The Church and Ministry Division of the Southwest Association oversees ministerial standing, pastoral relations, professional standards, in-care students, the relationship of pastors to parishes and specialized ministry. One of its functions is to authorize pastoral ministry for the Association.

Church and Ministry Update – The Division on Church and Ministry has adopted a new policy regarding ministers who request a transfer of their standing from another association into the SW Association. This is necessary when a congregation calls a new pastor from outside this area and the Division on Church and Ministry must grant him or her standing on behalf of the Association before that pastor can be formally installed as pastor. The significant change in the new policy is that the Association the person is coming from must forward any pertinent documents from the minister’s file as well as a letter of transfer.

You can read the whole SWA Policy-for-Transferring-Standing-1

New Authorized Ministry Compensation Guidelines

Anti-racism Training Policy for Authorized Ministers
Here is the link to Rev. Thomson’s letter about the anti-racism policy.

Members of Church & Ministry Division

Bradshaw, Rev. Ruth – Chair

Dieckhoff, Jamie

Dolan, Ann

Hackman, Rev. Todd

Hazen, Rev. Eldonna

Kolden, Rev. Laura

Neuman, Jim

Shannon, Rev. Wayne

Stapleton, Rev. Shawn

Viney, Ms. Gretchen

Volk, Rev Kelly