Between Call and Arrival

Part of The Settled Ministry Search Handbook

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After the vote to call, candidating week is complete, but there still a few important tasks for the search team, governing board, and ministers:

  • The final contract needs to be signed, with copies kept by both the minister and the congregational leadership.
  • The search team should meet to debrief one last time, shred or delete any documents which list applicants’ names, and most importantly, celebrate their good work! The team may retain a copy of the congregation’s and newly called minister’s search profiles before the UUA Transitions Team archives completed searches.
  • One person from the search team should act as liaison for the newly called minister after candidating week to field questions or point the candidate in the right direction.

Final Steps after the Ministerial Agreement Is Signed

Once the agreement is signed, send an email to transitions@uua.org that the search is complete.

Important UUA Paperwork

  • Notice of Ministerial Call or Hire 
    Someone in leadership who has the signed agreement and is familiar with the details of the compensation package should complete the form. You will need:
    • A PDF copy of the signed agreement
    • To be prepared to fill out the form using information in the agreement, plus:
      • Four Digit UUA Congregational ID
      • Official start date (this information will be added to the UUA’s online directory)
      • For called ministers, the number of those voting yea, nay, and those abstaining.

  • Directory Update Form 
    Please complete this form to note any staffing changes to be displayed on MyUUA.org

Ministerial Boundaries During the Transition

During candidating week, the congregation got to experience the new minister as their minister, but after candidating week, the interim minister (or the minister under contract) returns to the role of the congregation’s minister until the contract is concluded. It is important for the newly called candidate to finish their own ministry and for the congregation to work at ending their partnership well with the interim minister.

The interim and the liaison from the search team provide a well-boundaried channel of communication with the new minister to keep requests and inquiries to a minimum before the official start date. This is especially important after the ministers arrive in the area—before their start date—to give them (and their families) time to settle in.

The candidate and interim minister will confer about how things will be handed off between them.

Housekeeping Tips for a Warm Welcome

  • The minister’s office should be clean and empty before the settled minister’s arrival. Consider a fresh coat of paint in a color chosen by the new minister.
  • Having an updated photo directory ready for the minister’s arrival will help them to get to know the members and friends of the congregation. Most church management software (ChMS) systems have this capability, but even a pdf file of a paper directory would be helpful.

Prepare to Be a Good Employer

The UUA offers a plethora of resources and caring support to help your congregation be a good and faithful employer.

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Congregations as Employers: Faithful to Our Shared Values and to the Law

By Congregational Life

From LeaderLab

Well-equipped staff provide consistent, skilled, accountable leadership, which in turn builds capacity and ownership among the laity. We provide guidance on hiring, paying, supporting, and structuring your staff team while helping you ensure that your congregation is legally compliant, as well.

Congregations as Employers