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A new DVD provides moving accounts by elders, deacons, chaplains, and pastoral counselors about what it means to be called to ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church.

Ordained Ministry in The United Methodist Church, a DVD and accompanying brochure, is one of several new and revised resources available from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. New and revised books are: The Christian as Minister, revised and updated for the 2009-2012 quadrennium; Understanding God’s Call: A Ministry Inquiry Process; and Fulfilling God’s Call: Guidelines for Candidacy. A booklet, Preparing for God’s Call: United Methodist Schools of Theology, provides descriptions of the 13 United Methodist schools of theology and their programs.

“This new DVD and these resources highlight what it means to be called and the different ways to serve in ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church,” says the Rev. Sharon Rubey, director of Candidacy and Conference Relations, Division of Ordained Ministry, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

The Rev. Tom Carter, director of Endorsement, GBHEM’s United Methodist Endorsing Agency, said the DVD shows deacons and elders in a variety of settings that include prisons, hospitals, and the military.

“Anyone exploring their call to ordained ministry will see living examples of the variety of ways to serve God,” he said.

Multiple and diverse resources are contained in one piece, which means people will not have to search in many different places for what they need, Rubey said. It offers annual conference boards of ordained ministry a multi-faceted way to foster understanding about ordained ministry and the various ways to serve both in and beyond the local church.

She added that it can also be used to promote understanding with staff/parish relations committees, district committees on ordained ministry, cabinets, and individuals exploring a call to ministry.

The Rev. Meg Lassiat, director of Student Ministries, Vocation, and Enlistment at GBHEM, stressed that the DVD will appeal to a wide range of audiences because it presents information using a variety of formats.

“The videos are available on the DVD as well as on the Web, and can be used in chunks of time that vary from 30 seconds to 12 minutes. The printed resources are available to view on the Web or can be downloaded and printed for an individual or a group of people to reference,” she said.

The accompanying brochure also contains written information about hearing and understanding God’s call with some short explanations about the different types of ordained ministry.

“In putting it together like this, we hope it will reach a broad range of groups who have many different needs in how they present and use the resource,” Lassiat said.

The series of books provide information that will be useful to those considering ordained ministry. The Christian as Minister: An Exploration Into the Meaning of God’s Call (2009-12), offers an introduction into the meaning of God’s call to ministry, the vision of that ministry, and the opportunities for servant leadership in the UMC. The book, which sells for $6.95, is a useful tool for candidates or anyone exploring lay, ordained, or commissioned ministry.

Understanding God’s Call: A Ministry Inquiry Process is designed to help any Christian explore how faith and vocation are related. The book, designed to be used with a guide, allows you to explore how God calls you through your interests and skills, the world’s needs, and your life experiences with a particular significance to those who are exploring a call to ordained or licensed ministry.

Fulfilling God’s Call: Guidelines for Candidacy, is available only through GBHEM’s Online Candidacy Web site, www.gbhem.org/beginningcandidacy. The book provides information and material to guide a candidate for ordained or licensed ministry through the process.

The brochure and DVD can be ordered from Cokesbury at 1-800-672-1789. For orders smaller than 250, only the cost of shipping is charged. For orders over 250, there is a charge of $1 per package, plus shipping. The Christian As Minister and Understanding God’s Call are also available from Cokesbury. To request copies of Preparing for God’s Call, contact 615-340-7374 or e-mail dom@gbhem.org. To see the clips, visit the Web page.

*Brown is associate editor and writer, Office of Interpretation, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.