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Information on International Pilgrimages with Youth
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A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE ESSENTIAL ROLE
OF COMMISSIONED MINISTRY AS AN AUTHORIZED MINISTRY OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST
Submitted by:
(list of sponsors followed by list of endorsers of which AUCE would be first)
Background (adapted from The Leaders’ Box, 1993)
The act of commissioning first came to prevalence in the history of the UCC in
the Congregational mission board, called the “American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions”. They “Co-missioned” persons (co-Missionaries) to act on
their behalf overseas. In another tradition of the church, the Evangelical Synod
in its 1929 Constitution and Bylaws invited commissioning for lay workers in
many categories which were recognized as a “department of the Church” (such as
teachers in parochial schools, deaconesses, lay missionaries, directors of
religious education, parish workers or pastors’ assistants.) .
The 1934 Constitution of the Evangelical and Reformed Church defined a
commissioned worker as “a member of the church who is called, trained and
consecrated for specific full-time service in the church”. This description was
incorporated into the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ. In
1983-4, amendments replaced this designation with that of “Commissioned
Minister”.
Introduction
Commissioned Ministry is one of the yet undiscovered treasures of the United
Church of Christ. While it has approximate counterparts in other denominations,
there is no other form of authorized lay ministry quite like it. For those who
seek to be commissioned, it is the answer to a heartfelt longing to have one’s
call to ministry recognized and affirmed. The United Church of Christ is blessed
with many gifted and talented individuals serving in a variety of settings
within the church who are living out a ministry, a unique and highly personal
call from God, every day of their lives. It may not be one requiring word and
sacrament as for ordination or licensing, but it is no less a ministry and no
less important. And yet, “why don’t you want to be ordained “ is often the first
question a person seeking to be commissioned hears from his or her local pastor
or Conference or Association committee on the ministry contact. The persons
posing these questions always seem to forget that the answer to that question is
one the person seeking Commissioning has long since wrestled with.
This lack of understanding of Commissioned Ministry, what it is and what it
isn’t, and why people would seek it out is at the foundation of this resolution.
The idea for the resolution originated with the Commissioned Ministers who are
members of the Association of United Church Educators, most likely for the
simple reason that many of those who are commissioned are educators in the
church and educators tend to gather together to “pick each other’s brains” for
ideas and resources to share. These conversations led to a dawning realization
that those of us who were commissioned had amazingly similar experiences in
terms of what it was like to be commissioned and what we experienced once we
were commissioned. The need for knowledge about commissioned ministry and the
need for a true appreciation for what commissioned ministry can and does mean in
our church and all its settings led those of us in AUCE to come to believe that
a General Synod resolution affirming Commissioned Ministry, and calling for
heightened attention within the United Church of Christ, was in order, if not
long past due. As we expanded our conversations to other groups, the enthusiasm
for this project grew, support increased and here we are.
Summary
In summary, this resolution affirming the essential role of Commissioned
Ministry as an authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ seeks to
recognize and affirm the call to Commissioned Ministry for those seeking it. It
also seeks to provide the impetus needed for the polity structures of the
church, including Parish Life and Leadership in the Local Church Ministries as
well as Conferences and Associations and local churches, to deepen their
understanding and appreciation of commissioned ministry so that they are enabled
and empowered to assist and support those seeking to be commissioned, and those
seeking to add or retain commissioned ministers on staff.
WHEREAS in the Letter to the Church at Ephesus we are told “the gifts he gave
were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors
and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the
Body of Christ;”
(Ephesians 4:11-12), and
WHEREAS in Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth he says, “now there are
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services,
but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God
who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the
Spirit for the common good;”
(1 Corinthians 12:4-7), and
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United Church of Christ “recognizes that God
calls the whole Church and every member to participate in and extend the
ministry of Jesus Christ by witnessing to the Gospel in church and society; ”
(Article VI, paragraph 20)), and
WHEREAS “the United Church of Christ recognizes that God calls certain of its
members to various forms of ministry in and on behalf of the church for which
ecclesiastical authorization is required by the church; (Constitution and
Bylaws, Article VI, section 21), and
WHEREAS “Commissioning is the act whereby the United Church of Christ, through
an Association, in cooperation with a person and a local church of the United
Church of Christ, recognizes and authorizes that member whom God has called to a
specific church-related ministry which is recognized by that Association, but
not requiring ordination or licensing;” (Constitution and Bylaws, Article VI,
paragraph 27), and
WHEREAS professionals in the areas of Christian education, parish nursing,
church music, church administration, worship and the arts, parish visitation,
spiritual direction and other church ministries serve in positions in our
congregations or in other settings of the church that do not require ordination
or licensing, and
WHEREAS these ministries are vital for the faith formation, continued spiritual
growth, and empowerment of the children, youth and adults of our local churches
to live as a people of faith in an ever more volatile society;; and are
undertaken on behalf of the entire United Church of Christ,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth General Synod reaffirms,
emphasizes and celebrates the essential role of Commissioned Ministry as an
authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ, as one which seeks to
empower lay persons through the granting of ecclesiastical authority and
standing to those individuals who have demonstrated a call from God to specific
ministries, and for which ministries they have gained the credentials required
by the authorizing Association or Conference ,; and in which ministries they
will serve a calling body which will enter into covenant with the authorizing
Association or Conference.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in so recognizing and affirming the essential role
of Commissioned Ministry as an authorized ministry in the United Church of
Christ the Twenty-fourth General Synod requests that the Parish Life and
Leadership Ministry Team in Local Church Ministries works intentionally and as
needed to increase knowledge and awareness about commissioned ministry with
committees on the ministry in the various Conferences and Associations so that
they are able to provide adequate assistance and support of candidates for
Commissioned Ministry, including a period of mentorship and preparation which is
patterned after the “In Care” process used with candidates for ordination, for
the length of time deemed appropriate for the discernment and commissioning
process to evolve effectively;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth General Synod requests that the
Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team in Local Church Ministries undertakes a
diligent effort to determine how best to provide support and assistance on
Commissioned Ministry to all interested parties, and to undertake a study of
Commissioned Ministry as it is currently being lived out, in order to ascertain
how best to provide that support and assistance;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth General Synod recommends that all
professionals living out a call from God through their service in the various
settings of the church in positions which do not require ordination or licensing
should seek the recognition and authorization of their calls through the process
for Commissioned Ministry, providing they possess the credentials deemed
necessary for said authorization;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth General Synod recommends that all
candidates for Commissioned Ministry be mentored effectively through the
commissioning process by the local church and the Conference and/or Association;
and that, once the process is completed and the authorization granted, the
standing of all Commissioned Ministers be recognized through such official
channels as listings in Conference and Association directories, inclusion as
appropriate in United Church of Christ Ministers’ Associations, and the
recognition of anniversaries of Commissioning for those with long periods of
service.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fourth General Synod urges local
congregations, Conferences and Associations and other settings of the church to
consider Commissioned Ministers as viable candidates for those professional
positions not requiring ordination or licensing and that the compensation for
those positions be comparable for the level of credentialing and responsibility
required, including such additional items as sabbatical time, access to pension
and health plans, continuing education funds and housing allowance as
appropriate.
Funding for this action will be made in accordance with the overall mandates of
the affected agencies and the funds available.
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