CLERGY STANDING IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONFERENCE of the UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST
Committee on Ministry (COM)
May 2008

In order to maintain standing as an ordained person in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ, the following requirements, as indicated in the Manual of Ministry, the By-Laws of the United Church of Christ, and the By-Laws of the Pacific Northwest Conference, must be met:

1.	 	active membership in a local United Church of Christ;
2.	 	attendance at the Annual Meeting of the Conference (unless excused for good cause);
3.	 	completion of ethics training once every three years (training events designed for clergy, approved by COM);
4.	 maintenance of standards of ministerial conduct as provided in the By-laws and the Manual on Ministry, i.e. to be free from conduct unbecoming a minister, etc.;
5.	response to annual inquiry from the Committee on Ministry
COM will contact each clergy (not in a parish or retired) once each year requesting response to a form providing current information.  If there is any question about categorization, a representative of the Committee will work with the person to clarify.
Failure to respond to these inquiries (after the second attempt) will be regarded as a desire on the part of the clergyperson to be removed from standing in the Conference, and the person will be notified of this action.
6.	notification of COM of any change in employment status and an exit interview;
7. 	engagement in one of the following categories of ministry:
	a.	Local parish minister serving a local church (UCC and/or other communion);
	b.  	Specialized minister, serving in one of the following capacities, including: military chaplain, institutional chaplain, spiritual director, pastoral counselor*, staff member of ecumenical agency providing social justice/social service/religious programming, denominational staff member, campus minister, or seminary teacher, or teacher of religious studies in other than a religious setting.

Any of these specialized ministries must be recognized as ministry by the church.  All clergy in this category shall be part of a three or four way covenant with the Conference, a local church, and the calling body.

*Clergy engaged in a counseling ministry must show current affiliation with AAPC, AAMFT, or ITAA, and maintain good standing in that organization.
	c. 	interim minister currently serving or available to serve in a local church;
	d.	retired minister;
	e.	minister-on-leave due to disability or extended illness;
	f.	minister required to spend a prolonged absence from the U.S., e.g. in service to Wider Church Ministries;
	g.	minister seeking a call – a temporary status conferred with the privilege of call during a period of actively seeking employment in one of the categories listed above;
	h.	minister on personal leave – a status requested by a clergyperson experiencing personal transition, vocational re-evaluation or temporary work not requiring ordination, for a period not to exceed five years, renewable annually.
It will be the responsibility of the COM to keep current records of the status of clergy with standing, and particularly to maintain contact with clergy in categories ‘b-h.’
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United Church of Christ Constitution Article V 22
Pacific Northwest Conference By-Laws, Appendix A, #6
Manual on Ministry Section 1, pages 14-19, Section 3, pages 28-29, 30-31, 35-38