About the Board of Ordained Ministry

The Board of Ordained Ministry will enable disciples of Jesus Christ
to become effective clergy, diaconal ministers, and certified lay professionals.
To this end, the Board assists these persons in the areas of
call, development and collegial support.

The Virginia Conference Board of Ordained Ministry is responsible for supporting persons who respond to God’s call to professional ministry as an elder in full connection, deacon in full connection, licensed local pastor, diaconal minister, or certified professional in Christian education, music, youth, evangelism, camping/retreat ministries, spiritual formation and older adult ministry.

The Board, working with district Committees on Ordained Ministry, reviews the educational and personal qualifications of candidates, including personal interviews, through each step of the candidacy process, from certified candidacy to ordination or licensing.  The Board then makes a recommendation to the Clergy Session. It also reviews and makes recommendations on all changes in Conference Relationship, whether voluntary or involuntary. The Board works collaboratively with the Cabinet in a number of areas to assist in advancing the vision of the Virginia Conference.  

The Board of Ordained Ministry offers support to candidates for ministry and clergy in the following ways:

• Service loans, funded through the Ministerial Education Fund, and Pell Grants for certified candidates who are in seminary.
• Grants for continuing education for clergy and diaconal ministers under appointment and certified professionals.
• Supports clergy, diaconal ministers, and certified professionals who are fulfilling the requirement of 1 CEU per year and at least 8 CEUs per quadrennium.
• Offers grants through the Clergy Development Program for continuing education for selected learning experiences.
• Supports Self-Care of Clergy through the Self-Care Covenant and awareness of the need for self-care.
• Ministerial Family Counseling Program, which offers confidential financial assistance for counseling for clergy and their families.
• The Order of Deacon which includes the Fellowship of Diaconal Ministers and the Order of Elder, which offer opportunities for covenant relationships, mutual accountability, and continuing spiritual formation.
• The Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members, which includes all local pastors and associate members, whose purpose is to provide support, love and encouragement to local pastors and to serve as a voice for local pastors and associate members in the Virginia Conference. The Fellowship has published a Handbook for Local Pastors, available from the Office of Ministerial Services, sponsors a fall retreat for local pastors, associate members, and spouses, and hosts a lunch at annual conference.
• District Chaplains Ministry which includes an identified “chaplain” on each district to offer assistance to the district superintendent with pastor care for clergy and clergy families.  
• Relates to all clergy in Extension Ministries, recommends to the Cabinet all appointments to new extension ministry settings beyond the UMC, and sponsors a retreat with Bishop Pennel for clergy in Extension Ministries (elders) and Beyond the Local Church (deacons).
• Sexual Ethics Committee, which offers the required training in sexual ethics for all new appointments in the Virginia Conference, and supports the Sexual Ethics Response Team, which is used at the Bishop’s discretion.
• Probationary Process, a system of continued growth and learning for probationers in the Virginia Conference. The purpose is to establish lifelong patterns that will create effective clergy leaders for the church. This process has three dimensions: mentoring in a covenant group, continuing theological education through a residency program, and supervision. It is required for all probationers.
• Seminary visitation to the major seminaries attended by candidates in the Virginia Conference.
• Enlistment for ordained and licensed ministry, including sponsoring a Conference Exploration Event every other year for college students to consider God’s call to ministry; collaboration with Randolph-Macon College in an Exploration Event for high school students; support of Project Transformation, a summer program for college students.
• Professional Certification in Christian education, youth ministry, older adult ministry, spiritual formation, music, evangelism, older adult ministry and camping-retreat ministries. 
• Licensing School for Local Pastors, offered annually in May.
• New Clergy Orientation, for all first time appointments in Virginia.
• Ministers’ Convocation, an annual week-long event in January, for continuing education for clergy and diaconal ministers.
• Support for Clergy Families through the Clergy Family Enrichment Committee which develops the “Thrival Kit,” sponsors a welcome meal at annual conference, offers mentors for clergy spouses, supports the annual Spouses Retreat and Spouses Luncheon at annual conference, and supports information and resources about personage standards.
• Review and recommendation of all requests for Transfers to the Virginia Conference.   
• Training and support for district Committees on Ordained Ministry.  
• Works with the Cabinet to assist clergy and diaconal ministers on clergy effectiveness, evaluation and assessment of clergy, using the Standards for Clergy Leadership, the Survey of Clergy Effectiveness, and resources for annual evaluation of clergy and church staff.
• Work with candidates preparing for interviews with the Board in the spring. Packets with instructions are available by July 15, annually.              

Rev. Jeffrey P. Mickle Chair, BOM 9203 Braddock Rd Burke Virginia 22015-1613 (703) 978-8724 (work) (703) 425-3568 (home) jeffmickle@prodigy.net

Beth C. Downs Director, Office of Ministerial Services  P.O. Box 1719 Glen Allen, VA 23060 Phone: 804-521-1100 or 1-800-768-6040, ext. 127 E-mail: BethDowns@vaumc.org