Updated Board of Ordained Ministry Library and Handbook Now Available
The updated Board of Ordained Ministry Library is now live on the GBHEM website, offering 2025 candidacy forms and essential resources to support the work of annual conferences.
Organized by area, the library includes tools for candidacy, licensing, ordination and conference relations, as well as videos and downloadable flyers to assist with spiritual formation and vocational discernment for clergy, congregations and individuals exploring ministry. Visit regularly as new materials are added.
In addition, the updated Board of Ordained Ministry Handbook — a vital resource for the training and preparation of conference Boards of Ordained Ministry — is being released in phases. This first release incorporates key legislative changes from the 2020/2024 General Conference and updated guidance aligned with The Book of Discipline 2020/2024.
Revisions include updated paragraph references and practices related to candidacy, licensing, ordination and conference relations. New content also provides enhanced guidance on:
- Clergy and candidacy mentoring, recruitment and formation
- The Ministerial Education Fund
- Young clergy recruitment and retention
- The order of deacons, the order of elders and the fellowship of associate members and local pastors to strengthen the network of clergy within their annual conferences
Further updates to the handbook will be released in the coming weeks. For questions about the handbook or library, contact ministry@gbhem.org.
Related Posts
Directors of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry approve a proposal for Mary Johnston Hospital in Manila to develop the first certified and accredited UMC CPE program outside the United States.
To be people of Easter, resurrected people, is to live outside of fear. No threat of violence – physical, emotional, or otherwise – can compromise our sense of right and wrong. Life is not dependent on the whims of those who persecute us. Our life is built on the love of God. This is the message of Easter. As we live with this certainty, we will be people of the Resurrection.
A proposed unification of four UMC agencies aims to strengthen collaboration, mission impact, and long-term sustainability across the church.




