Goal 4) MINISTERIAL RECRUITMENT

To develop an effective recruitment system to increase the number of licensed and ordained African Americans in all areas of ministry.

The National Convocation Board of Trustees has requested that the Associate for Black Ministry in the Division of Homeland Ministries make recommendations to the Vision Planning Standing Committee of the Board of Trustees on strategies needed to implement the objectives associated with this goal.

1. Charge the minister's fellowship to formulate a strategy for their involvement in ministerial recruitment to be presented at the 15th Biennial Session.

2. Request the Division of Homeland Ministries to develop an intentional program of ministerial recruitment through the Office of Black Ministry with specific targets, time frames and progress periodically reported to the Board of Trustees of the National Convocation.

3. Develop a nationall based ad hoc committee to formulate recommendations for an effective ministerial recruitment program to be reported to the Board of Trustees of the National Convocation and the next biennial session. The recommendation of this committee will serve as a model to be shared with institutions of higher education, regions and general units.

4. Request the Office of Black Ministry to develop an information resource on standards for ministerial standing, targeting regions with existing Black Church Structures, to be disseminated at the next Biennial Session.

5. Develop a process whereby the National Convocation facilitates a dialogue between regional and Black Church Structures regarding ministerial recruitment.

6. Increase the number of congregations utilizing regional resourcing in the search and call of pastoral leadership.

7.  Develop African American congregations' sensitivity and connectedness with the specialized ministries of chaplaincy and clergy in specialized extra-congregational setting ministries.