For Ministers of other traditions considering service in the United Church of Christ

If you are a minister of another tradition or denomination considering becoming a member and minister of the United Church of Christ, you should begin by learning more about the United Church of Christ, establishing a relationship with a UCC congregation, and requesting an introductory conversation with the Conference Minister in your geographic region. As you continue to explore the covenants of membership and ministry in the UCC, you will partner with a local Association’s Committee on Ministry to consider authorization.

If you are a minister of another tradition considering service in a United Church of Christ congregation while maintaining your current denominational affiliation, you are invited to explore this option first through the judicatory of your home denomination. Contact then can be made with the United Church of Christ judicatory. Certain denominational partners have explicit agreements which may apply, detailed here:

Formula of Agreement (FOA) and Ordained Ministerial Partner Standing (OMPS) for the PC(USA), ELCA and RCA denominations and for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination, respectively.

Dual Standing and Privilege of Call for ordained ministers from other denominations and traditions.

 

The United Church of Christ’s Manual on Ministry describes processes of affiliating and obtaining standing for ministers of other denominations. Here is a brief description of those processes. For more, see the Manual on Ministry under “Resources”.

Dual Standing and Privilege of Call
This document describes United Church of Christ ministerial standing for those ordained in denominations other than the UCC. For more detail, see the Manual on Ministry in the Resources section.

Resources

Considering a New Church Covenant in the United Church of Christ: A Process for Exploring, Developing, and Affirming New Relationships [PDF]
This booklet describes a process of mutual exploration which will help a non-affiliated church explore the United Church of Christ along with a UCC Association. The goal of the exploration process is to decide whether to enter into a formal covenanted relationship.

Manual on Ministry: Perspectives and Procedures for Ecclesiastical Authorization of Ministry [PDF]
The Manual on Ministry serves as a guide for associations and conferences serving as associations for the authorization of ministry on behalf of the United Church of Christ. All sections of the manual are provided here in pdf format. Also available from UCC Resources.

Manual on Church: Perspectives and Procedures for Association and Local Church Covenantal Partners
The first section of this resource explores the covenantal relationships between local congregations and associations/conferences acting as associations. It is to be used by and with Committees on the Ministry, association and conference staff and local church members to help foster dialogue and increased understanding of what it means to “walk together in all God’s ways” as expressions of the church.

Interim Ministry Guidelines [PDF]
This document, Ministry During the Interim Time, describes some common understandings and procedures for this form of ministry, as they have been developing in the United Church of Christ.

“The gifts Christ 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