Guest in Your Pulpit

Guest in Your Pulpit

The Guest in Your Pulpit Program is a listing of available ministers, seminarians, ministerial candidates and lay pulpit guests for congregations in the Central East Region. This program was created to assist churches to find people who are willing to provide services. The Central East Region does not endorse anyone who is listed.

Ministerial guests have experience in the congregations they have served. Seminary students and candidates have provided the district with at least two references. Ministerial guests, seminarians and ministerial candidates should be paid according to the UUMA guidelines, which have been updated to reflect geographic area cost of living. These guidelines are:

  • For Sermons, Sunday Morning Service: $315-350-330, additional services use the hourly rate of $135-150-165 per hour—plus current IRS professional mileage rates
  • Weddings: $450-500-550; alternatively 10% of the total wedding budget—plus current IRS professional mileage rates
  • Funerals or Memorial Services: $315-350-385—plus current IRS professional mileage rates
  • Other Rites of Passage (Anniversary/Vow Renewal, Child Dedication, Graveside Service): $225-250-275—plus current IRS professional mileage rates
  • Workshops: $450-500-550 for half day or $675-750-825 full day—plus current IRS professional mileage rates

Commissioned Lay Ministers (CLMs) use the following scale of fees when providing services outside of the congregational contract (details on payment requirements for activities in the CLM's home congregation):

  • Sermons, Worship Services for congregations other than the CLM's home congregation $175 (one service), $225 (two services) plus current IRS mileage allowance. In the case of pulpit exchanges, the CLM's home congregation is responsible to make sure that any compensation (including mileage) is clearly negotiated ahead of time.
  • Weddings: (in alignment with UUMA guideline): $400; with rehearsal $450; alternatively, 10% of total wedding budget plus current IRS mileage allowance.
  • Funerals, Memorial Services or other Rites of Passage: $250; with committal or eulogy $300 plus current IRS mileage allowance.

Lay participants voluntarily put their name on the list and congregations can request that they come to present a service at their church. Currently there is no application process or review of the presenters, although we do ask for references. Lay presenters have set their own fees that range from an exchange service, or expenses, to a flat fee. Do note that those who provide an entire service should receive a higher payment than those who only do a sermon.

It is up to each congregation to negotiate with the presenters appropriate remuneration.

If you are interested in speakers on Social Justice Issues also check out the UU Justice Ohio Speaker List, other advocacy groups may also have speakers.

The UUMA also offers a Guest In the Pulpit Database.

Join the Guest In Your Pulpit Program.

Each speaker has provided us with a short bio and listing of the types of services they provide, and how far from their home they are willing to travel. Please contact potential speakers directly.

Current Speakers

Current speakers in the program. Red dots indicate ordained ministers, Blue dots indicate Commissioned Lay Ministers and Seminarians and Purple dots indicate lay leaders. Do note that some dots represent more than one person and that some cities have more than one colored dot.