Choosing the Candidate

Part of The Settled Ministry Search Handbook

Three colorful checkboxes marked yes, no, and maybe

At this point the search team should have:

  • completed all three pre-candidating weekends
  • completed research calls with UUA regional staff
  • developed additional references—and with the consent of the pre-candidate—interviewed them
  • draft ministerial agreements for each pre-candidate that are agreeable to all parties

Final Search Team Discernment

The search team takes at least a week to discern who they will invite to be the final candidate, using a process that allows all observations and opinions to be considered, and that is based on the qualities that are needed by the congregation. If someone said something unclear or that shifted your perception of a possible match, take time to follow up with them, or find a way to get more information within the confidentiality guidelines of the search process.

Search teams should decide which ministers you would welcome to serve with you (yes), whom you might still consider (maybe), and whom you would definitely not select (no).

Ranking Process and Protocol

  • Search teams must not communicate to any minister their intention to name them as a candidate before offer day. Ministers must not communicate their intention to accept an offer from a congregation before offer day.
  • If search teams or ministers finish pre-candidating weekends early in the pre-candidating window—and they are ready to do so—they may submit their rankings early.
  • Ministers and search teams are free to continue contact with each other during this time, especially with follow-up questions that remain after pre-candidating. Remember that you may not offer or accept a position (or even hint at it) before the actual offer day.
  • Submit the Search Committee Ranking of Pre-Candidates form by Monday (11:59 PM local time) at the end of discernment week, which asks for:
    • number of pre-candidate in each category of yes, maybe, and no
    • name of each precandidate in the category, and who was contacted to learn more about them (e.g. Regional UUA staff, preliminary references, developed references)
    • explanation of any ties in rankings

Matching Process and Protocol

Because of the linked and interrelated nature of a search process with a finite number of candidates and congregations, the results of one party’s search may be contingent on the outcome of another party’s.

The UUA Transitions Team asks for search teams’ and ministers’ lists to gauge how things are going to play out and to try and make the overall process smoother and less anxious for all. The day before offer day, the UUA Transitions Team lets everyone know what will happen on “offer day” based on the rankings.

Timing

The time between submitting the ranking form and hearing from the UUA Transitions Team about a match may feel longer than you might expect. We share information as soon as we have it during offer week, usually the day before offer day.

Please plan to be responsive to inquiries from the UUA Transitions Team in the days before the offer date.

  • Ministers and search teams with mutual first choice alignments and folks with no possibility of a match may hear their news earlier because these announcements are simple and obvious.
  • In cases where Ministers and search teams have “tied” first choices or second or third choices, we ask folks to confirm that they are still enthusiastic about moving forward before notifying the other party.
  • Subsequent announcements depend upon the timing of ministers and search teams confirming that they are happy to move forward with their tied first choice (or second or third-ranked “yes”) before we inform the other party. Then we can inform all the ministers and search teams whose matches depend on whether this alignment works out.
  • In more complicated situations, such as when the strongest alignment is with a congregation’s “maybe” or there is an alignment “tie,” the UUA Transitions Team staff will reach out to support their discernment before offer day if their revised ranking would make a difference.

The UUA Transitions Team will not meddle in this process. We do not make matches; we tell everyone which matches have naturally aligned. While the UUA Transitions Team wants all congregations and ministers to have a match, we commit to fairness, good timing, and honesty as your ranking lists dictate outcomes.

Communication from the UUA

Once the UUA Transitions Team has complete information, they will say to each search team and minister before offer day:

  • You will be very happy on offer day when you reach out to (or hear from) your first choice, _____!
  • It looks like your first choice has a different alignment, but your next option is available. Are you still good with this option?
  • None of your yeses are going to work out. Let’s talk about who’s on your maybe list and give you a day or so to ruminate about this.
  • Nothing is going to work out; let’s talk about what comes next.

Offer Day

A search team may extend a verbal offer to their match at or after noon EDT on the offer day identified on our search calendar.

Search teams may also reach out to pre-candidate ministers with whom they have not matched to wish them well, if they would like to do so.