Structure of the Office of Vocation

The Office of Vocation is supported by staff in the General Council Office and deployed Office of Vocation ministers.

To carry out its responsibilities, the Office consists of the Board of Vocation and several committees and commissions.

Office of Vocation structure as of October 2019

Board of Vocation

The elected member body accountable for the work of the Office of Vocation to the General Council. Find out more about the Board in Connex issue 58 (April 2019).

Standards for Accreditation Committee (Standards Committee)

Implements the policies set by the General Council by recommending standards to the Board of Vocation in the areas defined by The Manual, section E.2.2

Credentialing Committee

Supports processes for ministry partners, admission applicants, and chaplaincies, and determines and responds to applications from ministry personnel who wish

• to be readmitted from the Discontinued Service List
• to be intentional interim ministers
• to become educational supervisors (see Process for Credentialing as an Educational Supervisor under Downloads, below)
  Find out more about this committee in Connex issue 61 (Dec. 2019), page 3.

Response Committee

Determines the best process to follow with respect to concerns raised about ministry personnel and ensures there are trained and supported reviewers, investigators and conflict resolution facilitators and people with other expertise as required

Remedial Committee

Assesses findings related to the effectiveness of a ministry personnel or investigations about alleged breach of ethical standards, and may initiate formal complaints

Admission Board

Assesses ministers from other denominations seeking to be admitted to The United Church of Canada, deciding suitability and eventual completion of the admission process. Find out more about this board in Connex issue 61 (Dec. 2019), page 4.

Candidacy Boards

Enact the Candidacy Pathway—name candidates for ministry, terminate candidacy, determine readiness for accreditation for commissioning to diaconal ministry, ordained ministry, and designated lay ministry; the Indigenous Candidacy Board serves the Indigenous Church. Find out more about the Pathway in Connex issue 59 (June 2019), page 2.

Helpful Videos

Note: Some of these videos were created when the Office of Vocation was first introduced in January 2019. They are still relevant to understanding how the Office of Vocation functions, but the structural organization chart has been updated, and the membership of the various committee has continued to evolve. 

• How to OV - Board vs. Office of Vocation: Explains the difference between these two bodies and how they work together.
• Vocational Life of Ministry Personnel: Roles and Responsibilities: Explains how ministry personnel engage with the Office of Vocation and regional councils throughout their vocational life. Please find the Vocational Life of Ministry Personnel: Roles and Responsibilities chart below for reference.