The Clergy

All Christians are summoned to participate in Christ's ministry of service in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfilment. Christians are called to minister wheresoever they find themselves. The aim of all Christian Ministry is the redemption and renewal of all human beings and creation. The Gospel of Christ is intended to make a difference in the lives of individuals, and in the kinds of relationships and societies they form and organize. Whenever and wherever The Church acts with intention in order to effect change, which reflects the Will of God, it is engaging in Ministry. Ministry is therefore not only a gift but also the task and the function of the whole Church in the World.

Now, within the people of God (The Laos), there are those who are called to the "Representative Ministry". Such callings are evidenced by special gifts, which are themselves evidence of God's grace and promise of usefulness. The general ministry of the people of God and the representative ministry of those specially called are integrally related. In fact, it is the representative ministry which challenges, motivates, encourages and enables the general ministry (Eph. 2: 11-12). God's call to representative ministry is experienced inwardly by persons, and it is validated outwardly by the Church, which follows a process of evaluation and judgement, and eventually, ordination.

The Ordained Ministry

The ordained ministers are called to specialized ministries of Word and Sacrament, (Presbyters) as well as Service, Order and Caring (Deacons). Through these distinctive functions ordained ministers devote themselves wholly to the work of the Church and to the upbuilding of the general ministry. They do this through careful study of the scripture and its faithful interpretation, through effective proclamation of the Gospel and responsible administration of the Sacraments, through diligent pastoral leadership of the congregations for faithful discipleship, and by following the guidance of the Holy Spirit in witnessing beyond the congregation to the local community and to the ends of the earth. The ordained ministry is defined by its intentionally representative character, by its passion for the hallowing of life, and by its concern to link all local ministries with the widest boundaries of the Christian Community.

This understanding of the ordained ministry highlights both its representative and functional character, and it emphasises that it is within the general ministry of the whole people of God that the ordained minister primarily functions.

There is one ordained ministry within the MCCA.  Yet within this one ministry there are different forms of ministry.  There are two forms of ministry; Deacons and Presbyters.  The  Presbyteral form  can be further divided into two categories – Itinerant and non-Itinerant (Local).  All Deacons are itinerant ministers.

Ministerial Training

Candidates for the itinerant ordained ministry of the MCCA receive their training  and formation  at the UTCWI.