II Preliminary Fellowship Renewal Process
Settlement/Employment
Settlement for community ministers means employment at least half-time in a ministry requiring the use of traditional ministerial skills, such as pastoral counseling, worship and preaching, religious education, social witness and advocacy, and institutional leadership. For more information, see rule #18 in the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) Rules & Policies (PDF, 39 pages).
Upon becoming settled/employed, the community minister must inform the MFC Assistant by email at mfcassistant @ uua.org, or by mail:
MFC Assistant
c/o the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group
Unitarian Universalist Association
25
Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02108
Report of this information will start the preliminary fellowship renewal process, and trigger the sending of an invitation to attend the annual First Year Ministers' Seminar, a start-up conference for ministers in their first year of settlement/employment, usually held in late winter or early spring.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Ministerial Settlement Office receives few notices of job opportunities for community ministers. However, as opportunities become known, they are listed under "Opportunities for Community Ministry."
Each year, those granted preliminary fellowship by May 15 are eligible to participate in the Service of the Living Tradition, held at General Assembly. The community minister will receive an invitation from the Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group, UUA, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108.
Each minister must successfully complete three renewals to be granted final fellowship by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. See Preliminary Fellowship Renewal for renewal forms and links about the renewal process. Renewal forms can be found here.
For further questions about the preliminary fellowship renewal process, please contact the mfcassistant @ uua.org.
Additionally, knowledge and awareness of the permutations of the process of renewal of preliminary fellowship for community ministers in different circumstances and settings is best determined by reviewing MFC Rule 15 (PDF, 39 pages). During each renewal, three evaluations must be completed and returned to the MFC Assistant: a self-evaluation, evaluation by the supervisor and evaluation by the Committee on Ministry and/or supervisory committee. The designation of a Committee on Ministry or a supervisory committee is determined by the location of the committee, whether in a congregation, or the community minister's place of employment.
Ideally, the supervisory committee should be made up of at least five persons including if possible, at least three members from a Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregation. The community minister may be required to prepare a list of potential members from which the supervisory committee can be appointed by the appropriate local UU congregation, area council, and/or district board in the area served. Meeting regularly with the committee is encouraged.
The supervisory committee is responsible for:
- Completing the MFC renewal evaluations as required;
- Receiving annual reports as requested;
- Ensuring that the community minister, where appropriate, maintains membership in at least one certifying professional association.
Further purposes of the Committee on Ministry and/or supervisor committee might include: giving the community minister a strong UU connection; providing the community minister with a place to discuss and/or receive feedback regarding his or her ministry; and, if it is the practice of the congregation, to provide a structure to discuss annual reports. Many community ministers use these regular meetings to try to deepen and secure the institutionalization of their community ministry.
As part of the renewal process, each community minister must also meet three additional requirements: mentorship, endorsement, and membership in a UUA congregation. Once a community minister has satisfactorily been granted three renewals, they will be welcomed into final fellowship, and eligible to participate in the Service of the Living Tradition, held at each General Assembly.
Mentorship
All community ministers must find a mentor, who can be a community minister, parish minister, minister of religious education, or retired. The mentor shall ordinarily be in Final Fellowship, although this Rule shall be waived as necessary for mentees in community-based ministries. The UUA Mentor form must be completed and signed and sent to the MFC Assistant with the renewal materials. Mentorship must be confirmed annually during the renewal process.
The minister is expected be in monthly conversation with the mentor, preferably in person, for at least half an hour, to discuss current situations and reflect broadly on the nature of ministry. Where distance is a factor preventing face-to-face meetings, regular telephone calls are an acceptable alternative.
Mentors do not report to the MFC. The exchange between mentor and mentee is held in confidence. It is recommended that the mentor receive copies of all renewal forms evaluating the minister, in order to have a better sense of how the minister is being perceived by his or her employer. Download mentor forms (Word) (PDF, 1 page).
Endorsement
All community ministers must be endorsed by a UUA member congregation, authorized District Body, UUA Associate Member organization, or the UUA. Endorsement includes a pledge of continuing relationship and support and affirmation that the work is recognized by the endorsing body as a ministry. Some community ministers arrange to be endorsed by more than one congregation, if the nature of their community ministry involves more than one congregation. It is possible for a community minister to be endorsed by their home church. When the renewal forms are submitted, a copy of the endorsement form must be included. Evidence of endorsement will assure inclusion of the name of the endorsing body in the minister's listing in the UUA Directory. Please also contact your UUA District office to add your name and the details of your ministry for inclusion in the District directory.
The endorsement form (Word) (PDF, 1 page) must be sent to the MFC Assistant as part of each renewal packet.
Establishing an endorsed relationship can be a complex process. Further, 'endorsement' has often been mistakenly used interchangeably with 'affiliation.' Affiliated Fellowship is something entirely different, available to those ministers who hold their primary fellowship in another denomination but who desire to manifest their sympathy with the cause of liberal religion as a whole. (MFC Rule 21)
Working with one's mentor, and seeking early and honest counsel from other community ministers who have successfully received endorsement has proven to be an effective strategy to overcome the challenges relating to the endorsement process.
Congregational Membership
All community ministers must be a member of a UUA member society and maintain active involvement in a UUA member society. Membership in the Church of the Larger Fellowship can meet this requirement.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
