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Presbytery Inquirer/Candidate Seminary Indebtedness Policy
When this Presbytery is the Presbytery of Care:
1. An inquirer shall meet with either the Board of Pensions regional representative or the Presbyterian Foundation representative before the end of the inquiry year, in order to assess net worth, and to make a plan for financing the cost of seminary. The inquirer shall make this plan available to a representative of the Committee on Preparation for review.
2. An inquirer shall participate in a “fiscal fitness” workshop sponsored by the Board of Pensions of the P.C. (U.S.A.), during the inquiry year.
3. The Committee on Preparation for Ministry will counsel with each inquirer and candidate toward using his/her available assets to pay for the cost of seminary rather than incurring indebtedness. In order to facilitate this counseling, the Committee on Preparation for Ministry will request inquirers provide to the Committee, a copy of the financial aid forms submitted to the seminary.
4. A representative of the presbytery’s Committee on Preparation for Ministry will counsel with an inquirer regarding the inquirer’s level of current and future indebtedness based on the minimum terms of call established by the Presbytery.
5. The Presbytery will share the cost, with the inquirer’s congregation of membership, of attending a Career and Counseling Center for career guidance in pursuit of ordination in the P.C. (U.S.A.).
6. The Committee on Preparation for Ministry will provide for each inquirer and candidate scholarship monies, as available, paid to the seminary, toward the costs of tuition, fees, and books.
7. The Committee on Preparation for Ministry will be an advocate with the congregation of membership of an inquirer or candidate for financial support of the inquirer or candidate during their educational journey toward ordination.
8. The Committee on Preparation for Ministry will work with the inquirer or candidate and the financial aid officer of the seminary to identify appropriate scholarships and grants. When this Presbytery is the Presbytery of Call:
1. The Committee on Ministry will regularly inquire of those being considered for a possible Call within this presbytery about their level of educational debt compared with the possible terms of call.
2. Any minister serving a first call following graduation from seminary, who comes with any educational indebtedness, shall be required to show evidence of having attended a Fiscal Fitness workshop. If the person has not attended a fiscal fitness workshop, they shall attend one within the first 12 months of service.
3. The Committee on Ministry will assist first call ministers with educational debt to apply for a Seminary Debt Assistance Grant.
4. The Committee on Ministry will seek to assist those with burdensome educational indebtedness through the “shared grant program” of the Board of Pensions.
Inquirers participation in Career Assessment $ 750/inquirer Scholarships/grants $ 2,000/person/year
COM Shared Grants for Indebtedness $ 2,000/year
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