Unitarian Universalist Ministers

The primary role of a Unitarian Universalist minister is to be a spiritual leader and chief administrator of a congregation. Ministers lead worship services and give sermons, challenge and guide the congregation’s spiritual focus, provide pastoral care and counseling, conduct special services, and help to represent Unitarian Universalism in our communities.

Some Unitarian Universalist ministers are called to serve roles outside of congregations. We often call these ministers chaplains or community ministers. They may live their ministry through work in non-profit or social justice organizations or in working with secular organizations like state wildlife departments or the military.

People from many different backgrounds become Unitarian Universalist ministers, including:

• Men and women
• Married or single people
• Heterosexual people
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people
• People of any race or ethnicity
• People of many different abilities

Because Unitarian Universalism is organized in the congregational polity model, the sole authority to call and dismiss ministers resides with our congregations. While completing the UUA’s credentialing process provides ministers with rigorous training and professional development opportunities, one need not be credentialed to serve a congregation.

Lay-led congregations have chosen to lead themselves without a full-time minister. Unitarian Universalism has a proud history of lay leadership that can be traced to the Fellowship Movement that began in 1948. Some congregations still call themselves fellowships as an outcome of this movement.

To experience Unitarian Universalism firsthand, we invite you to visit a congregation near you!