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Opening/Closing Date: August 18, 2023 to September 26, 2023

Description

Candidacy Boards provide an essential role in assisting people to discern their call into ministry. 

Mandate 

There are seven Candidacy Boards in the United Church, each relating to a number of regional councils or to the Indigenous Church. The candidacy boards are commissions of the Board of Vocation and have the responsibilities outlined in the Candidacy Pathway including naming candidates, terminating candidacy, and determining readiness for accreditation for ordination, commissioning to the diaconal ministry and recognizing designated lay ministers. 

In response to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in keeping with the Calls to the Church, the National Indigenous Council has sole responsibility for appointing an Indigenous Candidacy Board to serve the Indigenous Church.  

Candidacy Board Membership 

The Candidacy Board will have a minimum of six members who reflect the broad diversity of the United Church, with particular attention to its equity commitments and the presence of lay people and ministry personnel from each stream of ministry.  

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. Members will reside in the geographical areas served by the Candidacy Board. 

Member Skills and Experience 

The National Indigenous Council is seeking members to serve on the Indigenous Candidacy Board, including graduates of the Sandy-Saulteaux Spiritual Centre and its predecessors, Diaconal and Designated Lay Ministers, and lay people. We are seeking people with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to carry out the responsibilities of the Board—i.e., in ministry formation and determining readiness for ministry leadership; in applying standards of practice; and in exercising wisdom, compassion, and fairness in decision-making. 

Members of Candidacy Boards need to have skills in listening, discernment, having difficult conversations, and providing clear and concrete feedback. Members must be able to compassionately say “no,” including the possibility of terminating someone’s candidacy. Members will be comfortable viewing and working with documents online.  

It is important for Candidacy Board members to understand that the Candidacy Pathway is different for each applicant and candidate; this takes extra time and attention. Members need knowledge of the realities of the practice of ministry and of intercultural sensitivity. Proficiency in French or other languages in addition to English is an asset. 

Candidacy Board members will be members of the United Church active in a community of faith or ministry who are 

  • committed to the practice of ministry within The United Church of Canada  
  • predisposed to collaboration and teamwork  
  • able to listen and discern  
  • committed to right relations, the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and their relevance to ministry personnel, the vision of becoming an intercultural church, and the journey to becoming an anti-racist denomination  
  • comfortable with and able to participate in electronic meetings  
  • able to commit the time required for this responsibility  
  • Ministry personnel need to be on the registry of accredited ministry personnel. 

Expectations and Term 

Candidacy Boards meet both in person and by video-conference to conduct interviews and board business. Some Candidacy Boards meet monthly; some meet every other month; some meet three to four times a year for a few days at a time. Serving on a Candidacy Board is a significant commitment requiring substantial time in meetings, interviews, and preparation. 

For more information about this volunteer opportunity, please see the complete description, below.

To Express Interest

To apply for this vacancy, please express interest or nominate someone.

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, ext. 2211
E-mail:  nominate@united-church.ca

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