Non-Methodist Transfer (OF)

It’s a good idea to submit your post high school (official) educational transcripts (not diplomas) to registrar@greatplainsumc.org for evaluation as soon as you begin discerning a possible transfer request. The Board of Ordained Ministry registrar will evaluate the education in light of United States denominational requirements. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry will be consulted if any education was completed at non-University Senate approved schools or internationally.

It’s also a good idea to talk with your District Superintendent as soon as you begin discerning a possible transfer request.

As a member of another denomination, continued appointment in Great Plains is solely depending on the appropriate bishops/judicatories. 

OF clergy are required to complete the United Methodist studies classes (polity, history and doctrine) within the first two years of their appointment as part of the “agreement with and willingness to support and maintain United Methodist doctrine, discipline, and polity.” ¶347.2 

The OF clergy will complete initial paperwork and an interview with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry within five months of the start of the appointment. The required paperwork includes a credentialing background check and psychological assessment. Until the UM studies classes are completed, the OF clergy will complete paperwork and interview annually with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry for recommendation of continuation of OF status.

OF clergy may request consideration for transfer in their third or more year of appointment in the Great Plains.

OF clergy may only be received as local pastors or provisional members. There are processes in place that will allow a former OF to be received as a full member with the original ordination recognized following completion of all educational and process requirements.

The bishops/judicatories for the sending and receiving conferences, your Great Plains District Superintendent, the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOOM chairperson & registrar are primary contacts), and the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOOM chairperson & registrar are primary contacts). List of DCOOM and BOOM leadership is at https://www.greatplainsumc.org/boommembers. (Be aware that there may be changes, usually related to changes in appointments and especially for DCOOMs, that may not be reflected on this page).

The person requesting transfer will need to complete a psychological assessment and credentialing background check (different from Safe Gatherings). Due to the length of time required for the background check and psychological assessment, it is required that they be started in the year prior to the planned transfer request.

A list of other paperwork requirements for provisional membership is included in the DCOOM Handbook available at www.greatplainsumc.orggreatplainsboomforms. These requirements include the requirements listed in ¶324 plus additional Great Plains specific requirements.

Following completion of the provisional membership paperwork by a deadline set by the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOOM), the candidate will complete an interview with the DCOOM (usually November-December). If approved/recommended by the DCOOM, the candidate will then interview with the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOOM) in late January/early February using the same paperwork submitted to the DCOOM. If approved/recommended by the BOOM, there will be a vote of the clergy session prior to commissioning at Annual Conference.

These documents are considered “valid” by the Board of Ordained Ministry for seven years. If your report is nearing the seven years of validity and/or will “expire” while completing your two years (minimum) of provisional membership, then you are encouraged to contact the BOOM registrar, registrar@greatplainsumc.org, to update these reports.

The credentialing background check is more extensive that the Safe Gathering check. In part, this is because the Book of Discipline requires a credit check to be included. Additionally, the credentialing background check explores criminal, credit, motor vehicle and educational/employment history for 15 years or back to age 18 (if under 33 years old).

The Great Plains Board of Ordained Ministry contracts with Oxford Document Management for the completion of the credentialing background check. Following completion of an authorization form and submission of a $200 fee (currently waived if the document is being updated), the BOOM registrar will submit your contact information to Oxford Document. Oxford Document will then mail you a packet for you to complete and return. 

Please read and follow the directions provided by Oxford Document as any omissions will likely delay your report. At least one document requires notarization. Once Oxford Document receives your properly completed packet, a final report is usually available within 8-10 weeks. This process may take longer if there is any residential history outside the United States in the past 15 years.

Once the registrar receives and reviews the final report, you will be provided with a copy.

Although you will retain your ordination credentials from your original denomination, you will be licensed for ministry as a provisional member. You will have the same rights and privileges as any other provisional member. See ¶326-327 for details. While not an official UM status code, you will see your name listed as PE/OE in various places such as the Business of the Annual Conference report to indicate that you are completing the provisional process as part of your transfer from another denomination. Per ¶347.6, the Great Plains Conference will not recognize your other ordination until received as a full member.

No. The United Methodist Church understands ordination to be “of God” (similar, in a way, to baptism) so there is no “re-ordination” at full membership. Instead, per ¶347.6, the prior ordination is recognized when you are received as a full member.

Your ordination is recognized when you are received as a full member. This follows completion of all continuing provisional membership requirements, recommendation by the Board to the clergy session, and vote of the clergy session.