CPM Forms

CPM Forms

All the guidelines, instructions, requirements, and forms for individuals seeking to become ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), from the application to begin the process through accepting a call.  Please review the “Ordination Process” for more detailed explanations of when to submit the forms.

Ordination Process in the PC(USA)(as it finds expression in Pittsburgh Presbytery)
Commissioned Pastor (CP) Process
Application to Enroll as an Inquirer
Advance to Candidacy – Minister of Word & Sacrament
Advance to Candidacy – Commissioned Pastor
Annual Consultations
Commission Planning
Ordination Examinations
Personal Information Form (PIF) Instructions
Scholarships & Student Aid Funds


Application to the CPM Process/Enrollment as an Inquirer

(All Forms Required for both Minister of Word & Sacrament and Commissioned Pastors)

  • Form 1A: Application to be Enrolled by Presbytery as an Inquirer
  • Form 1B: Questions for Reflection
  • Form 1C: Financial Planning for Theological Education
  • Form 1D: Session Evaluation & Recommendation
  • Form 2A: Report on Pre-Care Consultation of Applicant to Become Inquirer
  • Form 2B: Covenant Agreement & Inquirer Release

Applicants should contact their Session and Presbytery to make sure the forms have been forwarded (paperwork must be received by CPM at least two weeks prior to the CPM meeting the applicant wants to attend). See below for the meeting schedule.

Once Enrolled as an Inquirer you will receive the following to review or submit:


Advance to Candidacy – Minister of Word and Sacrament

IMPORTANT NOTE: Completion of ALL forms listed below are required in the care process of Pittsburgh Presbytery in order to be considered advancement to Candidacy.

  • Within 12 months of moving to Inquirer Meet with Care Team to complete the Ministry Assessment (MA) Rating Grid Part I: Inventory for Inquirers
  • After completion of Field Education, meet with Care Team to complete the Ministry Assessment (MA) Rating Grid Part II : Pre-Candidacy Evaluation
  • Form 5A: Application to be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate
  • Form 5B: Session Evaluation & Recommendation for Candidate
  • Form 5D: Covenant Agreement & Candidate Release
  • Required Candidacy Questions & Personal Statement of Faith

Advance to Candidacy – Commissioned Pastor

  • Within 12 months of moving to Inquirer Meet with Care Team to complete the Ministry Assessment (MA) Rating Grid Part I: Inventory for Inquirers
  • After completion of Field Education, meet with Care Team to complete the Ministry Assessment (MA) Rating Grid Part II : Pre-Candidacy Evaluation
  • Form 5A: Application to be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate for Commissioning
  • Form 5B: Session Evaluation & Recommendation Regarding Enrollment as a Candidate for Commissioning
  • Required Candidacy Questions & Statement of Faith for Commissioned Service

Inquirers should contact their Session and Presbytery to make sure the forms have been forwarded (all paperwork, including answers to the candidacy questions, must be received by CPM at least two weeks prior to the CPM meeting the applicant wants to attend). Check the meeting schedule for dates.


Annual Consultations*

  • Form 3: Pre-Consultation Report on Development Areas
  • Form 4: Report on Consultation

*Ministry Assessments (MA) Parts I and II can also be completed as part of annual consultations


Commission Planning


Ordination Examinations

NOTE:  You must receive permission from CPM to take the Standard Ordination examinations.  If you need permission to take any of the ordination examinations, contact your Care Team at least two weeks prior to the next CPM meeting and let them know which exams you would like to take.


Personal Information Forms & Instructions


Scholarships/Student Aid Funds

Commissioned Pastor Process

Commissioned Pastor Process

Commissioned Pastor Process

Commissioned Pastor Process

Introduction

Book of Order Section G-2.10 gives permission to Presbyteries to commission Ruling Elders for limited pastoral service as assigned by the Presbytery. It also specifies that the preparation and instruction for this service be determined by the Presbytery in a such a way that it is appropriate to the particular commission.


Process for Commissioning

Enrollment as an Inquirer

  1. An individual who is interested in pursuing commissioned ministry should first come under the care of his or her Session by becoming an Inquirer. All the requirements of G-2.0602 [1] regarding time of membership, work and worship in the congregation, and endorsement of the session apply to those who wish to pursue commissioning. Ordinarily an individual seeking commissioned shall have completed a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
  2. Prior to meeting with the Session, the individual shall select a Minister of Word and Sacrament to serve as their supervisor throughout the preparation process. The supervisor may — but need not — be the pastor of their sponsoring congregation.
  3. Once the individual has been received under care by the Session, they shall appear before the Commission on Preparation for Ministry to be enrolled as an Inquirer, and the CPM shall follow the standard practice for receiving an Inquirer, including the assignment of a care team, receipt of books, etc.
  4. Once received by the CPM as an Inquirer, the individual shall notify the CPM (by way of the Chair, Vice-Chair, or Presbytery Staff Liaison) of their interest in serving in a commissioned pastor role. This request shall be forwarded to a joint COM/CPM team for its review.

COM/CPM Commissioned Pastor Task Force (PCTF)

  1. A team comprised of at least five individuals (2 from COM, 2 from CPM, and 1 staff person) shall meet with the individual.
  2. The CPTF shall meet with the individual for the following purposes
    • Understanding the Inquirer’s sense of call to commissioned ministry
    • To determine an appropriate requirements preparation and assessment for the Inquirer in the following areas:  Biblical Content & Exegesis, Worship & Sacraments, Theology, and Polity.
    • In addition to the four primary areas of preparation, the CPTF should also determine what form of supervised ministry experience is most appropriate for an individual seeking commissioning.
    • The CPTF has broad discretion in determining what the requirements will be for each Inquirer. Options include:
      1. Seminary Course Work
      2. Assigned reading
      3. Individual or small-group tutoring
      4. On-going participation in a ministry preparation process
  3. Once these requirements are determined, they shall be presented to the Inquirer. If the Inquirer agrees to them, this will become their “Commissioned Pastor Process”.

Commissioned Pastor Process

  1. Under the supervision of the CPM, the Inquirer shall complete the requirements as outlined in their specific CP Process and provide progress reports annually (by means of an annual consultation) to the CPM through their Care Team.
  2. The care team may ask others, both currently serving on CPM and beyond, to assist in their work with the Inquirer, in particular by reviewing materials designed to assess the Inquirer’s progress (example: papers, local exams, etc.)

Ready to Commission Process

  1. When the Inquirer has satisfied all the requirements contained in their Commissioned Pastor Process document, that Inquirer they shall appear before CPM and present a statement of faith.
  2. Prior to meeting with the Inquirer, the CPM shall be briefed regarding the individual’s sense of call and preparation process so the examination can be of appropriate depth and scope.
  3. If the CPM determines that the Inquirer has satisfactorily completed all the requirements of their Commissioned Pastor Process and meets the requirements of G-2.0607a, the CPM may determine that the individual is “Ready to Commission.”

Notes and Clarifications

By precedent, if a person has been commissioned once, they are eligible to serve in other ministry roles in a commissioned capacity. Because of the contextual nature of the preparation process, COM shall assess whether the prior preparation plus subsequent ministry experience is adequate preparation for a future commissioned pastor role.

In specific situations, it may be appropriate to permit an individual to be commissioned in renewable six-month intervals while the Commissioned Pastor Process is completed.


[1] To be enrolled as an inquirer, the applicant shall be a member of the sponsoring congregation, shall have been active in the work and worship of that congregation for at least six months, and shall have received the endorsement of the session of the sponsoring congregation. (G-2.0602, PCUSA Book of Order 2017-10 Edition)

Saul Estate Scholarship Fund

Saul Estate Scholarship Fund

Saul Estate Scholarship Fund

The Saul Estate Scholarship Fund

The Saul Estate Scholarship Fund is administered by the Commission on Preparation for Ministry (CPM) and has the privilege of nominating recipients as follows:

The testators, John H. and Edith M. Saul, specified the income derived from the trust should be used to defray tuition costs for persons who are under care of Pittsburgh Presbytery and enrolled as undergraduate students at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with preference being given to members of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church. This has since been modified by the court on joint petition of the bank and Pittsburgh Presbytery, to allow any excess funds remaining at the end of a calendar year to be applied to room, board, and books for the student recipients.

The procedure is as follows:

  • Each fall, the Office of Student Aid at the seminary sends to CPM at the office of Pittsburgh Presbytery a list of students believed to be eligible who demonstrate a need in accordance with the financial aid policy of the seminary.
  • This list is checked to insure each name is that of a student under care of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
  • The available amount is then equally divided among the eligible students.
  • This list is approved by CPM and is reported to the presbytery.
  • These grants are never paid directly to the students, but are credited to their accounts by the seminary business office.
Approved Career Development Centers

Approved Career Development Centers

Approved Career Development Centers

Approved Career Development Centers

(As of 9/19/2014)
Pittsburgh Presbytery has a policy which requires all Inquirers of Pittsburgh Presbytery to participate in a Career Development Center program. This is done during the first six months a person is an Inquirer.

This program consists basically of two parts: a battery of tests which the Inquirer will complete and a session of counseling based upon the tests. The Counselor and Inquirer write up a report of the experience. The Inquirer signs a release which permits this report to be sent to the Commission on Preparation for Ministry of Pittsburgh Presbytery. The aim of the program is to help the Inquirer assess strengths and weaknesses and to indicate steps by which the Inquirer may gain the most benefit from his/her Seminary experience. The purpose of sending a report to the Commission on Preparation for Ministry is to aid the Commission in its “gatekeeping” function and to provide information useful in providing maximum support to the Inquirer/Candidate during the years of preparation.

The Inquirer is responsible for making contact with the center selected, for completing the program, for signing the release, and for making financial settlement for the service. Presbytery’s action specified that Presbytery would pay 40% of the cost, the church to which the Inquirer belongs would pay 40%, and the Inquirer would pay 20%. The cost at each center is approximately $800-$1,100.

The most frequently used centers are:

LeaderWise

Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute – INACTIVE

Midwest Ministry Development Service

Center for Career Development and Ministry

Pastoral Institute (Georgia)