Clergy Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Reformed === The [[Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)]] ordains two types of [[presbyter]]s or elders, teaching (pastor) and ruling (leaders of the congregation which form a council with the pastors). Teaching elders are seminary trained and ordained as a presbyter and set aside on behalf of the whole denomination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Ordinarily, teaching elders are installed by a presbytery as pastor of a congregation. Ruling elders, after receiving training, may be commissioned by a presbytery to serve as a pastor of a congregation, as well as preach and administer sacraments.<ref>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). ''Book of Order: 2009-2011'' (Louisville: Office of the General Assembly), Form of Government, Chapter 6 and 14. See also {{cite web |url=http://www.pcusa.org/theologyandworship/issues/unplumin.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040307070026/http://www.pcusa.org/theologyandworship/issues/unplumin.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-03-07 |title=Theology and Worship }}</ref> In [[Congregationalist Church]]es, local churches are free to hire (and often ordain) their own clergy, although the parent denominations typically maintain lists of suitable candidates seeking appointment to local church ministries and encourage local churches to consider these individuals when filling available positions. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page