CREDENTIALING & CALL
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How Does Credentialing & Seeking a Call Work in the ECC?
The Covenant grants several different types of credentials. Some are permanent credentials and some are annually renewable credentials (licenses). The credentialing and call process in the ECC is a multi-layered discernment process in partnership with the local church/place of ministry, the regional conference, the denomination, and the Covenant Ministerium. Credentialing in the ECC begins by being affirmed in your local place of ministry, and together with your community discerning your call at each subsequent level through interview and various processes. Your local place of ministry affirms your role and need for the credential to begin with; then your regional conference meets with/oversees your credential; then finally the national entities of the Board of Ordered Ministry, the Ministerium Annual Meeting, and the ECC Annual Meeting vote on your credential.
For those with credentials seeking employment/place of call, the call process to serve a church or ministry happens locally with support from regional Superintendents and others as needed. In the ECC, we maintain congregational polity which means that pastors are called locally, but we collectively ordain and care for/discipline pastors at the denominational level.
For more information on the credentialing or seeking a call process, please contact your regional conference office or the Department of Develop Leaders at ECC Offices (ministry@covchurch.org) More information on credentialing & call can also be found at:
Nurturing A Call
Your Unique Journey & Discernment
Responding to a call to ministry is also much more than a policy or process - it's a Spirit-filled journey of discernment, prayer, grace, joy, questions, courage - and a lot of paper work! We know that there are many diverse realities to consider at each stage - for the woman/man who is beginning to explore a potential sense of call, for the man/woman who has been in the credentialing or call process for many years, and for the woman/man who may be transferring or starting to respond to a call from another professional place. Know that there are places of relational and informational support for you wherever you are on the journey.
If you have struggled in other seasons or spaces of your life with nurturing a potential call to ministry, we also want you to know this up front:
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In the ECC we affirm women at all levels of ministry and authority in the church.
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In the ECC, we value and intentionally pursue having multi-ethnic ministries, churches, and leaders representing diverse racial and cultural backgrounds as a core biblical value.
We have a long way to go make our actions and our systems reflect both of these commitment, which should be named. But we have been faithfully pursuing God's call to shape our Ministerium around both of these convictions for decades, and will commit to continuing to doing so.
We praise God that many women and men from diverse church traditions, backgrounds, countries, languages, ethnicities and genders find a home within the Covenant Ministerium.
Consult these links below for more information about the ECC Identity that shapes our credentialing and call process, some supports for remaining healthy in ministry, creative training and education options, and how to reach out to your Regional Ministerium Association and Associations supporting women clergy and ethnic Ministers for support and community along the way.
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The Six-Fold Test - Intentionally pursuing Multi-Ethnic Priorities
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IGNITE - Seminary option that is Regional, On-Site, Affordable Cohort Model
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Ethical Guidelines for Ministers - VIEW
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Paper on Healthy Ministers - COMING SOON
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Support, Scholarships, & Crisis Care for Ministers - VIEW
COVCONNECT
Accessing Your Profile Form & the Vocational Growth Tool (VGT)
CovConnect is an online portal which exists to connect Pastors who are credentialed and in the call process and churches/potential ministry positions. Within CovConnect, search teams can access Ministers’ Profile Forms that have been recommended to them by Conference Superintendents and others. Ministers can also view current job listings posted by local Covenant Churches and other ministries.
The Vocational Growth Tool (VGT) is also found at CovConnect. The VGT should be completed each year by members to maintain Good Standing and to record places of learning, growth, collegial connection, and overall health in ministry.
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Login credentials are required to access CovConnect. For first-time or repeat login or password support, contact: ministry@covchurch.org.