Professional Endorsement 

For clergy who require ecclesiastical endorsement for appointment and professional paid employment as: 

Civilian Chaplains: prisons and correctional institutions, hospitals and hospices, elder-care and children's home settings, law enforcement and public safety settings, workplace settings, pastoral counselors in behavioral health settings, marriage and family therapists, federal employment as chaplains with the Department of Veterans Health Administration or Bureau of Prisons, and other specialized ministries requiring comparable training and expertise

Military chaplains: U.S. Army, Navy or Air Force - Active, Reserve or National Guard

Approval for Volunteer Chaplaincy 

For clergy serving  who require ecclesiastical approval to serve as a volunteer chaplain with law enforcement, fire fighters, disaster services, Civil Air Patrol, volunteer state guard, health care, prisons, and similar settings. 

Military Chaplain Candidate Program

For seminary students preparing for ordained ministry as elders within one of the Pan-Methodist denominations who require ecclesiastical approval to participate in the military Chaplain Candidate Program with the Army, Navy or Air Force. 

The chaplain candidate program is a learning experience. Approval to participate is not equivalent to endorsement and does not guarantee future endorsement as a chaplain.  

Contact a military chaplain recruiter for more information about eligibility and to apply. 

Contact your denominational endorsing agent for more information about requirements for each program.

The United Methodist Endorsing Agency is responsible for the administration of this site. For assistance or more information, contact UMEA by email at umea@gbhem.org or call 615-340-7411.