Talk to your Pastor, Moderator of Session and/or other church officer. You begin the process by telling your call story to this supportive friend/colleague. With this person, you can begin the conversation about appearing before your session for their endorsement for Inquiry.

Please review the information found on the Grace Presbytery website. Much of the information found there will help guide you through the application process. There is a link to all of the forms that will be used throughout your preparation for ministry. Included on the website are links to resources that may be helpful, as well as reminders of important dates and deadlines, such as registration for ordination exams.

If more than one year has elapsed since your session has been visited by CPM, a member of CPM will need to meet with your session. This person will inform and encourage your session on how to support and care for Inquirers and Candidates, as well as discuss any changes in the process since the last time an Inquirer/Candidate came under care of the session. Talk with your leadership and have your Moderator or Clerk of Session call the presbytery office to arrange this visit.

All related forms & documents are located in the Document Library; Search using the tag CPM.

Submit all forms to your Clerk of Session prior to your interview with your session. This is how they will learn about you and your call. Take your time and answer all of the questions thoughtfully and carefully. Computer-generated or typed responses are required throughout the process. The content as well as the presentation of your paperwork, and the thought and care put into answering each question will determine the initial impression you make to both your session and the CPM.

After you have submitted these forms to your Clerk of Session, set a date when you can meet and interview with the Session members of your church. It is important that they hear your call story.

Upon their endorsement of you for Inquiry, they will need to fill out the Session Evaluation and Recommendation, (Form 1D) which includes the selection of an elder to be a liaison between you and your Session.

Both you and the moderator of the Session also need to sign the Covenant Agreement and Inquirer Release, (Form 2B.)

After your endorsement by your Session, the following documents must be on file with the presbytery office before your Inquiry interview can be scheduled. Your file becomes a permanent part of your PC(USA) record.

Forms 1A, 1B, 1B-1, 1C, 2A & 2B – Make sure these forms are completely filled out, and then email them to the presbytery office. The Clerk will fill out Form 1D on behalf of the Session and email it separately to the presbytery.

Criminal Background Check Release Form – In addition, there is a form that allows a member of the Grace Presbytery staff to conduct a criminal background check. Be advised that if there is a positive hit on your background check, it does not necessarily preclude you from coming under care of Grace Presbytery. In such an event, a member of presbytery staff and/or the moderator of CPM will have a conversation with you regarding any past incidents.

Post-high school transcripts – You will need to have every institution of higher learning (community college, college, university, graduate studies, seminary, etc.) send an official transcript to the presbytery office for inclusion in your file.

All of these documents need to be on file at the presbytery no later than 10 days prior to your interview. The one exception to this requirement is the report based on your psychological evaluation, which will be sent directly to the presbytery by the evaluator.After you have submitted these forms to your Clerk of Session, set a date when you can meet and interview with the Session members of your church. It is important that they hear your call story.

Upon their endorsement of you for Inquiry, they will need to fill out the Session Evaluation and Recommendation, (Form 1D) which includes the selection of an elder to be a liaison between you and your Session.

Both you and the moderator of the Session also need to sign the Covenant Agreement and Inquirer Release, (Form 2B.)

All individuals who wish to come under care of Grace Presbytery as Inquirers are required to undergo a psychological evaluation. It is up to you to schedule your appointment. You will receive information about the process from presbytery staff.

A note about confidentiality: Your records securely stored at the presbytery office.

After you have submitted all your paperwork and have set a date for your meeting with the psychological services provider, call the presbytery office to set a date for your CPM Inquiry interview.

Once you become an Inquirer, you will be assigned a CPM liaison who will help guide you through the rest of the process. We look forward to hearing your call story and journeying with you through the process of exploring your call to Christian service.