Dr. Victor H. Matthews, Chair What are the highlights of your ministry since the 2021 Diocesan Convention? The Board meets as needed to prepare for examinations and to conduct written and oral examinations of candidates to the diaconate and the priesthood. Most of its business is conducted by email. In January 2022, the DBEC was asked to evaluate the GOE responses of Krista Heuett and Collin Larimore, candidates for ordination to the transitional diaconate and subsequently to the priesthood. The responses from the members of the Board were unanimously supportive and judged their responses to be proficient in all areas of the canonical exam. The recommendation was made that they be ordained to Holy Orders. In March 2022, the DBEC administered a written canonical exam to Jean Long, a candidate for ordination to the transitional diaconate and priesthood. The unanimous evaluation of the Board is that she provided satisfactory responses to all areas of these exam questions. They recommended that she be ordained to Holy Orders. In July 2022, the DBEC administered a written canonical exam to Brittany Savage and William Ryan, candidates for ordination to the transitional diaconate and subsequently to the priesthood. The responses from the members of the Board were unanimously supportive that they had shown proficiency in all areas of the exam. They recommended that both be ordained to Holy Orders. In July 2022, the DBEC administered a written canonical exam to Vicky Anderson, Adam James, and Barbara Wegener, candidates for ordination to the vocational diaconate. The unanimous evaluation of the Board is that they provided satisfactory responses to the exam questions and that they be ordained to Holy Orders. What are your plans for ministry in 2023? The Board will continue to refine and update its examination questions for priest and deacon candidates to better gauge their competencies and make the questions timely. Coordinate with the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry on the examination of their students and seek ways to share ideas with Examiners in other Dioceses. At this point, DBEC members Bill Stancil and Victor Matthews are teaching courses at BKSM and are gaining a better sense of the skill levels of the candidates. Continue to coordinate with the Commission on Ministry as part of the discernment process for ministry. The Board Chair will continue to serve as ex-officio member of the Commission on Ministry and to make reports at their meetings. How does your ministry reflect the priorities of the diocese? The work of the Board primarily relates to leadership development for those persons who have been discerned to have a call to ordained ministry. Candidates for ordained ministry are examined and evaluated. Congregations are better served by well-prepared and dedicated ministers. If you have any questions about this report, please feel free to contact me at VictorMatthews@missouristate.edu To print a copy of the above report, please use your browser’s print facility.