The Office of Clergy Services serves as the liaison between the Bishop, the Cabinet and the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. We function as a connection/resource to the Cabinet and the Board of Ordained Ministry to cultivate clergy leadership throughout the life of their ministry. The office also provides resources, mentoring, ethics trainings, continuing education, and more.
As staff support for the Board of Ordained Ministry, we: (1) Maintain the records of 1,400-plus candidates and clergy members of the conference (both active and retired), (2) Work with those persons seeking ordination or licensing, (3) Assist with oversight of licensing and ordination process and policies, (4) Prepare the materials for the Clergy Session of Annual Conference, and (5) Provide training and guidance for the District Committees on Ministry.
The Secretary of the Annual Conference is elected by the members of the Annual Conference. Functions carried out by the Conference Secretary include: (1) Assisting the bishop and the Committee on the Annual Conference plan and coordinate Annual Conference sessions, (2) Keeping the official record of all Annual Conference business sessions, (3) Editing the Annual Conference Journal and the Program and Reports, and the pre-conference materials, and (4) Maintaining records of the Committee on Nominations, the Committee on the Annual Conference, and the Conference Board of Trustees.
4908 Colonial Drive, Suite 122
Columbia, SC 29203
803-786-9486
ConferenceSecretary@umcsc.org
ClergyServices@umcsc.org
Rev. A. Melton Arant, Jr.
Clergy Services Coordinator
& Secretary of the Conference
2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
STANDING RULES
Rev. Sha’Rome Henry
Clergy Services
Executive Assistant
& New Haven UMC Pastor
shenry@umcsc.org
803-726-6739
Rev. Morris Waymer
Conference Board of Ordained Ministry Chairperson & Silver Hill UMC Pastor
FORMS and INFORMATION
All reports are online fillable forms unless the nature of the form requires hard copies. In those cases the forms will downloadable PDFs designated as “(PDF).” Online fillable versions may designated as “(ONLINE).” THE FORMS AND INFORMATION BELOW ARE CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED. PLEASE BEAR WITH US.
¶205.4 LAY SUPPLY
- Lay Supply
- Lay Supply Packet
DIACONAL MINISTERS (1992 BOD)
¶268 CERTIFIED LAY MINISTRY
- Lay Servant Ministry Page
- Becoming a Certified Lay Minister Process
- Certified Lay Minister Checklist
- Conference Board of Lay Servant Ministry Polices on Pastoral Relationships and Removal of CLM Status
- Certified Lay Minister Process & Application
- Initial Interview Preparation
- Lay Servant Ministries Categories
¶305-309, 323 CLERGY ORDERS/FELLOWSHIP
- Clergy Orders in the UMC including Transition details
- Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members
- Deacons Chair: Rev. Meg Jiunnies
- Elders Chair: Rev. Mary Johnson
- Local Pastors & Associate Members Chair: Rev. Brenda Washington
¶310-314 CANDIDACY
¶315-320 LICENSE LOCAL PASTORS
- Local Pastor Policy & Checklist
- Ministry of Local Pastors
- Local Pastor Reinstatement Policy
- Application for Reinstatement
- Membership Confirmation (for reinstatement)
- Basic Course of Study Curriculum
- Course of Study Goals
- Find a Course of Study School
- GBHEM Online Course of Study
- Course of Study Transcript Request
- Course of Study Scholarship Application
- Local Pastors on Loan and Transfer
¶321-322 ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
- Associate Member Policy & Checklist
- Associate Member Change of Status Packet
- Associate Member Readmission Policy: See the section labeled “¶365-369 MEMBERSHIP READMISSION.”
¶324-327 PROVISIONAL MEMBERSHIP
- Provisional Member Policy & Checklist
- Provisional Member Change of Status Packet
- Provisional Member Readmission Policy: See the section labeled “¶365-369 MEMBERSHIP READMISSION.”
¶328-331 ORDAINED DEACON
- Deacon in Full Connection Policy & Checklist
- Appointments of Deacons including Non-Salaried Guidelines
- Ministry of Deacons (GBHEM)
- Annual Report of the Deacon
- Full Member Change of Status Packet
- Full Member Readmission Policy: See the section labeled Ҧ365-369 MEMBERSHIP READMISSION.
- Deacon to Elder or Elder to Deacon Transition
¶332-342 ORDAINED ELDER
- Elders in Full Connection Policy & Checklist
- Appointments of Elders including less than full time instructions
- Ministry of Elders (GBHEM)
- Responsibilities, Duties & Support
- Full Member Change of Status Packet
- Full Member Readmission Policy: See the section labeled Ҧ365-369 MEMBERSHIP READMISSION.
- Elder to Deacon or Deacon to Elder Transition
¶343-345 EXTENSION MINISTRIES
- Appointments Extending the Ministry of the UMC
- Extension Ministry Approval Process/Application
- Extension Ministry Annual Report (due 8/15)
- Accountability and Relation to Conference and Local Church
- Ministry of Endorsed Clergy (GBHEM)
- UMEA Endorsement & Chaplaincy FAQs
- United Methodist Endorsement Application
- Ecclesiastical Endorsement Guide
- 2025 Endorsement Policy Handbook
- Military Chaplain Candidate Program
- Guard And Reserve Chaplain Guide
- Volunteer Chaplain Approval Guidelines
- Private Practice Chaplain Guidelines
¶346 NON-SC UM CONFERENCE CLERGY
¶347.1-6 CLERGY TRANSFER
¶347.7-348 AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP FOR UM CLERGY
CHANGE OF STATUS PACKETS
¶321, ¶324, ¶330 & ¶335
CLERGY WITHDRAWAL FORMS
- FAQs: Clergy Withdrawal
- Form 200 Intent to Withdraw (FE-FD-PE-PD-AM)
- Form 200-LP Intent to Withdraw (Local Pastors)
- Substitute Credential Surrender Form
¶349 MENTORING AND MENTORS
¶350-352 CONTINUING FORMATION
- CEU Guidelines & Application
- CEU Funds Application
- Coach, Spiritual Director & Non-Workshops Application
- Continuing Education Covenant Groups
- Continuing Education Covenant Group Guidelines
- Formational/Spiritual Growth or Sabbatical Leave
- Find A UM College/University near You
- UM University Senate Approved Seminaries
- Required Course Descriptions PE/PD & FE/FD
- Fulfillment of Theological Studies Form
- Ministerial Education Fund (MEF) Application
- Find A UM College/University near You
- UM University Senate Approved Seminaries
- Required Course Descriptions PE/PD & FE/FD
- Fulfillment of Theological Studies Form
- Ministerial Education Fund (MEF) Application
- CONTINUING EDUCATION
- Continuing Education Covenant Group Guidelines
- CEU Guidelines & Application
- CEU Funds Application
- Coach, Spiritual Director & Non-Workshops Application
- Clergy Covenant
¶365 READMISSION
- Application for Readmission
- Associate Member Readmission Policy
- Provisional Member Readmission Policy
- Full Member Readmission Policy
¶364 BOARD OF ORDAINED MINISTRY
¶801-2401 GENERALCHURCH AGENCIES
(4) GENERAL COMMISSION ON FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
SPECIALIZED MINISTRY
SEXUAL ETHICS-SAFE SANCTUARY
(10) SEXUAL ETHICS/SAFE SANCTUARY
- SEXUAL ETHICS OVERVIEW
- Conference Sexual and Professional Misconduct Policy
- Online Training: Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics
- Online Training: Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age
- Sample Sexual Misconduct Policy for Local Churches
- Safe Sanctuaries Resources
- UMC Sexual Ethics Resources
- “Do No More Harm” – UMC Resource for Responding to Sexual Misconduct
EDUCATION RELATED INFORMATION
2026 Full Membership
2026 Associate Membership
2026 Provisional Membership
Additional Assistant Conference Secretaries
Previous Clergy Services Page
2025 Annual Conference
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Previous Conference Secretary Page
2026 Associate Membership
2026 Full Membership
2026 Provisional Membership
