MFC Requirements for Preliminary and Full Fellowship

Once ministers are granted Preliminary Fellowship by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC), they continue their journey towards Full Fellowship by meeting the MFC's credentialing requirements outlined in the Rules and Policies of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. The Ministries and Faith Development Staff Group provides support to the MFC and can also offer guidance on preparation and materials required for the renewal process, waiver requests, changes in fellowship status, appropriate forms and deadlines for renewal applications.

  • MFC Rules and Policies
    The most current versions of Rules and Policies that govern all ministers in fellowship and those seeking fellowship.

Renewal Process for Ministers in Preliminary Fellowship

To advance into Full Fellowship, all Ministers in Preliminary Fellowship are required to have three approved renewals.

****Beginning with the November 1, 2024 deadline, all renewal submissions must be compliant with the July 2024 revised renewal process****

Information on the renewal process can be found in the Renewal Guidelines Brochure for Ministers in Preliminary Fellowship-July 2024 document.

All applications for renewal must contain:

  1. Renewal Application Form A - Minister
  2. Renewal Application Form B - Ministerial Formation Team Feedback
  3. Renewal Application form C - Mentor
  4. For community ministers: A copy of your affiliation/covenant with a UUA or CUC member congregation or covenanting community
    1. Guide to Affiliation - Unitarian Universalist Society for Community Ministries

Deadlines for Renewal Submissions

  • July 1st for renewal decisions in November*
  • November 1st for renewal decisions in February*
  • February 1st for renewal decisions in May*

* Dates are subject to change.

Where to Submit

Ministers are required to submit their forms by email to the Ministerial Formation Specialist at mfc@uua.org.

Waiver Requests

If you need information on obtaining a waiver for an MFC Rule or Policy, please contact the Professional Development Director at ministerialdevelopment@uua.org or the Ministerial Formation Specialist at mfc@uua.org.

Waiver Request Form

Deadlines for waiver requests:

  • February 15 (to get on the the spring MFC meeting agenda)
  • August 15 (to get on the fall MFC meeting agenda)
  • October 15 (to get on the winter MFC meeting agenda)