2017 Prov Exam

BOARD OF ORDAINED MINISTRY CALIFORNIA-PACIFIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

2017-2018 PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP EXAMINATIONS *IMPORTANT NOTICE: THE DEADLINE FOR 2017 PROVISIONAL EXAMS IS

DECEMBER 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST). Failure to meet any deadline will result in an automatic cancellation of your application process. Your answers need to be emailed on or before the deadline. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy. Start working on your papers NOW, instead of waiting until November. Poorly written papers will work against you. Also, make sure to use this year’s (the most current) exam questions. Papers written with an old version of the questions will receive lower scores. *For the 2017-2018 application year, papers from the 2016-2017 application year that received passing scores from both readers shall be submitted but will not be scored, with the exception of Paper 2, which will be scored, since it is based on a changing set of lectionary readings. Papers from years previous to the 2016-2017 application will not be eligible for this scoring exemption and applicants shall submit papers that will be subject to scoring.

This file contains the exam questions, guidelines and the appeal policy. Before you begin to write your papers, please thoroughly read the section called General Instructions Regarding Papers on Page 2. Follow the instructions. Pay attention to details, and answer ALL questions thoroughly. Please submit all parts of the exam electronically to: Rev. Sunyoung Lee ([email protected]) AND Cathy Wilson ([email protected]) Questions or clarifications, contact: Rev. Sunyoung Lee, Provisional Registrar ([email protected]) THE DEADLINE FOR 2017 PROVISIONAL EXAMS IS DECEMBER 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST).

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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING PAPERS It is important to follow these instructions carefully. Any reader has the prerogative of rejecting a paper if these instructions are not honored. 1. The type used on this page is an example of the smallest type (Times New Roman - 12 point) acceptable for use in your papers. All papers are to be typewritten. 2. Margins on the papers are to be one inch on all sides. 3. Unless otherwise indicated, first type the question, followed immediately by your response. Questions should be single-spaced, and your responses should be double-spaced. 4. Indicate your name, the number of the paper, and the page number in the upper right hand corner of every page of your exam response paper. (i.e. “Sunyoung Lee, IV, 1”) 5. DO NOT go over the page limit set for each paper. 6. Please proofread your papers so that they are free of misspellings and grammatical errors. Presentation of work may influence the response of the reader. 7. Submit all responses in PDF format, saved with the paper number and your full name. (e.g. “Paper 1 Sunyoung Lee.pdf”, this is how you would save Paper 1.) Attach all the papers to ONE EMAIL and send to: Rev. Sunyoung Lee ([email protected]) AND Cathy Wilson ([email protected]) 8. Every submitted document and the video should be date-stamped on or before the date indicated on each form or procedure sheet. Submitted materials date-stamped after the deadline WILL NOT be accepted, the file will remain incomplete, and you will not be granted with an interview. 9. Copy and save every material you create and submit. Occasionally, a document is lost in transit and another is needed. 10. The score of your paper will be the average of the sum of the points. 11. The Board of Ordained Ministry encourages the use of plagiarism detection programs such as Turnitin (tunitin.com) to ensure exam papers being free of content misuse.

THE DEADLINE FOR 2017 PROVISIONAL EXAMS IS DECEMBER 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST).

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POLICY ON PLAGIARISM In order for members of the Board of Ordained Ministry to fully join women and men seeking commissioning and ordination in discernment, it is essential that all openly communicate faith and witness. More than merely an academic issue, plagiarism compromises the integrity of interaction as it falsely portrays expressions and ideas as representing the author’s growing faith. If we believe our faith to be sufficient to respond to God’s call to ordained ministry, and are seeking to have that practice of faith strengthened and confirmed, then we must be carefully and fiercely honest and forthright in our offering of self through all that is spoken and written. Marks of quotation, full citation and foot-noting, and other referencing of sources is a firm ethical, professional and ecclesial expectation throughout the application program. Should plagiarism occur, the Board reserves the right to immediately terminate the application and, further, to refuse to consider a further application until assured of the openness and honesty of the one seeking to join the Board in discernment. Guidelines for understanding plagiarism and using accepted diacritical marks and attributions are discussed below. Included is a statement created by Claremont School of Theology with examples and comments to further assist applicants in avoiding plagiarism.

“WHAT IS PLAGIARISM? Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like "copying" and "borrowing" can disguise the seriousness of the offense: ACCORDING TO THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER ONLINE DICTIONARY, TO "PLAGIARIZE" MEANS • to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own • to use (another's production) without crediting the source • to commit literary theft • to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. BUT CAN WORDS AND IDEAS REALLY BE STOLEN? According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

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ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED PLAGIARISM: • turning in someone else's work as your own • copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit • failing to put a quotation in quotation marks • giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation • changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit • copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules) Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism.”1

LEVELS OF PLAGIARISM2 Any of the following will be identified as plagiarism: I.

Attributed quote (in quotation marks) with no footnote. Example: “As United Methodists, we are called to identify the needs both of individuals and of society and to address those needs out of the resources of Christian faith in a way that is clear, convincing, and effective.”

II.

Verbatim with a footnote with no quotation marks or improper paraphrasing that is attributed. Example #1: As United Methodists, we are called to identify the needs both of individuals and of society and to address those needs out of the resources of Christian faith in a way that is clear, convincing, and effective.1 1. BOD, ¶105.

Example #2: United Methodists are called to recognize what the individuals and the society need and be able to meet those needs effectively by using the Christian resources.1 1. BOD, ¶105.

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. "What Is Plagiarism?" Plagiarism.org, accessed May 13, 2015, http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism. . “Plagiarism and Using Sources,” The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Virginia Annual Conference of the UMC. Used with Permission.

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III.

Improper paraphrasing that is unattributed. Example: United Methodists are called to recognize what the individuals and the society need and be able to meet those needs effectively by using the Christian resources.

IV.

Unattributed verbatim of material in the paper. Example: As United Methodists, we are called to identify the needs both of individuals and of society and to address those needs out of the resources of Christian faith in a way that is clear, convincing, and effective.

V.

Copying so many words or ideas from a single source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether it is accredited or not. Example: “As United Methodists, we are called to identify the needs both of individuals and of society and to address those needs out of the resources of Christian faith in a way that is clear, convincing, and effective.”1 It is the task of the Church to help the world come to a better understanding of its needs by effectively communicating the gospel. “Our theological task is both critical and constructive. It is critical in that we test various expressions of faith by asking: Are they true? Appropriate? Clear? Cogent? Credible? Are they based on love? Do they provide the Church and its members with a witness that is faithful to the gospel as reflected in our living heritage and that is authentic and convincing in the light of human experience and the present state of human knowledge?”2 The quadrilateral is certainly a useful tool that allows for a deeper theological reflection. When people understand the work of the church through our diligent theological communication, they will want to engage in our mission work to transform the world. “Our task is to articulate our vision in a way that will draw us together as a people in mission.”3 1. BOD, ¶105. 2. BOD, ¶105. 3. BOD, ¶105.

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NOTES ON USING SOURCES “Unintentional plagiarism is a serious matter in graduate school. Unintentional plagiarism most often occurs when a student loses his or her own voice. That is, instead of the student remaining in control of what he or she is saying with his or her own voice. The scenario goes something like this: the student finds a source with whom he or she agrees and, making a few changes in wording, basically follows the structure of the source material. Even if citations are used, this is a recipe for plagiarism. The following are some commonsense suggestions to help you avoid unintentional plagiarism. • • • • • • •

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Use your own voice. Put what you have to say in your own words. Don't hide behind the "experts." Never compose essays with source material open. Take notes from source material on note cards and compose from those cards. Clearly mark cards to distinguish summaries from quotations. Keep quotations brief and few. Use direct quotes as spices in a meal, not as the main dish. Use block quotations only when you plan to give extensive analysis of the quoted material. Always introduce quotations (e.g. According to Helmer, "…."). Summarize or paraphrase material using sentence structure that differs significantly from the source. (Changing a few words, but keeping the same basic sentence structure of the original is still plagiarism.) Provide a citation for all quoted, paraphrased or summarized material. When in doubt, provide a citation.

EXAMPLES: Original Source #1 Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. [1] Plagiarized Version #1A Cheap grace means the justification of sin but not the justification of the person who sinned. Some people say that grace alone does everything, so everything can remain the same. [2] Comment: Even though the writer has cited the source, quotation marks were not used around direct quotations such as "cheap grace means the justification of sin" and "grace alone does everything."

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Plagiarized Version #1B Cheap grace is taking care of sin without dealing with the one who sins. God's unmerited favor alone takes care of everything, some say; so the situation can stay as it was before. [3] Comment: Still plagiarism. Replacing key words with synonyms but keeping the basic sentence structure of the original is still plagiarism, even if you provide a citation. Acceptable Version #1C According to Bonhoeffer, cheap grace refers to the theological position that a sinner can be justified before God without changing his or her behavior. According to this theological position, one does not need to change to receive justification for it is provided by grace alone. [4] Comment: This is a legitimate paraphrase of Bonhoffer's words. Note that it is both introduced and footnoted. Also note that short phrases (usually three words or less) do not necessarily need to be placed in quotation marks, especially if the sentence structure is completely different from the source.

Original Source #2 As Christianity spread, and the Church became more secularized, this realization of the costliness of grace gradually faded. The world was Christianized, and grace became its common property. It was to be had at low cost. Yet the Church of Rome did not altogether lose its earlier vision. It is highly significant that the Church was astute enough to find room for the monastic movement, and to prevent it from lapsing into schism. [5] Plagiarized Version #2A Christianity spread throughout the Empire but at the same time it became more worldly; thus the realization of the costliness of grace gradually faded away. As the Empire embraced Christianity, grace became its common property and was available cheaply. Nonetheless, the Church of Rome did not completely lose its earlier vision. That the Church was smart enough to make room for the monastic movement and to keep it from dividing from the Church is highly significant. Comment: Plagiarism: not only does the writer copy the outline and sentence structure of the original, she or he fails to place within quotation marks long phrases taken directly from the source such as "the realization of the costliness of grace gradually faded" and "grace became its common property." Moreover, there is no citation.

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Plagiarized Version #2B According to Bonhoeffer, Christianity spread throughout the Empire but at the same it became more worldly; thus "the realization of the costliness of grace gradually faded." As the Empire embraced Christianity, grace became its common property. Nonetheless, the Church of Rome did not completely lose its earlier vision. It is highly significant that the Church was "astute enough to find room for the monastic movement," and to prevent it from "lapsing into schism." [6] Comment: Still plagiarism. Although the writer has introduced the material and included a citation and placed some quoted material in quotation marks, other direct quotations are not in quotation marks such as "grace became its common property." Moreover, the sentence beginning with "nonetheless" is a direct quote with only two words replaced by synonyms. Finally, the overall structure of the paragraph and of each sentence mimics the original too closely. Acceptable Version #2C Bonhoeffer argues that monasticism within the Church is evidence that the concept of costly grace was not completely lost after Christianity became the state religion. Nonetheless, the Church was largely secularized during this period; and for most, grace "was to be had at low cost." [7] Comment: Notice that the paraphrased information is introduced and a citation is provided; both the over-all structure and the sentence structure differ significantly from the source. One small quotation is used to add flavor.”3

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. Scott Gillis, "Notes on Using Sources," accessed May 13, 2015, http://media.cst.edu/uploads/genericfile/wc-notes-on-using-sources.pdf. Used with Permission.

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PLAGIARISM SCREENING PROCEDURE

All papers submitted by candidates applying for Provisional Membership and Full Connection Membership shall be screened for plagiarism according to the Board’s Policy on Plagiarism. The papers will initially be run through the iThenticate program, which generates a Similarity Report highlighting text within the papers that matches other documents in the national database. Each Section shall assign two individuals to be the iThenticate Review Team for the task of reviewing the Similarity Reports produced by the iThenticate program. The Similarity Report for each candidate will be screened by the iThenticate Review Team identifying areas of concerns. When a paper has been suspected of plagiarism, the iThenticate Review Team will present to the Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry the iThenticate Similarity Report of the candidate and a Summary of Findings describing the area of concern. The Executive Committee, minus the Leadership Team, will review the Summary of Findings given by the iThenticate Review Team and vote whether to stop the application process for the candidate due to plagiarism or continue the process and have the papers distributed to the readers. The Leadership Team is comprised of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, BOM Registrar, and the Section Registrars of the Board of Ordained Ministry. If the application process is stopped due to plagiarism, the iThenticate Review Team shall write a letter to the candidate explaining the Policy on Plagiarism and the decision by the Executive Committee. If the candidate, whose process has been stopped due to plagiarism, chooses to appeal the decision by the Executive Committee, the Leadership Team shall act as the final deciding body in processing the recommendation from the Appeal Committee, which comprises of the Chair, BOM Registrar, and Secretary of the Board of Ordained Ministry.

Plagiarism Screening Procedure/June 2016

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PAPER I – BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 10 Pages This paper will be read by all Provisional Section Board members and is not scored. 1. Provide a brief

autobiography, identifying and reflecting upon significant transitions or crises in your life; include any other information you feel is important for the Board to know. Items that may be considered include: change in marital status, filing of legal charges, major illness, or vocational changes. Be certain to indicate the responses of your family (and, if married, your spouse) on your decision to enter ordained ministry (¶324.13).

2. As you reflect upon your formative Christian experiences, describe the events that have been important in your spiritual growth and the development of your faith (¶324.13)?

3. Describe your call to ordained ministry, giving your reasons for seeking an ordained vocation beyond the ministry of all who are baptized (¶324.13).

4. Describe your personal goals and visions for your future in ordained ministry.

5. Summarize your participation in church and church-related activities during the last five years, beginning with details of your current involvement and then listing participation in past years (¶324.13). (This section should be no more than one page.)

Paper I/Bio/June 2017

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PAPER II – ORDER OF WORSHIP, THEOLOGY OF WORSHIP, SERMON Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 6 Pages for Elders; 10 Pages for Deacons For Elders and Deacons Who Preach as Part of Their Ministry: Prepare a worship service complete with a sermon focused around the text(s) found in the New Common Lectionary for a Sunday between JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 1 OF 2017. If the service is not intended for Sunday, the text should be for the Sunday preceding the date of service. If you do not choose to preach from the lectionary, you must select one of the following texts or you may select another scripture. However, if you choose a scripture not listed in this question please provide a rationale for choosing that text. (Please note that the exam paper will be given a score of zero when this key instruction is not observed.) Genesis 3:1-24 Exodus 3:1-15 Psalm 82 Isaiah 6:1-3 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Micah 6:6-8

Matthew 9:35-10:15 Matthew 16:13-24 Matthew 28:18-20 Mark 6:35-44 Luke 15:11-32 Luke 24:13-35

John 1:1-18 John 11:25, 32-44 John 14:1-9 Romans 5:1-5 Ephesians 4:1-16 Philippians 2:1-11

A. The portions in this first section are not to be included in the total number of pages. 1.Please submit a complete order of worship, which reflects your understanding of liturgy. This should be in PDF format. If you only have a hard copy of the order of worship, please have it scanned and submit it electronically. (5 points) • Please note: If it is not possible for you to use your own order of worship on the day when you preach and record your sermon, submit a second order, which you would have used if the situation had allowed, along with the actual order followed (if this is the case, you will then submit two (2) orders of worship). 2.Please submit either a transcript or a manuscript of the sermon in PDF format. Again, this section of the paper will not count toward the total length of the paper. (15 points) 3.Please provide a video of the entire worship service, so that the Board may evaluate all components of your sermon delivery and the entire worship. The Board requirement is that the sermon be preached in an actual worship setting, not simply read. (10 points) • Please ensure that you have a high quality of sound reproduction, as a clear, complete recording will facilitate a fair evaluation of your sermon and worship. • WHEN SUBMITTING YOUR VIDEO, reference the included instructions for uploading the video to a YouTube account (Page 6). Be aware that the conversion and uploading process may take a substantial amount of time. Allow sufficient time to have the video completely uploaded and sent to the Board before the deadline. If you have questions regarding this process, do not hesitate to seek assistance.

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B. Worship Exam Questions: This section below can be no more than six (6) pages in length. 1. Give your understanding of the scriptural, traditional, and theological foundations for the ordering of Christian worship. Discuss how they are reflected in the order of worship you have presented, describing how your theology of worship is reflected in the order you have designed. (Note: This is a theological reflection, not a justification for a particular pattern of service.) [No more than 3 pages in length.] (5 points) 2. Give a brief statement addressing these areas: describe the situation and setting in which the sermon was taped, including the generational, economic and cultural context, and other distinguishing characteristics of the congregation. (Note: The Board of Ordained Ministry prefers a Sunday morning worship service, adult setting.) (5 points) 3. Describe the process you used to prepare this sermon, starting from the first encounter with the text through to its delivery. [1 or 2 pages in length.] (5 points)

For Those Pursuing the Order of Deacons Who Do Not Preach 1. Deacons are called to “give leadership in the teaching and proclamation of the word.” Describe in detail your ministry setting and how your work as a Deacon fulfills practically and theologically, the role to which you have been called. [3-4 pages in length] • Demonstrate how you intend to fulfill that calling, by presenting a video of you actually doing ministry, whether teaching a class or serving in some other practical way. Upload the video to a secured YouTube account by following the included instructions (Page 6). • In preparing this, please present a recording of no more than 30 minutes of the ministry. In order to do this most effectively, record the entirety of whatever ministry you intend to share, and select a 30 minute section of the recording (30 consecutive minutes) that best represents what you believe are your gifts and graces in this ministry. 2. Give your understanding of the scriptural, traditional, and theological foundations for the proclamation of the word in the ministry context you taped. Discuss how they are reflected in the video you have presented. (Note: This is a theological reflection, not a justification for a particular pattern of service.) [No more than 3 pages in length.] 3. Reflect upon your work shown in the recording. Where does it demonstrate your strengths and weaknesses? How does it demonstrate your theology as you have represented it in these exams? Is there another way you practice ministry that is impossible to record that you feel more accurately reflects the way you intend to fulfill your call? [No more than 1 page in length.] 4. Describe how you provide a bridge from that work to the church and from the church to your work. [No more than 2 pages in length.] (Please note: If you do choose the option of preaching, you must follow the same prescribed guidelines on sections A and B provided for Elders and Deacons Who Preach as Part of their Ministry.) Paper II/Worship/June 2017

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR UPLOADING VIDEO TO YOUTUBE Please refer to the following links for directions for uploading your worship and proclamation video to a private YouTube account:

Create an account on YouTube https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/161805?hl=en

Upload videos https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/57407?hl=en Depending on the file format, the resolution of your video, and your Internet connection speed, the amount of time required to upload your video may take several hours.

Upload videos longer than 15 minutes https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/71673?hl=en

Share videos https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/57741?hl=en Please copy the link and send it in an email to [email protected] & [email protected] to notify that the video has been uploaded.

Paper II Addendum/Video Instructions/June 2017

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PAPER III – THE TEACHING OFFICE A PLAN AND OUTLINE FOR LEADING A BIBLE STUDY Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 8 Pages and 1 Page Bibliography I. State your understanding of the need for and purpose of Christian education within the church, and how you understand the pastor’s role in this ministry. (5 points) II. Using a selection from one of the four Gospels as your primary source, develop a Bible Study curriculum. (Please note that the exam paper will be given a score of zero when this key instruction is not observed.) Use the following as a guide for your paper: A. Give a brief description of your class. (5 points) 1. Who is your target student population? (Describe the intended participant makeup of the class.) 2. Why have you chosen this particular group? 3. When, where, and how long will the class meet? (Include length of each class and total number of classes to be held.) B. Provide an outline of the Bible study curriculum, session by session. (5 points) 1. What is the curriculum title? 2. What topics will be considered during each session? 3. What scripture passage will be used for each session? (Make sure to use one of the four Gospels as your primary source for all the sessions.) C. Write a detailed lesson plan of one (1) session and include: (15 points) 1. A brief exegesis of the text and a statement of the main idea(s) developed during the session as they are derived from your exegesis. 2. Identification of current societal and/or cultural context issues or concerns that can be addressed by the text and this study. 3. Activities, resources, and tools you will use to enable class participants to connect with the text and to integrate the truth and faith of the text into current contemporary issues. III. Provide a bibliography including resources used by class members and resources used in exegetical preparation. (5 points) Paper III/Bible Study/June 2017

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PAPER IV – THEOLOGY AND VOCATION Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 20 Pages Each of your responses to Paper IV should be identified by letter and number for easy reference. Many of these questions are taken from The Book of Discipline 2016, ¶324.9. NOTE: Be certain to properly and adequately indicate and cite the source of any and every quotation employed in your responses. Use footnotes. 1. Describe your personal experience of God and the understanding of God you derive from Biblical, theological, and historical sources (¶324.9.a). (5 points) 2. What is your understanding of evil as it exists in the world (¶324.9.b)? (5 points) 3. How do you interpret the statement: “Jesus Christ is Lord” (¶324.9.d)? (5 points) 4. What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world (¶324.9.e)? (5 points) 5. How do you perceive yourself, your gifts, your motives, your role, and your commitment as a provisional member and commissioned minister in The United Methodist Church (¶324.9.k)? (5 points) 6. How do you intend to affirm, teach, and apply Part III of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) in your work in the ministry to which you have been called (¶324.9.g)? (5 points) 7. How do you understand the traditional evangelical doctrines of the church? Provide specific, concrete examples where possible. (40 points) a. The Christian understanding of humanity and the human need for divine grace (¶324.9.c)

b. Repentance c. Justification d. Regeneration e. Sanctification f. Resurrection (¶324.9.f) g. Eternal life (¶324.9.f) h. Kingdom of God (¶324.9.f)

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8. The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church? (¶324.9.h) Demonstrate its application in at least one current issue of the Church. Discuss how you would address faithful Christians who arrive at different conclusions. (5 points) 9. What is the meaning of ordination in the context of the general ministry of the Church (¶324.9.m)? Describe the unique role of Elders. Describe the unique role of Deacons. (5 points) 10. A. What is a sacrament and what role and significance will it have in your ministry (¶324.9.p)? (5 points) B. What sacraments are practiced by the UMC and why? (5 points) C. For those pursuing the Order of Elder: Do you believe in and will you practice infant baptism? Give explanation. (5 points) D. For those pursuing the Order of Deacon: Do you believe in and will you support the practice of infant baptism? Give explanation. (5 points)

Paper IV/Theology/June 2017

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PAPER V – PRACTICE OF MINISTRY Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 12 Pages A. Self-understanding for practice of ministry. 1. Identify and describe your gifts and graces (your strengths) for ordained ministry as well as areas in which you need to be strengthened. (10 points) 2. What insights were revealing for you as you participated in the evaluation of your psychological assessment? How do you respond to the areas of concern and the need for growth that were uncovered in your time with the Ministerial Assessment Specialist? (10 points) 3. Administration, organization, and reliable, timely follow-through are basic components in the practice of ministry. Provide a frank self-assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in these areas, and discuss how you intend to be faithful and effective in them (1 page max). (5 points) B. Give your views on the practice of ministry. In response to each section, provide specific examples and illustrations. 1. Discuss your understanding of the primary characteristics of United Methodist polity (¶324.9.j). (5 points) 2. Describe the nature and mission of the Church. What are its primary tasks today? (¶324.9.i) (5 points) 3. Describe the way in which the church can effectively and faithfully minister to and within a multi-cultural society and incarnate the inclusive nature of the community of faith (¶324.9.n). What are the joys and the challenges of a multi-cultural church community? (5 points) 4. Reflect upon your understanding of the relationship of the Gospel to social justice. How are you presently living out this connection in your life and ministry? (5 points) 5. Describe your understanding of diakonia, the servant ministry of the church, and the servant ministry of the provisional member (¶324.9.l). (5 points) 6. Discuss your understanding of personal and professional boundaries as they pertain to the following: (15 points) a. Having a personal relationship with individual members of the congregation; b. Sharing personal issues within the congregation; c. Responding to the emotional needs of church members as a pastor. 7. First, carefully read the policy on mandatory reporting on pages 19-21. Then discuss your understanding of confidentiality as it relates to pastoral care in your ministry. Are there situations that would cause you to break confidentiality? If so, explain why, and discuss the possible ramifications especially in the state in which you are serving. (5 points)

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C. Please read and respond to the following case studies of ministry situations. (Do not write out the entire case studies in your response, but note them by their bold print title). (45 points) 1. THE CHURCH IN TRANSITION Scenario: You are serving a church that is in decline, with an aging membership that has not received new persons into the church in several years. One possible reason for such a situation is that the neighborhood around the church has begun to change in terms of ethnicity and economic status, and this change has led to changes in the worshipping and community life. Longtime members of your church have stopped attending, and those who have stayed have begun to complain about “those people” who have started coming to worship and participating in community life from the surrounding neighborhood.

-As you consider this situation, write a short statement describing the strategies that you would employ to help the present membership see a new hope, vision, and mission for their church and ministry. How would you assess the dynamics of this situation and factors that will need to be addressed? What will be the goals of your ministry and the nature of your role as pastor in response to this challenge? What strategies would you employ to engage the neighborhood community and learn about the needs of the neighborhood community? What ways would you advocate for the needs of the community? What ways can this community based ministry provide the seeds of revitalization for the local church? What approach for practicing evangelism do you bring to a congregation? What theological models would you use to positively address this situation? 2. THE MULTI-STAFF CHURCH Scenario: You are the associate pastor of the staff of a large, growing church. The Senior Pastor, who has served the church for over 10 years, guides the staff and congregation with an “iron hand” – strictly dictating the roles and responsibilities for each person as he sees fit. He further insists that each staff member get his approval in all aspects of their ministry work areas and emphases. Other staff members have begun coming to you to complain that they feel “boxed-in” that their creativity is being restricted, their gifts and talents are being under-utilized and their anger and frustration is rising. You agree that you, and the other staff, are not able to fully realize their gifts and talents, to the detriment of these persons, as well as to the church. However, you also understand the position of the Senior Pastor, who has developed this style of leadership through many years of experience, and many successful pastorates in large, growing churches. You have become the “well” to which the staff members have started to come, to air their frustrations; further they have come to ask for your permission to do the programs that they feel called to do for the church, and for you to advocate for them to the Senior Pastor.

-Describe the issues and concerns that you see in this situation. How do your personality, temperament and skills help you address these issues and where are you challenged by this situation? How do you see your role in light of your calling and your responsibility to the Senior Pastor? The other staff? To the Church? Paper V/Practice of Ministry/June 2017

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POLICY ON MANDATORY REPORTING In general, clergypersons are privileged with clergy-congregant confidentiality, allowing congregants to speak freely with or confess to a clergyperson. In some cases, however, when the clergyperson learns that abusive or harmful acts have been committed, or hears someone threaten to commit such acts, the clergyperson becomes a mandatory reporter. In other words, the clergyperson is then legally or morally obligated to convey knowledge of actual or potential abuse or physical harm to the proper authorities. To protect congregants and others in this way is also, of course, the Christian duty of the pastor, who is called to shepherd God’s people toward lives free from violence and harm (Jn. 10). The California-Pacific Annual Conference’s policy is that clergypersons consider themselves to be mandatory reporters when they are made aware of: (1) Acts of physical harm to another person. If an individual has physically harmed or threatens to harm another person, such as a spouse, the clergyperson must report this information to the proper authorities. (2) Acts of physical harm to one’s self. If an individual threatens to harm or kill him or herself, the clergyperson must report this information to the proper authorities. (3) Child abuse, molestation or neglect. Child abuse and neglect includes: physical abuse, sexual abuse (including both sexual assault and sexual exploitation), willful cruelty or unjustified punishment, unlawful corporal punishment or injury, and neglect (including both acts and omissions). If a minor verbalizes that he or she has been physically or verbally abused, neglected, or sexually molested, the clergyperson must report this information to the proper authorities. The same applies if an adult verbalizes that he or she has committed such abuse or threatens to do so, or knows of another person who has conducted such abuse. Further, the clergyperson must report if the clergy has a “reasonable suspicion” there has been abuse or neglect. “Reasonable suspicion” means it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position to suspect child abuse or neglect. “Reasonable suspicion” does not require certainty that child abuse or neglect has occurred. (4) Elder abuse. Elder abuse includes: physical abuse, neglect, financial abuse, abandonment, isolation, abduction, or other treatment resulting in physical harm or pain or mental suffering. It also includes the deprivation by a care custodian of goods or services that are necessary to avoid physical harm or mental suffering. If a senior adult verbalizes that he or she has been verbally or physically abused, or if an individual admits to abusing a senior, or threatens to do so, or knows of another person who has conducted such abuse, the clergyperson must report this information to the proper authorities. Please note that the California Pacific Annual Conference (Cal-Pac)’s Board of Ordained Ministry has adopted more stringent procedures than the laws of California and other jurisdictions may require, for the sake of protecting congregants and others. For example, where

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California law allows clergy discretion in reporting abuses in certain situations, Cal-Pac expects clergy to consider themselves mandated reporters in the four areas presented here. Please review the information below regarding the 4 mandatory reporting situations listed above. The following quotations are selected from the law review, No Sanctuary from the Law: Legal Issues Facing Clergy, from the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, 11-1-1996, by Arthur Gross Schaefer Darren Levine. http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2021&context=llr In regards to (1) acts of physical harm to self or (2) to another person: “…most states require psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers to report to the authorities when their clients have threatened acts of physical harm to themselves or to a third person. For example, the well-known Tarasoff precedent requires all California professional counselors to report any client who has threatened to inflict bodily harm on another.” p. 180. “The clergyperson must take action when they have "reasonable" belief that crime is being committed. The moment that a hunch becomes a reasonable belief, the clergyperson should initiate the reporting procedure devised by their legal counselors.” p. 181. In regards to (3) acts of child abuse or molestation: “Many states believe that there is a compelling government interest in protecting children that outweighs free speech and free exercise of religion. For this reason alone, most states require that professionals report on behalf of the victimized child when made aware of child molestation;” p. 181 “Dealing with an incident or allegation of child molestation is an unfortunate but very real situation. It is natural to want to address the situation quickly and quietly because reputations are at stake; however, such haste often creates further problems. Most importantly, the clergyperson should treat every complaint as serious until proven otherwise. When made aware of a potential child molestation case, a clergyperson should immediately contact an attorney who is knowledgeable about the reporting requirements. Next, the clergyperson should contact the appropriate state agency that receives reports of child abuse. Clergy should cover these grounds first before raising the issue with the alleged perpetrator. The clergyperson must maintain the confidentiality of the parties by limiting the number of people who are informed of the situation.” p. 183 In regards to acts of (4) elder abuse: “It is now well established that child abuse must be reported to a state agency. But what about reporting spousal or elder abuse? These are serious crimes as well. Each clergyperson must answer this moral question and decide in the face of potentially serious legal ramifications. This Article contends that regardless of protected communication, the clergyperson has a moral obligation to report such specific acts of violence to the proper authorities in order to protect the victims. pp. 182-183

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When to Report The clergyperson’s report to proper authorities must be made immediately, or as soon as it can be made safely. Reporting the information to another person is not a substitute for making a mandated report to the appropriate agency. In cases of child abuse, for example, mandated reporters must report to a county child welfare department or to local law enforcement (police or sheriff’s department) immediately by phone. In California, a written report must then be sent within 36 hours by fax, or it may be sent by electronic submission, if a secure system has been made available for that purpose in your county. Written reports (in California) must be submitted on the California Suspected Child Abuse Report Form 8572. This form can be downloaded at http://ag.ca.gov/childabuse/pdf/ss_8572.pdf. Where to Report Type of Abuse Physical Harm to Another Person Physical Harm to One’s Self Child Abuse or Neglect

Elder Abuse

Where to Report Local Authorities Local Authorities CA: County Child Welfare Dept. or the Local Police/Sheriff’s Dept. HI: Dept. of Human Services, Child Welfare Services (800) 494-3991 -Oahu: (808) 832-5300 Am. Samoa: Local Authorities Guam: Child Protective Services or the Guam Police Dept. Northern Marianas Islands: Dept. of Public Safety CA: Local Police/Sheriff’s Dept., or Adult Protective Services Agency: (888) 436-3600 HI: Hawaii Adult Abuse Reporting Hotline -Oahu: (808) 832-5115 -Maui, Molokai & Lanai: (808) 243-5151 -Kauai: (808) 241-3432 -East HI: (808) 933-8820 -West HI: (808) 327-6280 Am. Samoa: Local Authorities Guam: Dept. of Public Health, Adult Protective Services Unit – (671) 475-0268 [After hours (671) 646-4455] Northern Marianas Islands: Local Authorities

Paper V Addendum/Mandatory Reporting/June 2016

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PAPER VI – CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE Deadline: December 1, 2017 UNTIL 11:59:59 P.M. (PST) Maximum Length of Paper: 6 Pages Reflect upon and express your understanding of the following lifestyle questions: 1. Read ¶324.9.o in The Book of Discipline 2012. How will you live out this agreement personally? Be as specific in your response as necessary to communicate your level of agreement. (5 points) 2. What is your understanding of the expectations and obligations of the itinerant system? What are the potential assets and liabilities of such a system? If you are pursuing the Order of Elder, do you feel confident that you can offer yourself without reservation to be appointed and to serve as the appointive authority may determine? What do you foresee that might prevent you from freely itinerating in future years? (5 points) 3. What persons or groups do you look to for support of your person and ministry? Describe the nature of this support. (5 points) 4. Recognizing that faithful stewardship is the responsibility of every Christian, discuss how the mismanagement of personal finances could detract from your effectiveness as a minister. How will present debt and obligations to others affect your ministry in light of the salary you will receive under appointment? (5 points) 5. In what ways do you presently provide for your care of self? As you evaluate your present practices in the area of self-care, as well as current perspectives on the need for clergy to effectively manage their self-care, how might you need to modify this pattern of thought and action? (5 points)

Paper VI/Christian Lifestyle/June 2017

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