommends the LMC to the conference's Ministerial Education and Guidance (MEG) Board. This board interviews the candidate for further confirmation.

The MEG Board recommends the candidate to the Annual Conference, where the candidate shares a testimony and is voted into the conference, now becoming a conference ministerial candidate (CMC).

The CMC begins a process, lasting a minimum of three years, of maturing in pastoral competency - meeting both academic and service requirements. The candidate can achieve the academic requirements at a college or seminary or by taking courses one at a time through correspondence or denominational opportunities. The service requirements include three years of full-time appointment to ministry.

Upon completion of these requirements, recommendation by the MEG Board, and by vote of the Annual Conference, the CMC is ready to be ordained an elder in the Free Methodist Church.

How about you? Do you feel called? Someday a few of you will, and you'll start the process by whispering in your pastor's ear. And he or she will undoubtedly be delighted!