Committee on Preparation for Ministry: Steps for Moving from Inquirer to Candidate
1. After the Inquirer has completed at least one annual consultation and either field education or Clinical Pastoral Education, the Advisory Group may grant permission to begin the process of application to become a Candidate .
2. Work to be completed by Inquirer:
Complete Form 5A. Application to be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate, including the six candidacy statements.
The link will take you to the Presbyterian Church (USA) website.
You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete this form.
You may save the completed form to your computer.
Statement #1 (Statement of Call) will be reproduced for the presbytery packet. Please use Arial 11 font and number the lines on all statements.
B. Order transcripts for any seminary work you have completed since becoming an Inquirer to be sent to the Presbytery office, Attn: CPM.
C. Have evaluations from completed field education, internships or CPE sent to the Presbytery office, Attn: CPM or, if possible, sent electronically to gsmith@chicagopresbytery.org
3. Schedule a time to meet with your Session.
The Session will need a copy of Form 5A. Application to Be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate, including the six statements, to review. If they approve your application for Candidacy, the clerk of session will sign Form 5A and the moderator of session will sign Form 5B. Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release. You will also sign Form 5B. These forms will be mailed to the Presbytery office.
Follow this link to download Form 5B. Covenant Agreement and Candidate Release.
The link will take you to the Presbyterian Church (USA) website.
You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete this form.
You may save the completed form to your computer.
Send Form 5A, if possible, electronically with the six statements to the Presbytery office – gsmith@chicagopresbytery.org
When all forms and information have been received in the Presbytery office, you will be scheduled to meet with the Committee on Preparation for Ministry for your candidacy review. You will first meet with your Advisory Group and, when they approve, you will meet with the CPM. If approved, the CPM will recommend to the Presbytery that you be examined by the Presbytery on your statement of call for enrollment as a candidate.
Mail the signed forms 5A and 5B to:
The Presbytery of Chicago
100 S. Morgan Street
Chicago, IL 60607
Attn: CPM
