Licensed Ministers

[ArthurStone]

Also subscribe to a few clergy magazines and read the books in their reading lists.  I would recommend: http://www.christiancentury.org/

Also talk to retired pastors and ask what books were important to them.  Better Yet ask a retired pastor to mentor you in reading and study and a few hours of conversation every week.

Also read a few clergy biographies, this will give you a sense if your call is from God.  I found this list and it looks sound, but any biography will be insightful.
http://ppaddock.com/books-about-the-clergy-a-reading-list

Then I would recommend you start with some Catholic scholars:
Henri Nouwen tops many clergy reading lists
Hans Kung
Raymond Brown
Then some of the classics and the Early Church Fathers. And a few from this list:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Wayne%20Meeks
Read some church history
Read some Old Testament theology … Walter Bruggaman
http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Brueggemann/e/B001ILID72
If you are still serious, then also start building a good collection of biblical commentaries from both liberal and conservative scholars

[Michael Reilly]

Arthur my friend, I have never preached a day in my life. I have no idea what is happening to me. I am called. Seriously. It's nuts. I am half hoping that it will go away. I am just walking down a path and seeing where it takes me. And: I am walking slowly. But it feels right.

[goodstoryteller]

Michael

Here is the Southern Conference's program as an alternative to MDiv as a path to ordination (not Licensure)  It is up and running and has graduates and people who have been ordained. Take a look. 

But the seeking of discernment with your local conference is an essential to any path to ministry--ordination, licensure or commissioned ministry.  You can not get in the door without support of a local congregation.  Remember unlike many mainline denominations the final decision on ordination is made at the Association setting of the church---there decision then stands throughout the UCC.  I suggest you speak with pastor about attending an eccleiastical council and or meeting to be admited to "in ciscernment" status.  ---As above the request for in discernment status must come from a local congregation not the individual.   

Your struggle and questions are at the very heart of the winds blowing through the UCC  On this issue.  You are not alone.

http://www.soc-ucc.org/PLD_page.htm

[goodstoryteller]

Here is the url for the current guidelines for "in discernment" and some of the story---good reading for all of us.  I became aware of this document as a recent seminar in the SWC's program "Lay Academy"  The last week-end session was on UCC polity.  These sessions are Friday evening and all day Saturday--five times a year and a three year program designed for lay leadership development. Clergy are not eligible for the sessions.  They are taught by Seminary professors or people of similar training.


http://www.ucc.org/ministers/ministry-issues/Draft-3-1-MIIC-May-09-no-watermark-REVISED.pdf

[YahooBill]

Here is the Southern Conference's program as an alternative to MDiv as a path to ordination (not Licensure)  It is up and running and has graduates and people who have been ordained. Take a look. 

My church's Director of Spanish Language Ministries is a graduate of this program and will be ordained this Sunday.

[NorahJones]

Arthur my friend, I have never preached a day in my life. I have no idea what is happening to me. I am called. Seriously. It's nuts. I am half hoping that it will go away. I am just walking down a path and seeing where it takes me. And: I am walking slowly. But it feels right.

I went through exactly this, 9 years ago.

Don't mean to scare you, but I've since given up my job, my home, my previous life, moved 2000 miles away from my family to attend seminary, spent 3 years as a hospital chaplain (including 4 units of CPE in a residency), and have had my ecclesiastical council held.

I interviewed last week with a congregation on the east coast searching for a pastor; I'm hoping that we're mutually agreed that I'm the pastor they've been seeking.

[Michael Reilly]

Gee, thanks.

[NorahJones]

Michael, as scary as some of it's been, this is the best road you'll ever travel, if you're truly called.

Don't let the "what if"s hold you back, brother.

[goodstoryteller]

Hi Nora
Welcome to the forums.

Karl

[NorahJones]

Thank you, Karl.  I enjoy what I've read so far