Ordination in the PC(USA)
The following is a brief overview of the process for those seeking ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Non-Presbyterian students are encouraged to contact the pastor of their home church and the governing body of the student's denomination for information on their particular ordination process.
For the most complete information on PCUSA ordination requirements, check the current edition of The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II: the Book of Order, and the handbook for your presbytery of care. The following assumes you are under care of your local presbytery as a candidate, that you have completed your Masters of Divinity program, and have successfully completed all the Standard Ordination Examinations, as well as any additional requirments of your local presbytery.
The Office of Student Affairs will hold workshops on occasion to help students navigate the call process and prepare for PC(USA) ordination exams.
As stated in the Book of Order (G-14.0480) ordination is an act of the whole church. After you have been examined by your presbytery of care, you will be declared "ready to take a call." After you have been called by a church (or other approved agency) The following steps are then required:
The Presbytery of call "shall ordinarily examine, and contingent upon the candidate's successful completion of that examination" the candidate's presbytery of preparation (care) ordinarily ordains the candidate. That means the candidate appears before the presbytery to make a statement of faith and a committment to ministry. The presbytery receives a report that all requirements have been met, and the candidate is certified ready to take the call pending its approval.
The presbytery approve the call and votes to proceed to ordination.
The presbytery of call certifies to the presbytery of care that you have been approved. Usually your own presbytery ordains you. Your presbytery then issues a letter of dismissal to the calling presbytery, and the calling presbytery enrolls you as a member of that presbytery.
The moderator of the presbytery of those to be ordained asks the candidate to stand before the body of membership to answer the Constitutional Questions (see W-4.4003, W-4.4005 a-c). There is prayer and laying on of hands, and the members of the presbytery welcome the newly ordained minister.
The 219th General Assembly clarified through an Authoritative Interpretation when a candidate can begin to circulate a Personal Information Form (PIF) and other biographical information in seeking a call. The AI is as follows:
Section G-14.0440 allows a candidate to enter into negotiation for his or her ministerial service, even if the candidate has not had his or her final assessment from the presbytery's committee on preparation for ministry, provided the candidate
* has completed two full years of theological education (or the equivalent thereof),
* has had an annual consultation within the last year,
* has satisfactorily completed all the standard ordination exams or received certification of readiness under G-14.0472, and
* has received the approval of the candidate's committee on preparation for ministry.
If the committee on preparation for ministry has approved a particular candidate who meets all the aforementioned requirements to enter into negotiation for his or her ministerial service, that candidate may circulate a Personal Information Form or other biographical information.
