Application for Commissioned Lay Pastor Inquirers

Application for Commissioned Lay Pastor Inquirers Directions: to move from field to field within the document, use the Tab key to advance and the Shift + Tab to reverse

The commissioned lay pastor is an elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA) who is granted a local commission by a presbytery to lead worship and preach the gospel, watch over the people, and provide for their nurture and service.

In order to apply for consideration for a commission to be granted by the Presbytery of East Iowa, please provide the following information:

Address:

City State Iowa Zip

Phone Fax Email

Church membership (church and town)

Date ordained an elder

Congregation that ordained you (church and town)

How many terms have you served on session?

Name all of the churches in which you have served on session:

Have you ever resigned from the session before your term was ended or have you ever given up your ordination for any reason? If so, why?

Have you ever been ordained to any other office in the Presbyterian Church (USA)? If so, please explain.

Have you ever been ordained in any other denomination? If so, please explain.

Have you ever begun the process of coming under the care of a presbytery to seek ordination as a minister of the word and sacrament? If so, please explain.

Application for Commissioned Lay Pastor Inquirers Page 1 of 3 If you have ever had formal training in any of the following areas, please list the place and date.

Reformed Theology and Sacraments

Presbyterian Polity

Preaching

Leading Worship

Pastoral Care

Christian Education

Do you presently have full or part-time employment? Full Time

If so, what is it and how many hours per week do you spend at it?

What do you enjoy most about your job?

If you are retired, please tell us what your main profession was and what you enjoyed most about it

If you could change one thing about your current congregation, what would it be?

If you could change one thing about our denomination, what would it be?

Please write an essay of approximately 300 words describing your gifts for ministry, how you are using them as an elder in your congregation, and how they might be better used if the presbytery finds you ready, after appropriate training, to be commissioned.

Application for Commissioned Lay Pastor Inquirers Page 2 of 3 Your current pastor and clerk of session, as well as one other person of your choosing must write letters of reference for you. Have them sent directly to the address printed below. With this form, provide us with their names and contact information. No application will be considered until all letters of reference are received.

Reference 1: Contact Information:

Completion of this application is the beginning of a process that may or may not lead you to a commission as a lay pastor. Please read Form of Government 14.0801 and be ready to discuss its implications for you when you meet with the representatives of the presbytery who will discuss with you the next steps of the process.

Please save this application and then attach by e-mail to the Rev. Scott Nesbitt, Director of the Commissioned Lay Pastor Program: [email protected]. For questions, you may call Scott at 319-657-4214.

Application for Commissioned Lay Pastor Inquirers Page 3 of 3