Checklist: OF Other Fellowship (OF) Requirements
When someone from another denomination seeks to serve in Holston, here are the steps that should be followed: 1. Person first talks with a District Superintendent. 2. Person completes Application 08 to serve as an Other Fellowship (OF) pastor. (Application 08 found in DCOM Handbook page 162) (Copy sent to Office of Clergy Services.) 3. District Superintendent instructs person to send the following information to the Director of Clergy Services via clergyservices@holston.org : a. Copy of Ordination Certificate (It cannot be a license to preach. It must be an ordination certificate from a denomination recognized by the North American Council of Churches.) i. Director of Clergy Services will verify. b. A copy of undergraduate and graduate school transcripts. i. These will be sent to GBHEM to get a ruling on which COS classes the person would receive credit towards, should person seek to enter into the United Methodist system. 4. Office of Clergy Services will send a link to our document “Other Fellowship Transition Document” 5. Once credentials are verified, Office of Clergy Services will inform District Superintendent if the person is eligible for service in Holston Annual Conference pending completion and review of items in #6. 6. At this point, instructions will be sent to the person from the Office of Clergy Services to complete the following items: a. Notarized Disclosure Form: Form 16 (DCOM Handbook page 131) b. Form 102 – Biographical Information Form ( DCOM handbook pages 132-135 c. Form 103 – Medical Summary Report ( DCOM Handbook pages 136-139) d. Person must complete psychological battery of tests and interview with an MAS and release results to the Holston Annual Conference. e. Person must submit to a Background and Credit Check via the Safe Gatherings process and present a certificate of completion of Safe Gatherings training. 7. Once completed, these items will be submitted to the Director of Clergy Concerns. They will be reviewed and, once verified, will be sent to the DCOM of the district in which it is anticipated that the person will serve. 8. The DCOM will meet with the person and determine the suitability of the person to serve in that district. The DCOM will use the interview criteria as found in the DCOM Handbook (pages 50-51). 9. If the person is approved by the DCOM, then the District Superintendent can represent that person for an appointment with the Cabinet.