Commission on Appraisal

New Report Released

The Commission on Appraisal (COA) is pleased to announce the publication of Who's In Charge Here?—The Complex Relationship Between Ministry and Authority.  In this report, we present our work as both analysis of conflicts over ministry and authority, and resources to help address these issues.  A study guide is provided for readers to engage the study and their own congregation in reflection on, "who's in charge here?"  The report is available now through the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bookstore.

Connect with the COA at General Assembly

Friday Morning Plenary—Hear us report to Plenary on our work  
Saturday at 12:15—Meet us at the Bookstore Booth
Saturday at 5:30—"Who's In Charge Here?" workshop takes you into our report, KICC 100

Mission Statement

Grounded in the living tradition of our free and responsible faith, yet charged with acting independently, the Commission’s mission is to provoke deep reflection and to evoke timely, creative transformation of Unitarian Universalism, our congregations, and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Bylaw Section of the Unitarian Universalist Association pertaining to the Commission

Section 5.8. Commission on Appraisal

The Commission on Appraisal shall consist of nine elected members. A member shall not during the term of office serve as an officer or hold a salaried position in the Association. The Commission on Appraisal shall:

1. review any function or activity of the Association which in its judgment will benefit from an independent review and report its conclusions to a regular General Assembly;
2. study and suggest approaches to issues which may be of concern to the Association; and
3. report to a regular General Assembly at least once every four years on the program and accomplishments of the Association.

Commission Updates

The Commission has recently launched a new study entitled "Who's In Charge Here?—The Complex Relationship between Ministry and Authority." We will undertake deep discernment regarding the very nature of ministry and where any of us—lay or ordained—gets the authority to call what we do ministry. We will also investigate the phenomenon of professional ministries encountering difficulties, and sometimes ending, because of differences with laity over the nature and scope of ministerial authority. Please read more about this new topic by downloading this study summary (PDF).