Licensing Schools
UMC Licensing Schools
Attending a UMC licensing school is the first step toward becoming a licensed local pastor. While the exact scheduling format varies by region, all schools are required to have a minimum of 80 contact hours with students. In this time, local pastor candidates receive clergy mentors, are assessed for basic skills and receive instruction in pastoral competencies and Methodist tradition.
North Central Jurisdiction Licensing Schools
Local Pastors’ Licensing School of the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences
Website: https://www.westohioumc.org/conference/event/2022-local-pastors-licensing-school-0
Dean, East Ohio: Rev. Robin Dillon, robinddillon@gmail.com
Dean, West Ohio: Rev. John Girard, john@broadstreet.net
Dakotas Licensing School
Website: www.dakotasumc.org
Dean: Rev. Valerie Reinhiller, vreinhiller@msn.com
Garrett-Evangelical School of Theology Escuela de Licencia (Licensing School in Spanish)
Website: https://www.garrett.edu/academics/degrees-and-programs/umc-course-of-study/escuela-de-licencia-en-espanol/
Registrar: cos@garrett.edu
IGRC Licensing School for Local Pastors
Website: www.igrc.org
Dean: Rev. Patty Johansen, pjohansen@adams.net, 217-222-7468
Indiana UMC License to Preach School
Website: www.inumc.org
Dean: Rev. Matthew Leffler
Registrar: Michele Phillips, localpastors@inumc.org
Iowa Licensing School
Website: www.iaumc.org/iowalicensingschool
Dean: Rev. Jon Bailey, pastorjon@prairieumc.org
Registrar: Lisa Steel, lisa.larson@iaumc.org, 515-974-8939
Michigan Area School for Licensed Local Pastors
Website: https://michiganumc.org/licensed-local-pastor/
Dean: Jeremy Wicks, jeremy_wicks@yahoo.com
Northeastern Jurisdiction Course of Study Regional School
Baltimore-Washington Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/license-to-preach-school/
Registrar: Hilary Ann Golden, hgolden@bwcumc.org, 240-258-3382
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.epaumc.org/
Dean: Rev. Daniel Lebo, Dlebo23@gmail.com, 717-867-2104
Registrar: Rev. Kevin Babcock, friarbabcock@gmail.com, 610-623-5781
New England Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.neumc.org/BOMeducationtrainingandretreats
Dean: Rev. Travis Bonnette-Kim, nelplsdean@gmail.com
Registrar: Deborah Venator, bomregistrar@yahoo.com, 603-892-0359
Greater New Jersey Annual Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.gnjumc.org/leadership-academy/local-pastor-licensing-school/
Registrar: Joanne Sullivan, jsullivan@gnjumc.org, 732-359-1000
New York Local Pastor Licensing School
Website: https://www.nyac.com/localpastorslicensingschool
Dean: Eileen Daunt, lpls@nyac-umc.com, 914-629-7865
Peninsula-Delaware Local Pastor Licensing School
Website: https://www.pen-del.org/thependellicensingschool
Co-Director: Rev. Yvonne Paxton, paxton25@verizon.net, (410) 348-5502
Co-Director: Rev. Glenn Catley, glenn.catley@gmail.com, (302) 227-7743
Susquehanna Conference Licensing School
Website: https://susumc.org/boom-licensing-school/
Co-Director: Rev. Catherine Boileau, cboileau@susumc.org
Co-Director: Rev. Greg Milinovich, gmilinovich@susumc.org
Co-Director: Rev. Roger Mentzer, rmentzer@susumc.orgstatecollege@susumc.org
Upper New York Licensing School
https://www.unyumc.org/ministries/uny-local-pastor-licensing-school
Contact: Rev. Caroline Simmons, revcsimmons@gmail.com
West Virginia Pastoral Ministry Licensing School
Website: www.wvumc.org
Registrar: Bonnie MacDonald, bmacdonald@wvumc.org
WPA Licensing School
Website: https://www.wpaumc.org/
Registrar: Sara Wrona, sara.wrona@wpaumc.org, 724/882-9627
South Central Jurisdiction Licensing Schools
Arkansas Conference Local Pastor Licensing School
Website: https://arumc.org/
Dean: Rev. Natasha Murray, natasha.murray@arumc.org, 501-303-8766
Registrar: Nancy Meredith, bom@arumc.org, 501-324-8033
Dakotas Licensing School
Iliff School of Theology
Denver, Colorado
Thomas Barlow
2323 E Iliff Ave
Box 41
Denver, CO 80210
lplsr.dean@gmail.com
Central Texas Conference Licensing School
Website: www.ctcumc.org
Registrar: Kathy Ezell, kathyezell@ctcumc.org, 817-945-6574
Great Plains Licensing School
Website: www.greatplainsumc.org
Registrar: Karen Jeffcoat, registrar@greatplainsumc.org, 785-272-9111
Louisiana License to Preach School
Website: https://www.la-umc.org/
John Robert Black, 337-474-1500, johnrobertblack@yahoo.com
Robert Johnson, 337-234-4338, pastorrob1962@yahoo.com
Missouri Annual Conference
Website: https://www.moumethodist.org/licensingschool
Registrar: Jenny Gragg – jgragg@moumethodist.org, 573-777-1213
North Texas Conference Licensing School
Website: https://ntcumc.org/board-of-ordained-ministry/licensed-ministry/licensing-school
Dean: Rev. Maxie Moore, maxiem@fumcallen.org
Registrar: Mariel Vela, mariel@ntcumc.org, 972-526-5000
Oklahoma Annual Conference Local Pastor’s Licensing School
Website: www.ofumc.org/localpastors
Dean: Rev. Jennifer Long, revjlong@gmail.com, 405-375-3286
Registrar: Rev. Nancy Johnson, njohnson@okumc.org, 405-789-9033
Perkins School of Theology Escuela de Licencia (licensing School in Spanish)
Website: https://www.smu.edu/Perkins/PublicPrograms/HLMP/LicensingSchool
Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries Program, hlmp@smu.edu, 214-768-2265
Rio Texas Conference Local Pastor Licensing School
Scott Bradford, skipreach@gmail.com, 888-349-4191
Website: https://riotexas.org/events/2022/5/6/local-pastor-licensing-school-ms2k5
Texas Local Pastor Licensing School
Website: https://www.txcumc.org/
Co-Director: Rev. Dr. Jerome Brimmage, pastor@lufkinfirst.com
Co-Director: Rev. Mike Lindstrom, mlindstrom@fmconroe.org
Co-Director: Rev. Ingrid Akers, ingridakers@gmail.com
Registrar: Meko Ivy, mivy@lufkinfirst.com
Southeastern Jurisdiction Licensing Schools
Alabama-West Florida Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.awfumc.org/2022licensingschool
Registrar: Erika Glawson, erika@awfumc.org, (334) 356-8014
Florida Local Pastor Licensing School
https://www.flumc.org/licensingschool
Registrar: Office of Clergy Excellence, clergyexcellence@flumc.org, 863-688-5563, ext. 134
Holston Local Pastors Licensing School
Website: https://www.holston.org/local-pastor-licensing-school
Dean: Susan Arnold, joyfullyinchrist@yahoo.com, 866-690-4080
Registrar: Rev. Terry Goodman, clergyservices@holston.org, 866-690-4080
Kentucky Annual Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.kyumc.org/licenseforministryschool
Dean: Rev. Kevin Burney, kburney@kyumc.org, 502-425-3884
Registrar: Courtney Garrett, cgarrett@kyumc.org
Mississippi Local Pastor Licensing School
Website: https://www.centerforministry.com/license-to-preach-school.html
Director: Rev. Beth Miller, info@centerforministry.com,
Registrar: Ruby Medlin, ruby.medlin@millsaps.edu, 601-974-1488
North Alabama Licensing School
Website: https://www.umcna.org/licensingschool
Director: Rev. Fred Webster, fred.webster@umcna.org
Registrar: Rev. Mike Brinkman, mike.brinkman@umcna.org
North Carolina Conference Licensing School
Website: https://nccumc.org/clergy-life/
Dean: Rev. Beth Hood, bethhood@nccumc.org
Registrar: Rev. Heidi Seifert, Heidi.seifert@nccumc.org, 919-779-6115
North Georgia Local Pastors Licensing School
Together with the South Georgia Annual Conference
Website: https://candler.emory.edu/programs-resources/licensing-school.html
Director: Amy Walker awalke8@emory.edu, 404-727-4587
Registrar: Michelle Levan mlevan@ngumc.org, 678-533-1369
South Carolina Conference School of Pastoral Ministry
Website: https://www.umcsc.org/2022-school-of-pastoral-ministry-registration-now-open/
Registrar: Office of Clergy Services clergyservices@umcsc.org, 803-786-9486, ext. 328
South Georgia Local Pastors Licensing School
Together with the South Georgia Annual Conference
Website: https://candler.emory.edu/programs-resources/licensing-school.html
Director: Amy Walker awalke8@emory.edu, 404-727-4587
Registrar: Michelle Levan mlevan@ngumc.org, 678-533-1369
TNWKY Conference Licensing School
Website: https://twkumc.org/equip/board-of-ordained-ministry/
Rev. Jefferson Furtado Jefferson.furtado@twkumc.org, 615-329-1177
Virginia Conference Licensing School
Website: https://vaumc.org/licensingschool/
Registrar: Rev. Crystal Sygeel, crystalsygeel@vaumc.org, 804-521-1141
Clergy Excellence clergyexcellence@vaumc.org
Western North Carolina Conference Licensing School
Website: https://www.wnccumc.org/licensingschool
Director: Rev. Lauren Anderson, landerson@wnccumc.net, 336-337-2238
Registrar: Kim Ingram, kingram@wnccumc.org, 704-714-2354
Western Jurisdiction Licensing Schools
Mountain Sky Annual Conference
Website: https://www.mtnskyumc.org/localpastorlicensingschool
Director: Rev. Emily Hagan, pastor@firstumclafayette.org, 303-733-3736
Local Pastor Licensing School of the Rockies
Registrar: lplsr.dean@gmail.com
Western Jurisdiction Licensing School
Website: https://localpastors.org/licensing-school/
Dean: Rev. Beth Rambikur, wjlicensingschool@gmail.com
Registrar: Ms. Ruth Ketchum, ruth.ketchum@cst.edu, 619-647-7163
