Editing United Methodist Church (section)

==Clergy==
United Methodist clergy consist of elders, local pastors, associate members and deacons. They hold membership in the annual conference and not in the local church. Additionally provisional clergy hold membership in the annual conference while they are under appointment to a local church or extension ministry. There are several offices of ministry within the United Methodist Church.

Certified lay ministers may also be appointed to serve a church but under the supervision and direction of an elder.

===History===
The first Methodist clergy were ordained by John Wesley, a priest of the Church of England, because of the crisis caused by the [[American Revolution]] which isolated the Methodists in the States from the Church of England and its [[sacraments]]. Today, the clergy includes men and women who are [[ordained]] by [[bishop]]s as [[Elder (Methodism)|elders]] and [[Deacon#Methodism / Wesleyanism|deacons]] and are appointed to various ministries. Elders in the United Methodist Church itinerate and are subject to the authority and appointment of their bishops. They generally serve as pastors in local congregations. Deacons are in ''service'' ministry and may serve as musicians, liturgists, educators, business administrators, and a number of other areas. Elders and deacons are required to obtain a master's degree (generally an [[M.Div.]]), or another equivalent degree, before ''commissioning'' and then ultimately [[ordination]]. Elders in full connection are each a member of their Annual Conference Order of Elders. Likewise each deacon in full connection is a member of their Annual Conference Order of Deacons.<ref>The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2008</ref>

===Ordination of women===
{{main|Ordination of women in Methodism}}
The Methodist Church has allowed [[ordination of women]] with full rights of clergy since 1956, when [[Maud K. Jensen]] was ordained and admitted into full connection in the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference.<ref name="Maud Jensen, 1904-1998" /> This action was based upon its understanding of biblical principles.<ref>{{bibleverse|Gal.|3:28}}</ref><ref name="UMC—Ordination of Women" />  The United Methodist Church, along with some other Protestant churches, holds that when the historical contexts involved are understood, a coherent Biblical argument can be made in favor of women's ordination.<ref name="Women's Service in the Church" /> In 1972, [[Jeanne Audrey Powers]] became the first woman to be nominated for the office of a bishop in The United Methodist Church.

===Bishop===
{{further|Bishop (United Methodist)}}
All [[clergy]] appointments are made and fixed annually by the resident [[Bishop (United Methodist)|bishop]] on the advice of the Annual Conference Cabinet, which is composed of the Area Provost/Dean (if one is appointed) and the several [[District Superintendent (United Methodist Church)|district superintendents]] of the districts of the Annual Conference. Until the bishop has read the appointments at the session of the Annual Conference, no appointments are officially fixed. Many Annual Conferences try to avoid making appointment changes between sessions of Annual Conference. While an appointment is made one year at a time, it is most common for an appointment to be continued for multiple years.  Appointment tenures in extension ministries, such as military chaplaincy, [[College religious organizations|campus ministry]], [[Mission (Christian)|missions]], higher education and other ministries beyond the local church are often even longer.

===Elder===
{{Further|Elder (United Methodist)}}
Elders are called by God, affirmed by the church, and ordained by a bishop to a ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order and Service within the church. They may be appointed to the local church, or to other valid extension ministries of the church. Elders are given the authority to preach the Word of God, administer the sacraments of the church, to provide care and counseling, and to order the life of the church for ministry and mission. Elders may also be appointed to extension ministry to serve as district superintendents, and they are eligible for election to the episcopacy. Elders serve a term of two–three years as provisional elders prior to their ordination.

===Deacon===
Deacons are called by God, affirmed by the church, and ordained by a bishop to servant leadership within the church.They are ordained to ministries of word, service, compassion, and justice.  They may be appointed to ministry within the local church or to an extension ministry that supports the mission of the church. Deacons give leadership, preach the Word, contribute in worship, conduct marriages, bury the dead, and aid the church in embodying its mission within the world. Deacons assist elders in the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, and may be granted sacramental authority if they are appointed as the pastor in a local church or as their extension ministry requires, upon approval of the bishop. Deacons serve a term of 2–3 years as provisional deacons prior to their ordination.

===Provisional clergy===
At the 1996 General Conference, the ordination order of transitional deacon was abolished. This created new orders known as "provisional elder" or "provisional deacon" for those who seek to be ordained in the respective orders. The provisional elder/deacon is a seminary graduate who serves at least two years in full-time appointments after being commissioned. During this period, the provisional elder may be granted sacramental ministry in their local appointment. For the first time in its history non-ordained pastors became a normal expectation, rather than an extraordinary provision for ministry.

===Local pastors===
Local pastors in the United Methodist Church are individuals who are affirmed by the church and appointed by a bishop to serve in a ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service within the church. The official title for these individuals is "licensed local pastor."<ref>The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2008, ¶¶ 602, 315.</ref> Although they are not ordained, they are granted the authority to preach the Word of God, administer the sacraments, provide pastoral care and counseling, and lead the congregation in its ministry and mission.

A bishop may appoint a licensed local pastor to serve a church when an ordained elder is unavailable, either because of a shortage of clergy or due to the financial hardship of a pastoral charge. Local pastors often serve in bi-vocational roles, fulfilling their ministerial calling both within the church and in their secular employment.

Licensed local pastors, whether appointed full-time or part-time, are considered clergy. They hold membership in the annual conference rather than in the local church. Their authority to serve as pastors is limited to the specific church to which they are appointed and is valid only for the duration of that appointment. This authority does not extend beyond the assigned context or continue after the appointment ends.<ref name="UMC-Local Pastor" /> In their appointed church, they preach, conduct worship, and carry out the regular responsibilities of a pastor, but only under certain conditions and times agreed upon. While they are not required to hold advanced theological degrees, they must complete a licensing school and continue their education. This may be accomplished by completing an approved Course of Study at a United Methodist seminary or Course of Study school, or by enrolling in a Master of Divinity program at an approved United Methodist seminary.

Licensed local pastors who wish to continue toward associate membership in the annual conference must successfully complete written and oral examinations, appear before the District Committee on Ministry and the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, and meet certain age and service requirements as defined by their conference. They may also pursue ordination if they complete a bachelor's degree and fulfill additional requirements set by their Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. These typically include completing an advanced Course of Study or the required seminary coursework at an approved institution.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}

When a licensed local pastor retires or is no longer appointed to a local church, they return to lay membership in a charge conference.