Council on Ministerial Standing and Ordination (COMSAO)

All meetings begin at 10:30 a.m. and are currently help through ZOOM


Documents required to meet with the Council are due at the region office 45 days prior to the scheduled meeting date. To initiate the ordination or recognition of ordination process, candidate must first meet with a member of the region clerical staff, preferably an Area Assistant Minister.

  • Monday, March 20, 2023
  • Monday, June 5, 2023
  • Monday, September 11, 2023
  • Monday, December 4, 2023

Overview

COMSAO (Council on Ministerial Standing and Ordination) is composed of six ABCUSA-recognized clergy in good standing who have been appointed by the President of GRR. The Regional Ministry Board adopts ministerial standards and policies regarding ordination, and has assigned the execution of those policies and procedures to COMSAO. The Executive Minister serves as the Recording Secretary. The tasks of COMSAO as to persons who are pursuing God’s calling through education and service in full-time pastoral ministry are several fold:

Once the candidates’ churches and Areas are officially notified of COMSAO’s recommendations, plans for their Councils begin to be made.

Required Coursework

Coming Soon

Application for Ordination

Application materials will not be sent to candidates without the authorization of an Area Minister. All applications for ABCUSA ordination must include the following:

Not Ordained

  1. The ordaining church, candidate and Area Minister meet to review procedures and establish a course of action.
  2. When all materials are in (at least 45 days before the meeting), an interview with COMSAO will be scheduled.
  3. COMSAO will report its decision to the church and the Area. If positive, then the Area proceeds with examination (Area procedures vary). Decisions of COMSAO are final.
  4. An Examination Council is arranged by regional staff as assigned by the Executive Minister (usually the Area Minister) using procedures adopted by the Area. If the findings of the Council are positive, the church is then advised to initiate plans for ordination.
  5. The church ordains and reports to COMSAO. The ordaining church must be the church that petitioned COMSAO regarding ordination and should be the “place of service” for the candidate.
  6. The Region makes the appropriate report to the ABCUSA.

Ordained, but not by ABC USA

For those who have been ordained in another denomination and are now serving a GRR church, the ordination is transferred through an official process we call “recognition”. The candidate must meet all standards, including place of service in GRR.

  1. In addition to the Applications materials that must be submitted, the applicant must ask their most recent judicatory leader to send a letter affirming that they are presently in good standing with their denomination.
  2. When all materials are in (at least 45 days before the meeting), an interview with COMSAO will be scheduled.
  3. COMSAO will verify the credentials and examine the candidate for theological compatibility with ministry in ABC.
    COMSAO approves or rejects the application for recognition. Decisions of COMSAO are final.
  4. The Region makes the appropriate report to the ABCUSA.