Committee on Ministry

The Committee on Ministry (COM) oversees ministerial leaders in the Central Pacific Conference. In this role, the COM works with local churches, Members in Discernment, and all who hold or seek ministerial standing in the Central Pacific Conference to authorize ministers on behalf of the United Church of Christ.

Ministry Team Chair Contact

Becky Martin, Ainsworth UCC – Co-chair, email

Jean Avison, Bethel-Beaverton UCC - Co-chair, email

Committee on Ministry members

Dana McBrien, Salem UCC; Vicki Kreimeyer, Boise First UCC; Caroline Murphy, Vancouver UCC; Dianne Rodriguez, Clackamas UCC; Louis Miller, Lincoln City UCC; Cat Allard, Christ the Healer UCC; David Zaworski, Hillsdale UCC; Karen Wood, Bridgeport UCC; Carol Stirling, Boise First UCC; Miriam Robinson, Ainsworth UCC; Linda Jaramillo, Ainsworth UCC; Terry Wynborny, Forest Grove UCC; Adam Hange, Hillsboro UCC; Jeanie Stolle, Vancouver UCC.

Are you interested in serving on the Committee on Ministry team? Read the Position Description for members HERE.


The Committee on Ministry provides support and accountability for those seeking or holding standing in the Central Pacific Conference.

As stated in the Manual on Ministry, the COM attends to the covenantal relationships among those with standing, the Conference, the local church, or other ministry setting to nurture faithfulness and ensure ongoing growth in ministry according to the Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers.

The scope of work by COM includes working with persons who are in a discernment process about ministry (Members in Discernment) and supports those individuals throughout their journeys from discernment to ordination. In addition, the COM authorizes Transfers of Standing, Ministerial Standing for Lay Persons, Covenants with ministry settings, and other authorization processes laid out in the Manual on Ministry. The COM provides Support and Accountability for all who are authorized within the Central Pacific Conference.

COM accepts the guidelines of the 2018 Manual on Ministry as its working guidelines and resources for all questions and procedures related to authorizing ministries.


Committee on Ministry Resources

UNDERSTANDING CLERGY COMPENSATION IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC CONFERENCE

In the call to ministry, a pastor and a congregation enter into a covenantal relationship. In this relationship, the pastor pledges to care for the spiritual needs of the community and the congregation in turn pledges to care for both the spiritual and temporal needs of the pastor. An important part of these temporal needs is a just wage regardless of age, race, gender identity, orientation or disability consistent with the community in which the congregation resides.

Mindful of this covenantal relationship, the Central Pacific Conference provides the following guidelines for clergy compensation. The recommended salary structure takes into consideration both size of congregation and length of experience in ministry.  These figures assume an ordained pastor and a full-time position. In using these guidelines as a starting point for conversation, congregations are also asked to take into consideration additional factors unique to each setting, including annual performance reviews (it is advised that Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers be used as a guide to the performance assessment of the minister), additional advanced degrees, specialized training, and other measures of faithful and effective ministry. The church should also consider the cost of living, particularly housing, in the vicinity of the church.

Learn More About Our Ministry Teams

 Snake River Canyon, Idaho - Image by Jeff McElwee