RIOM-Residency In Ordained Ministry

After pastoral candidates are commissioned by The United Methodist Church, their next step in the ordination process is a Residency in Ordained Ministry.


RIOM Vision

Integrating call story, theological training, and practices so that RIOM participants will be equipped and empowered for lifelong fruitful ministry.

RIOM Framework

CallCall Story – includes the experiences of being nurtured within and beyond the community of faith leading up to a call into ministry and clarity of call lived authentically in the practice of ministry.
KnowledgeTheological Training – includes formal coursework and work experience within the church, in the community on behalf of the church, and in some cases outside the scope of an official church setting.
PracticesPractices – includes spiritual practices – ancient, traditional, and new – that generate faithful living.
Key Relationships
  • RIOM Class – individuals commissioned as provisional elders and deacons at annual conference in a given conference cycle. This group comes together several times a year for large group learning.
  • RIOM Covenant Group – RIOM Class members are partnered into small groups (RIOM Covenant Group) for meetings, accountability and support during the RIOM journey.
  • RIOM Leader – each RIOM Covenant Group is led by an ordained elder or deacon within the conference who has been trained in peer learning and group facilitation.
  • RIOM Coach – each RIOM Class participant is assigned an individual Passion in Partnership RIOM Coach to journey with them as a confidential thinking partner. This is facilitated through bi-weekly phone calls (December and summer months-monthly phone calls). This relationship extends to one year beyond the RIOM class participant being ordained.

Monthly RIOM Covenant Group Session Themes

  • Call and Covenant
  • Disciplined Life
  • Serving in Context
  • Fruitful Discipleship
  • Proclamation and Worship
  • Theology

Monthly RIOM Covenant Group Timing and Scope (August-May) – some sessions are planned based on RIOM Class learning opportunities.  RIOM Covenant Groups set their own monthly meeting schedule during the launch session each fall.  Sessions include:

  • Theological reflection grounded in scripture, tradition, reason, and experience
  • Leadership Development built around appreciative practices
  • Spiritual Disciplines to sustain call and create ministry resilience
  • Readings from books and blogs, videos, and case studies
  • Assigned work to be turned in to RIOM Leader ahead of time
  • Discussion preparation written work that does not need to be turned in ahead of time
Scroll to Top