General News and Announcements

June 25, 2010

Transfer and settlement will become optional for candidates for the Order of Ministry as a result of a remit that was authorized by the 40th General Council (2009) and approved by more than two-thirds of all presbyteries.

The Sub-Executive of the General Council met on June 24, 2010, and considered the results of Remit 3. Of 85 presbyteries, 60 voted in favour and 16 voted against; results were not received from the remaining 9 presbyteries. The Sub-Executive, therefore, declared that the remit has passed.

The policy change will come into effect on July 1, 2010, the date fixed by the 40th General Council. It will apply for the first time to candidates for the Order of Ministry who are recommended for ordination or commissioning to diaconal ministry in 2011. Candidates will be required to make a decision by February 1, 2011, as to whether they will participate in the transfer and settlement process, or seek a call or an appointment.

Until now, transfer and settlement have been mandatory for newly ordered ministry personnel. Transfer is the act of moving the membership of ministry personnel from one Conference to another. Settlement is the process of pairing newly ordained and commissioned ministry personnel, and ministers of the United Church who opt into the process, with pastoral charges in need of ministers by matching the gifts and skills of the ministry personnel and the needs of the pastoral charges.

Ministry personnel who seek call or appointment conduct their own search processes to find positions.

A small working group of the Permanent Committee on Ministry and Employment Policies and Services is developing a proposal for financial incentives for candidates who agree to transfer and settlement. The working group will present recommendations to the Permanent Committee in September.