Candidacy Boards and other Candidacy Pathway Volunteers

Description

Candidacy Boards and other Candidacy Pathway Volunteers 

Are you someone who can assist people in discerning their call to ministry? There are many ways you can support the candidacy pathway and the important work of ministry formation. Ministers and lay people are needed for Candidacy Boards and a variety of other related volunteer roles. 

Candidacy Boards 

Candidacy Board Mandate 

Candidacy Boards are responsible for:  

1. approving an individual for candidacy for ministry in the United Church; 
2. terminating candidacy if necessary; 
3. determining an individual’s readiness for accreditation for ordination, for commissioning, and for recognition as a designated lay minister; and 
4. overseeing the Candidacy Pathway process.      

Candidacy Board Membership 

There are a number of Candidacy Boards that support the candidacy pathway, including an Indigenous Candidacy Board for the Indigenous Candidacy Pathway. Each Candidacy Board has up to 12 members. 

To honour the separation of responsibilities assigned to regional councils and those assigned to the Office of Vocation, Candidacy Board members will not be serving on a body of the regional council with decision-making responsibilities that relate to or affect pastoral relations or pastoral relationships. 

Member Skills and Experience 

Candidacy board members will 

• be aware of the current ministry leadership needs of the church 
• be familiar with the theologies of the United Church in order to assess essential agreement on the part of candidates
• be familiar with the church’s commitments to discipleship, spirituality, and justice
• understand the identity, role and responsibilities of ordered ministry
• have experience of competency-based models of education and formation
• be able to analyse and/or discuss professional assessments, including psychological and spiritual inventories
• be able to use equity, diversity and anti-oppression social competence to conduct interviews and make collective decisions
• have or be able to develop proficiency in the candidacy pathway process
• have or be able to develop familiarity with the United Church testamur
• be prepared to work primarily digitally and gather in person on occasion

United Church Relationship: Full member 

Expectations and Term 

Candidacy Board members can expect between 8 and 12 days of meetings and interviews  per year, usually by videoconference. Additionally, there is significant preparation time involved. The pattern of meetings varies by candidacy board. 

The term of this appointment is for three years (August 2025–August 2028) with the possibility of reappointment for a second three-year term. 

Other Candidacy Pathway Volunteer Opportunities:  

Candidacy Boards are just one of a number of roles essential to the important work of the formation of ministry leadership. If you are unable, at this time, to serve on a Candidacy Board but have gifts and skills to offer, there are other ways you can support the candidacy pathway including: 

• being an auxiliary interviewer for candidacy boards  
• serving as an educational supervisor in a learning site 
• mentoring someone travelling the candidacy pathway 
• mentoring someone in the first five years of ministry 
• offering leadership in discernment retreats 
• offering leadership in practice of ministry peer support   

United Church Relationship: Full member or active participant (depending on role) 

For more information about these volunteer opportunities, please see the complete description, below.

To Express Interest

Please express interest or nominate someone for a candidacy board.

For other ways of supporting the candidacy pathway use this candidacy pathway volunteer form.

All submissions will be acknowledged by e-mail. If you do not receive acknowledgement, please contact Member Engagement. Incomplete or late submissions cannot be considered.

For further information or assistance in expressing interest or nominating someone, please contact:

Member Engagement
Toll-Free: 1-800-268-3781
E-mail: 

Downloads

• 45-13 Candidacy Pathway.pdf (191.34 KB) (PDF)