Northern Lights Region established clergy are asked to complete this form once each year. You are notified by the Regional Office when it is time to complete your report.

In keeping with The Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), regions are responsible for reviewing and certifying the Ministerial Standing of all ordained and commissioned Disciples clergy who live in their area each year. When your standing is acknowledged by the region, your name is listed in the official Yearbook and Directory of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for the ensuing year. It is important to know that the Yearbook is the primary document the IRS uses to verify ministerial standing, and thus, your eligibility for housing allowance exclusions. Another key value – you cannot enter Search and Call without standing.  Standing reflects your being “accountable to and up-to-date with” the required denominational criteria for maintaining your ecclesiastical certification.

The following questions are detailed but with purpose. Please complete the form as accurately as possible. Many of the questions are directly related to those the Northern Lights Region is asked to provide to the Office of Christian Vocation (who keeps minister records) and when your standing is transferred between regions. The more complete and accurate your replies are here, the more complete and accurate your records at the Office of Christian Vocation will be. Thank you!

Friendly Note: If you are in need of assistance for technological or other reasons, do not hesitate to reach out to the Regional Office to be connected with someone who will be happy to support you in completing this form! Together, we can ensure all ministers wishing to maintain standing are given every opportunity to do so.

Review Contact and Personal Details

Please use your full middle name. Use NA if you legally do not have a middle name.
Use this field to share your common name- not required. Robert=Bob, if you go by your middle name, etc.
You are invited to share with us your spouse or partner's name- we use this information for mailings and other cordial correspondence.

Confirm Your Email Address

To avoid "spamming" you, please indicate that this:

is the email address you will expect to receive email from the Region at. ** To include bulk messages to clergy, newsletters, prayer alerts, etc, (such as sent by MailChimp) in addition to day to day business from the Regional office and staff.

Order of Ministry

Criteria for Continuation of Annual Standing for Active Ministers

This section may be skipped if you are Retired-inactive status or Retired-active but not engaged in active ministry. Employment Criteria: “Standing for ministers in active service continues so long as the minister does and reports the following: Performs faithfully the duties of a minister as authorized by Commissioning or Ordination, either in an occupation recognized by the church as ministerial in purpose or in a service recognized by the church as ministerial in purpose." Theological Foundations and Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry [II.F.2.b.i]

Current Active Ministry Employment

Current Other Employment

Study and Growth

Qualifications for Standing to continue include participation in “programs of study, research, growth, renewal.” Theological Foundations and Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry [II.F.2.b.ii]

Healthy Boundaries and Anti Racism Training

Healthy Boundaries Training: All active clergy, both ordained and commissioned, are required to complete six hours of Healthy Boundary Training for Clergy every four years beginning in 2020. Approved training is provided by the Northern Lights Region (2020, 2024...). Other options may be: courses offered by other regions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), member denominations of Churches Uniting in Christ, or trainings approved by the Commission on Ministry on a case by case basis.

Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Training: All active clergy, both ordained and commissioned, are required to complete six hours of Anti-Racism training every four years beginning in 2018. Approved training is provided by the Northern Lights Region (2022, 2026...). Other options may be: courses offered by other regions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), member denominations of Churches Uniting in Christ, or trainings approved by the Commission on Ministry on a case by case basis.

Active clergy, including active retired, both ordained and commissioned, who fail to complete either of the required trainings in the year they are due may have commissioning/standing removed, not for cause. Commissioning/standing may be reinstated after training is completed.

Special Circumstances:

    • 1. In-care candidates seeking ordination, commissioning or standing should complete the trainings as they are offered and must complete Healthy Boundary training prior to approval for ordination, commissioning or standing.
    • 2. Pastors transferring standing from another region should enter the training cycle at the earliest opportunity. The pastor must also either have completed a Healthy Boundaries Training within the past four years, or complete an approved course within one year.
    • 3. Inactive retired clergy are not required to complete these trainings. However, inactive retired clergy who wish to re-enter active ministry must enter the training cycle at the earliest opportunity. If the pastor has not participated in a Healthy Boundaries training within the past four years, an approved course must be completed within one year.

You may access this information at any time by going to https://northernlightsdisciples.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Section-8.1-Clergy-Healthy-Boundary-Anti-Racism-Training-Policy-2019.pdf.

It is the responsibility of each active clergy person to register for and complete training in the year it is required.

Per the schedule as laid out in the policy, all Active and Retired-active clergy were due to take Anti-Racism training in 2022.  Contact the Regional Office immediately if this did not occur.

Maintenance of Relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

“Standing continues so long as the minister maintains relations with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), including participating membership in a recognized congregation in the community where feasible.” Theological Foundations and Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry [II.F.2.b.iii]

Please include the church name, city, and state.

Getting to Know You Better

Affirmations

Click https://northernlightsdisciples.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Section-7-Part-5-Clergy-Misconduct-Policy-NLR-Approved-2021.pdf to read the Northern Lights Region Clergy Misconduct Policy.

Optional Questions and Notes to the Commission on Ministry

Signature

By typing your name and date below and pressing the "Submit" button, you acknowledge that you are accountable for the information submitted and that the answers to the questions above will be used to determine your Ministerial Standing status with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Northern Lights Region and with the General Office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Regional Directory

Unless otherwise indicated, your contact information will be included as often as the Northern Lights Region Directory is updated this year.

Pulpit Supply

From time to time the Regional Office is asked for help to contact clergy/ministry professionals who may be able to provide Pulpit Supply.
We ask that you re-affirm your desire to be on this list each year.
Retired-INACTIVE ministers are not able to perform this service.