Candidates who travel through the candidacy process of the United Methodist Church are required to have a mentor. The Virginia Conference identified mentors as those who shepherd other shepherds.
The Clergy Mentoring Manual produced by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry includes the following:
- Mentors shall be recommended by the cabinet, selected, trained, and held accountable by the Board of Ordained Ministry.
- Candidacy mentors are clergy in full connection, associate members, or full time local pastors who have completed the Course of Study trained to provide counsel and guidance related to the candidacy process. Candidates will be assigned a candidacy mentor by the district Committee on Ordained Ministry in consultation with the district superintendent (¶311.1b).
In the Virginia Conference, Candidacy Mentors work with the candidate until that candidate begins serving in an appointive ministry as a local pastor, a commissioned minister, or enter into the Certified Lay Minister program.
Tool and Expectations for Candidacy Mentors
The Mentoring program in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church identifies mentors as those who “shepherd future shepherds.” The Mentor Committee, a subcommittee of the Committee on Call and Candidacy, has worked to cultivate resources and materials for mentors that they may be equipped in their roles.
Attitudes and How To’s for Mentoring
The relationship between mentor and mentee is unique in the credentialing process of the United Methodist Church. The Mentor holds no authority over the mentee and is therefore in a key position to offer support, ask questions, and help the candidate discern next steps. The Mentor Coordinator co-hort has developed these essential How To’s for establishing a healthy and productive relationship with your assigned candidate.
What’s Expected of Me as a Candidacy Mentor?
Journey with the Candidate Until They Achieve the Next Level of Credentialing
Whether working with assigned Lay Supply or candidates, mentors walk with their candidates until the next level of credentialing- either when they enter into the Certified Lay Minister program or become a Licensed Local Pastor.
Process Knowledge
Mentors should be familiar with the steps for Phase II (Admitted Candidate to Certified Candidate) and Phase III certification (Certified Candidate toward being Recommended for Licensing)- in part because these two phases can be worked on simultaneously.
For a complete list of requirements for Phases I-III see the Master Checklist
Report Form
In Phase II, when candidates are moving from Admitted Candidate status to Certified Candidate status, Mentors are required to fill out a report form, which is then sent to the dCOM as part of the candidates application for certification. The link to the report form by district can be found here
Read Answering the Call
Candidates who are in the Inquiring process work through the Christian as Minister. However, candidates who are applying for certification should read Answering the Call and discuss it with their mentor. Clergy Excellence may have hard copies of Answering the Call available. Please contact [email protected] to find out. Mentors can also download a copy here
Read Blessed Wrestling
All Candidates must attend the Candidacy Summit as part of their discernment process. Blessed Wrestling was written as a resource for candidates using stories from ministers serving in a variety of capacities across the Virginia Conference. Candidates will be required to read Blessed Wrestling as part of their preparation for Candidacy Summit. We recommend that Mentors read Blessed Wrestling and discuss it with their Mentee prior to the Candidacy Summit.
Proctor Psych Assessment
While not required, it is recommended that the Mentor be the proctor for the psych assessment. Candidates request the psychological assessment directly through the Virginia Institute for Pastoral Care (VIPCARE) and follow a series of prompts until such time as they need a proctor.
Debrief the Results of the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI)
The early stages of candidacy in the VAUMC involve assessing a candidate’s potential for ministry. The Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI) gathers data related to a variety of competencies from the candidate and a group of nine raters which they themselves have selected. Ultimately, the ESCI offers a report which illustrates how a candidate rated themselves in comparison to how others rated them.
If a candidate is rated below a 3 in any one area, that would be a point for reflection in helping the candidate prepare for their dCOM interview. Given the level of discrepancy between the candidates rating and the chosen raters, those might be places for conversation as well. Are there competencies that could be improved or areas to receive help if needed…?
Mentors do not receive a copy of the report, but candidates do. Use open ended questions (Tell me about…what are your thoughts…what do you notice) which invite observations to increase the candidate’s self-awareness.
Candidates are assessed in the following areas:
| Emotional Self-Awareness | Recognizing one’s emotions and their effects |
| Emotional Self-Control | Keeping disruptive emotions and impulses in check |
| Adaptability | Flexibility in handling change |
| Achievement Orientation | Striving to improve or meeting a standard of excellence |
| Positive Outlook | Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks |
| Empathy | Sensing others’ feelings and perspectives, and taking an active interest in their concerns |
| Organizational Awareness | Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships |
| Coach and Mentor | Sensing others’ development needs and bolstering their abilities |
| Inspirational Leadership | Inspiring and guiding individuals and groups |
| Influence | Wielding effective tactics for persuasion |
| Conflict Management | Negotiating and resolving disagreements |
| Teamwork | Working with others toward shared goals. Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals. |
Click here to see a sample report of the ESCI
If needed, the instructions for the ESCI can be found here
Contact your District Mentor Coordinator, or the Rev. Crystal Sygeel, Associate Director for Call and Candidacy in the Center for Clergy Excellence, [email protected] or (804) 521-1141 if you have questions around mentoring or would like to schedule “one-on-one” training by phone or video conference.