Guidelines: Other Fellowship (OF)
Holston Conference Last updated 2025-08
This document was created by the Office of Clergy Services of the Holston Annual Conference. Other United Methodist Annual Conferences have permission to use and adapt the material contained in the document for their annual conference.
September 2019: Revised 08-2025
Any ques ons or comments should be directed to Rev. Terry Goodman Director of Clergy Services
POB 850
Alcoa, TN 37701
Email: terrygoodman@holston.org
I am happy to learn that you are seeking to serve a church in The Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church, even though you are ordained in another denomina on. Our Book of Discipline makes this possible, but there are certain requirements associated with that service. This document seeks to walk you through the process so that you can make a smooth transi on into ministry in Holston. If you ever have any ques ons, then please feel free to get in touch with me. I would be more than glad to assist you in this
Holston Conference of The United Methodist Church
As a minister in another denomina on, can I serve as pastor of a United
Methodist Church?
Yes. You can.
There are two methods by which a person from another denomina on may engage in ministry within the Holston Annual Conference.
They may seek to have their creden als and educa on from another denomina on recognized and transfer their membership to Holston Annual Conference. (¶347.3) This would involve the person renouncing membership but retaining ordina on creden als that he or she might have in the other denomina on and entering into Provisional Membership in Holston.
The other alterna ve would be for the person to seek to engage in ministry within Holston Annual Conference while maintaining his/ her membership in their current denomina on. (¶346.2)
These are two very different avenues into ministry within Holston Annual Conference. In nearly all of my conversa ons to date with District Superintendents, it is the la er method that is typically being pursued.
Some FAQ’s to Help You Be er Understand
What if my denomina on licensed instead of ordained me?
If you were licensed in another denomina on then you would not have the necessary creden als to serve in an OF assignment. If you were ordained, you could serve, as long as the ordaining denomina on is one that is approved by General Board of Higher Educa on and Ministry (GBHEM).
What rights do I have as a Other Fellowship (OF) pastor?
First of all, as an OF, you are maintaining your “rela onship” with the denomina on that ordained you. If you were a Bap st you are s ll a Bap st. This means that you will have limited “rights” within the Holston Annual Conference. As an OF, you are not technically a part of the annual conference. (There are procedures, though, that would allow you to become a member of the annual conference.) This means:
You are not guaranteed an appointment. To have a guaranteed appointment, you would need to be a Provisional member, Associate member or member in Full Connec on (Elder).
You are not considered i nerant. This means that you are not required to move from one charge to another charge as a Provisional member, Associate member, or Full Connec on Elder might be required to do. However, if you are unwilling to move to a loca on where the annual conference feels that your gi s and graces can best be u lized, then you might not be re-assigned.
You do not have the right to vote on ma ers that are brought before the floor of the annual conference. You will have the right to voice, since you do represent the charge to which you are assigned, but you may not vote.
You do have the ability to par cipate in our conference insurance program.
You do not have the ability to par cipate in our pension program.
Do I have to take classes before I can become an Other Fellowship (OF) pastor?
Based upon your service interval you would be required to engage in certain educa onal requirements. As a 1/4 me pastor, you would be required to par cipate in Cer fied Lay Servant/Speaker training. If you are serving 1/2 me or greater, then you would be required to a end Local Pastor Licensing School (LPLS) and to then take certain Course of Study (COS) classes. In addi on, for the first five years, you would be part of a cohort of Other Fellowship (OF) pastors and would be paired with a Full Connec on Elder of the annual conference who would act as a mentor.
Holston Conference would expect you to adhere to the Con nuing Educa on Guidelines (30 hours/3 CEU’s) required of all ministers currently serving in the annual conference. The only persons exempt from Con nuing Educa on are persons a ending Course of Study and those making sa sfactory progress in an undergraduate or graduate degree.
How Do I Begin the Process?
More than likely, by the me that you are reading this document you have already begun the process. The process usually begins in one of two ways. First of all, you seek a conversa on with a District Superintendent (DS) to explore the OF Track. We refer to this process as self ini ated. Alterna vely, you become known to a DS as a person open to serving and could be contacted by a DS. We refer to this as DS ini ated.
The Ve ng Process
If the DS believes that this OF would be a match with Holston Conference, then the DS will contact the Office of Clergy Services. The Office of Clergy Services will ini ate Phase 1 of 4 in the OF Candidacy Track where various informa on will be provided by the OF Candidate.
Phase 1 of 4: At least one week prior to mee ng with the Conference Rela ons Commi ee (CRC), The OF Candidate will supply a number of items to the Office of Clergy Services:
Phase 2 of 4: Once the materials in Phase 1 are provided by the OF Candidate the chair of the CRC will set a mee ng with the OF Candidate and the members of the CRC.
Once the CRC vets the OF Candidate and makes a posi ve recommenda on, the CRC Chair will no fy the Office of Clergy Services that the OF has been cleared by the CRC. The Office of Clergy Services will ini ate Phase 3 of 4.
In the event that the OF is not cleared, the CRC Chair will no fy the OF pastor that he/she has not been cleared to serve in Holston Annual Conference.
Phase 3 of 4: Upon receipt of the posi ve recommenda on of the CRC, the Office of Clergy Services will expect to receive another round of materials at least one week prior to the mee ng with the District Commi ee on Ordina on (DCOM)
Phase 4 of 4: Once the materials in Phase 3 are provided by the OF Candidate the chair of the DCOM will set a mee ng with the OF Candidate and the members of the CRC.
The purpose of the mee ng is for the DCOM to determine if this person has met the fitness and/or readiness standards of service in Holston Conference.
If the DCOM gives a posi ve recommenda on, then the DS may seek to find an appropriate appointment for the OF through the normal Appoin ve Cabinet channels.
Should the DCOM give a nega ve recommenda on, then an explana on for the reasoning will be placed in a DCOM file on the OF Candidate and held there.
Should the OF ever seek to come before the DCOM again at a future date, then this file and the documents within it shall be referenced by members of the DCOM and considera on of this content will be weighed in light of the new request by the OF.
In the event of a nega ve recommenda on, the DS shall no fy the OF Candidate in wri ng of the decision of the DCOM not to approve the OF Candidate for service within Holston Conference.
Once Ve ed and Approved
Once an OF Candidate is properly ve ed and approved, the OF will then relate to the DCOM which gave final approval and appear yearly before that DCOM for an interview.
Should the DCOM recommend that the OF is no longer suited for service within Holston, the DS shall be informed and a wri en reason will be inserted in the OF’s DCOM file.
The DCOM may recommend immediate discon nuance of the OF or may recommend that the OF not be reappointed at annual conference. In either case, the ul mate decision of appointment status and ming will reside with the DS and the cabinet.
In the event that the OF pastor seeks to serve in another district, the OF pastor must get the approval of the new DCOM before service can begin. If Holston Conference asks the OF pastor to serve in another district, then it would simply be a DCOM to DCOM transfer of files.
A er agreeing to serve, the OF pastor must then engage in required educa on:
Educa onal requirements will be based on the service level of the OF pastor:
1/4 me CLS training required
1/2 Time or greater: Local Pastor Licensing School and comple on of COS classes listed below.
The OF Pastor would a end the first scheduled Local Pastor Licensing School offered within Holston Conference a er being approved by a DCOM.
Once LPLS is completed the OF pastor must then take the following COS classes:
COS 121 Bible Introduc on
COS 122 Theological Heritage
COS 223 Worship and Sacraments
COS 224 Polity and Administra on
COS 422 Theological Heritage IV: Wesleyan Movement
Full Time OF pastors would have 3 years to complete these courses and Part Time OF pastors would have 4 years to complete these courses.
Costs of these courses are to be borne by the OF pastor. Con nuing Educa on funds can be used. MEF service loans will not be available, since the OF is not a cer fied candidate in the United Methodist Church.
Requirements for Transfer into Holston AC from another denomination:
OF pastor must have served a minimum of three years under full time appointment as an Other Fellowship (OF) in a church/charge within the Holston Annual Conference.
OF Pastor must meet the educational requirements of The United Methodist Church by having an MDiv from a UM Senate approved seminary or by completion of the Course of Study and Advanced Course of Study with Holston additional requirements.
Person will apply for entry into the annual conference through a recommendation of a DCOM that the person be considered for Provisional Membership.
Person will complete necessary requirements of the Provisional Membership process of the Board of Ordained Ministry and, if they successfully pass the interview and writing requirements, will be nominated for Provisional membership.
At the time they are elected by the AC clergy session as a provisional member, their membership in their previous denomination will be terminated and they will be a provisional member of the Holston Annual Conference.
They will maintain their ordination from the other denomination.
At the time of Full Connection, their ordination from the other denomination will be recognized. Holston Annual Conference will not ordain them, since this was previously done in the other denomination.
Who Will Bear the Costs Associated with This Process
If the person is recruited by a District Superintendent, then the cost of assessments shall be borne by the Conference/District.
If the person solicits a DS for a posi on, then the person would incur the costs typically associated with the costs that a candidate would pay. This includes the assessment costs and the cost of a ending Local Pastor Licensing School.
In both cases, the candidate will bear the costs of the Safe Gathering cer fica on and the associated background and credit checks.
It will be made clear that, just as candidates are not guaranteed to be appointed upon comple on of the candidacy process and a endance at LPLS, there is also no guarantee for OF’s that comple on of these items will guarantee an appointment.
Timeline of the Process
It would be difficult to place a yearly deadline for applica on on persons in this process. Too many variables exist in regards to psychological tes ng and Safe Gatherings cer fica on. However, for a person desiring to be appointed during the annual appointment cycle, it is strongly suggested that the process begin early in the month of August to help ensure that all the required parts of the puzzle are in place to allow such an appointment at the next annual conference session.
District Superintendents will need to factor in the various steps of the process as they are in communica on with persons seeking to serve in an OF capacity. The Office of Clergy Services will not be able to shorten or forgo any of these required steps in the process.
Pathways for Other Fellowship (OF) to become United Methodist Elder
Via Educa onal Equivalency:
Must have MDiv from UM Senate Approved Seminary
Must have Holston class requirements
Via Course of Study:
OF Pastor would submit-
Undergrad and Graduate Transcripts for COS equivalency
Complete Basic COS
Complete Advanced COS with Holston AC class requirement.
Please Note: This diagram outlines the process of how the Other Fellowship (OF) pastor could become an elder in the United Methodist Church. Previously described in this document are some preliminary steps and the more standard approach of the OF pastor not seeking to become and elder, but instead serve while maintaining membership in their denomina on.
During Ordina on Service, the former OF will have his/her Ordina on from the Other Denomina on recognized, but will not be ordained by the Bishop.
DCOM must Recommend OF pastor for Provisional Membership
OF Pastor must supply paperwork and interview with BOM Division of Elders
OF Pastor Becomes a Provisional Member and Enters the RIM Process
Pastor Completes the RIM Process and applies for Full Connec on
Pastor is voted into Full Connec on by the Clergy Session
