ORDAINED MINISTRY
Forms of Ordained Ministry within the Methodist Church in Ireland
Each person has a calling to live wholeheartedly as a follower of Jesus, for the transformation of the world.
In this calling, we use the gifts and talents that God has entrusted to us. The Methodist Church in Ireland (MCI) sees ordained ministry as a specific vocation within the life of the whole people of God. The ordained minister is especially related to the total ministry of the body of Christ, as leader and enabler of others.
God calls people into ordained ministry in different ways and at different times in life. The Methodist Church in Ireland has one form of ordained ministry, presbyteral ministry, which can be exercised in various ways:
Full-time Stipendiary Ministry
This is an itinerant ministry in which ministers can be stationed across Ireland and for which a full stipend is paid.
Non-Stipendiary Ministry
This is an itinerant ministry in which ministers feel called by God to be self-supporting while exercising ordained ministry.
Ministry in a Part-time Appointment
This is an itinerant ministry in which ministers feel called by God to be partially self-supporting while exercising ordained ministry.
Since all candidates for the ordained ministry already have a sense of call to discipleship, the task of the candidating process is to explore and discern if their call and gifting is to ordained ministry. This requires both the candidate and the church to agree in that discernment.
You may also wish to contact your District Superintendent, the Chair of the Ministries Policies and Procedures Committee - Revd. Robin Waugh or the Director of the Ministries Team - Revd. Dr Janet Unsworth for an informal conversation.
If you think that God may be calling you into ordained ministry, pray and talk with your minister and others whom you trust to speak with you honestly.
If, after careful thought and prayer, you feel that this is a calling to be discerned further, your minister will talk to you about what happens next and guide you through the details of the candidating process.
Explore your call
Explore the Candidating Procedure
A person intending to offer as a candidate for the ordained ministry must be an active member of a local Methodist Church and be an accredited local preacher.
The process of Candidating normally takes place over one full Connexional year: 1 July – 30 June.
Full details of the Agreed Expectations and the Candidating Policy can be downloaded below.
Explore Context-based Formation for Ordained Ministry
Formation for ordained ministry within the Methodist Church in Ireland follows a context-based model. It is designed to provide students for ordained ministry with a unique opportunity to combine theology with practice, and to be ‘formed’ for the role to which God is calling them.
An outline of the Context-based Formation Policy can be downloaded below.
helpful guidelines
Policies and Procedures relating to authorised ministries within the Methodist Church in Ireland are contained in Appendix 12 of the Manual of Laws of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
The Manual of Laws and associated appendices are available by clicking the button below. Scroll down until you reach Appendix 12.
Ongoing Learning and Development
All Ordained Ministers are required to engage in at least twenty hours of continuing ministry development activity each year.
The Ministries Team organise a range of opportunities for ongoing learning and development. Click the button below for more details:
Got any Questions?
If you would like more information or would like to have an informal chat about candidating for Ordained Ministry, look out for the Ordained Ministry Information sessions or contact your District Superintendent, the Chair of the Ministries Policies and Procedures Committee - Revd. Robin Waugh or the Director of the Ministries Team - Revd. Dr Janet Unsworth .