The membership of the Ministry Team for Authorized Ministry (MTAM) will consist of twelve members, elected by the Association. They will annually elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and representative to the MTAA. The MTAM will:
- On behalf of the Association, grant or revoke the authorized standing of ordained, licensed and commissioned ministers, including the oversight of the in call and licensure processes,
- Exercise oversight of authorized ministers, being responsible for their care and discipline,
- Establish relationship with non-UCC ministers who serve member churches,
- Call Ecclesiastical Councils of the Association for purpose of granting initial authorization for ordination, commissioning and privilege of call,
- Transfer ordained ministerial standing of authorized ministers according to policy,
- Offer mediation/conflict transformation resources to authorized ministers,
- In conjunction with the Ministry Team for Church Relations, establish common values, principles, and procedures as guidelines for use when the work of the two teams overlaps, and
- Consult with the Ministry Team for Church Relations when its work will impact a local church.
In all its proceedings, the MTAM will recognize the latest edition of UCC Manual on Ministry as Committee and Association policy, except that the MTAM will be authorized to formally adopt policy in addition to or in place of specific content in Manual on Ministry when in its considered judgment it is best to do so. Any such policy will only be effective upon its endorsement by the MTAA. If MTAM policy and Manual on Ministry conflict, MTAM policy will take precedence.
By this covenant, the Association delegates all questions of authorization, except authorization for initial ordination, commissioning and privilege of call, to the MTAM. Decisions of the MTAM are final and are not subject to appeal, except that the decision of the MTAM to revoke a person’s authorized standing may be appealed to the Review Board as described herein.
Any person whose authorized standing has been revoked by the MTAM may appeal the process and procedure of the MTAM’s deliberations and decision-making to a Review Board of the Association. The Review Board will be comprised of the MTAA minus the Association Minister and the representative from the MTAM, neither of whom will participate in the review. In a timely manner the Review Board will request the Illinois Conference Minister to appoint an individual to staff the process of the review. In its deliberations, the Review Board will consider only the process and procedures used by the MTAM. The Review Board may either affirm that the MTAM properly followed its policies and procedures, in which case the original decision will be affirmed and the appeal will end, or if the Review Board finds errors of process or procedure, it will send the case back to the MTAM for reconsideration.
The MTAM will meet as necessary for the timely and considered exercise of its responsibilities.
MTAM Committee Members
Class of 2014
Ms. Janice Blickhan
Rev. Judy Harris
Mr. Roger Hatfield
Mr. Keith Hinrich
Class of 2015
Rev. Jane Courtright, Secretary
Rev. Michelle Prentice-Leslie
Marge Maynard
Rev. Gary Stillwell, Chair
Class of 2016
Fred Asche
Suzanne Juday
Fred Krauss
David Marquardt
Conference Staff Consulting
Associate Conference Minister, Rev. Kathy Lawes