Review of Your Ministerial Record and Congregations' Search Profiles

Part of Ministers' Search Guide for Settled and Contract Ministries

A graphic with a stylized magnifying glass examining three stylized churches.

Polishing Your Ministerial Record

While there is no official approval process for ministers’ search profiles, it’s wise to invite trusted colleagues to review their profiles before release for edits, suggestions, and questions.

  • Links should work as expected.
  • Watch for grammatical or spelling errors
  • If applying for different types of ministry positions (e.g. settled and contract) avoid mentioning a particular type of ministry

Finalizing Your Ministerial Record

The UUA Transitions Team only releases applicants to congregations when ministers’ profiles are complete and finalized. Searching ministers may click “submit MR” to indicate interest in the MinistrySearch system for a congregation while their ministerial record is still incomplete, but they must complete and finalize their profile before 02 January to have their record shared with the congregation.

Please email transitions@uua.org with any questions about finalizing the ministerial record.

Technical Instructions

Visual Guide: Completing the Ministerial Record and Expressing Interest in Congregations (PDF)

Reviewing Congregational Profiles

The UUA encourages all searching ministers to read all congregational records, even those they have no interest in serving.

  • You’ll gain some insights about how Unitarian Universalism is practiced in the present moment, which may help provide clarity about a particular congregation.
  • If your preferred choices don’t work out, you will know what else is available.
  • There may be a surprise gem out there!
  • Even if ministers don’t change their minds about where to apply, they may gain insight or clarity about the congregations to which they intend to apply by comparison.

The timing of the publication of congregations’ search profiles and the release of applicant names to congregations gives ministers one month to review profiles and research congregations. Research may include talking with the interim minister and previous ministers to the congregation, or checking in with regional staff.

Ministers may express their interest in up to 15 congregations in settled/contract search at a time. Once a minister has removed themself (or been removed from consideration) for a congregation, they can, if they choose, select another congregation and express interest.