Board of Ordained Ministry
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The Louisiana Conference Board of Ordained Ministry (CBOM) is responsible for supporting persons who respond to God's call to professional ministry as an elder in full connection, deacon in full connection, licensed local pastor, diaconal minister, or certified professional in camp/retreat ministry, children’s ministry, Christian education, collegiate ministry, evangelism, ministry with people with disabilities, ministry with the poor, music ministry, older adult ministry, spiritual formation ministry, urban ministry, and youth ministry.
The Board, working with District Committees on Ordained Ministry, reviews the educational and personal qualifications of candidates, including personal interviews, through each step of the candidacy process, from certified candidacy to ordination or licensing. The Board then makes a recommendation to the Clergy Session and also reviews and makes recommendations on all changes in Conference Relationship, whether voluntary or involuntary. The Board works collaboratively with the Cabinet in a number of areas to assist in advancing the vision and ministry of the Louisiana Conference.
The Conference Board of Ordained Ministry offers support to candidates for ministry and clergy in the following ways:
- Provides service loans, funded through the Ministerial Education Fund for certified candidates who are in seminary.
- Awards Scholarships to seminary degree-seeking students, based on merit and need.
- Supports clergy, diaconal ministers, and certified professionals who are fulfilling the requirement of 1 CEU per year, or at least 8 CEU's per quadrennium.
- Offers a Care and Nurturing Program, which provides confidential financial assistance for counseling for clergy and their families.
- Offers opportunities for covenant relationships, mutual accountability, and continuing spiritual formation through the Order of Deacons and the Order of Elders.
- Provides support, love, and encouragement to local pastors, and serves as a voice for local pastors and associate members in the Louisiana Conference through the Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members, which includes all local pastors and associate members.
- Establishes lifelong patterns that will create effective clergy leaders for the church through the Provisional Process, which is a system of continued growth and learning for provisional members in the Louisiana Conference. This process has three dimensions: coaching/mentoring in a covenant group, participating in the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness - Soul Journey, and supervision. It is required for all provisional members.
- Visits major seminaries attended by candidates in the Louisiana Conference.
- Enlists candidates for ordained and licensed ministry, including support of the for those persons discerning God's call to ordained or licensed ministry.
- Offers Professional Certification in camp/retreat ministry, children’s ministry, Christian education, collegiate ministry, evangelism, ministry with people with disabilities, ministry with the poor, music ministry, older adult ministry, spiritual formation ministry, urban ministry, and youth ministry
- Offers Licensing School for Local Pastors annually in January to April.
- Reviews the recommendation of all requests for Transfers to the Louisiana Conference.
- Provides training and support for District Committees on Ordained Ministry.
- Provides training and support for candidacy mentors
- Works with candidates preparing for interviews with the Division of Elders and the Division of Deacons and Diaconal Ministers in the Fall and Spring.
- Works with Local Pastors who are preparing for interviews with the Division of Local Pastors and Associate Members in the Spring.
- Relates to all clergy on location, various leaves of absence (personal, family, sabbatical), incapacity medical leave, and transitional leave.
- Relates to all retired clergy.
- Relates to all clergy in Extension Ministries and those serving in an agency or setting beyond the Local Church.
For more information, please contact: kwooldridge@la-umc.org
