Southeastern Calif. Conference removes 'ordained-commissioned' from ministerial credentials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Enno Mueller, Interim Communication Director Southeastern California Conference 951.509.2258 enno.mueller@seccsda.org

March 22, 2012 (Riverside, CA) – The Executive Committee of the Southeastern California Conference voted today “to remove the term ‘Ordained-Commissioned’ and replace it with the term ‘Ordained’ on all ministerial credentials, regardless of the gender of the credential holder.” This is effective immediately.

Since 2000 the conference had issued “Ordained-Commissioned” ministerial credentials to men and women.

The committee believes this step will enable all pastors to better fulfill the conference’s mission statement, which is the expansion of God’s kingdom through preaching, teaching, publishing and living of the everlasting gospel throughout the cross-cultural communities of its territory.

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Southeastern California Conference is the administrative headquarters for the more than 70,596 members of 156 churches and companies. The conference employs 177 pastors that hold ministerial credentials, of which 10 are female. The conference territory encompasses the Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Southeastern California Conference is one of seven conferences that make up the Pacific Union Conference, which has approximately 222,000 members and is one of nine union conferences that form the North American Division. The North American Division has more than 1 million members.