- Are You Called?
- Candidacy: Starting Out
- Candidacy: Moving Toward Provisional Membership
- Provisional Members
- Licensed Local Pastors
- Ministers of Other Denominations
- Orders and Fellowship
- BOM Officers & Contacts
- District Committees on Ordained Ministry
- Ministerial Education Fund (MEF)
- Retirement
- Certified Lay Ministry
- Clergy Wellness
- DCOM Tips and Tricks
- Deacon Appointments
- Extension Ministry
- Plagiarism
Candidacy: Starting Out
Welcome to the journey!
This can be a complex, sometimes overwhelming, and exciting process, but this page will direct you to resources to help.
Your first step in moving toward ministry as a leader in the United Methodist Church is your own church pastor or ministry leader at a United Methodist-related ministry setting, such as a camp or campus ministry. They would love to hear your call story, and how God has been working in your life; that person will walk with you in the study of a brief booklet called The Christian as Minister, which brings the opportunity of looking at and discussing the various ways by which we can follow God's call upon our lives.
If you have not yet contacted your District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOM), use this link to get in touch with the chair or registrar.
You can use the downloadable check list below (available in English or Spanish) to help you navigate the steps on the journey. Check back here frequently to make sure you're always using the most recent version of the list:
Checklist for Certified Candidacy in English (09/05/2022)
Got Questions? We've got answers!
Q: How do I get registered in the online candidacy system?
A: Have your district superintendent ask the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM) administrative coordinator to send you the registration link to enter the candidacy process.
Q: How do I get more information about the Candidacy Summit:
A: Contact the Board of Ordained Ministry (bom@umoi.org)
Q: How do I get a background check?
A: Ask for a Release of Information form from the BOM administrative coordinator
Q: How do I start the psychological assessment process?
A: Complete this short form to register your intent to take the psych assessment (or this form en español)
Q: Where can I find all these forms I'm supposed to complete?
A: At the bottom of this page!
Q: What do I do when I don't know what to do next?!
A: Contact Laura Jaquith Bartlett, the BOM Admin. There is always help available for navigating the system!
Candidacy Forms
Your DCOM will ask for a variety of forms to be completed as part of the application process for certified candidacy. These forms can all be found here. Specifically, you will likely be asked for:
- Form 102: Biographical Information Form
- Form 103: Medical Report of Ministerial Candidate (non-fillable form) | (fillable form)
- Form 104: Declaration of Candidacy
- Form 114: Candidate's Disclosure Form