Below is a quick reference listing the information and questions that are part of the congregational record (CR) in the UUA’s MinistrySearch system.

While we recommend that you work on your congregational profile on the MinistrySearch website (it’s easy to save as you update each section), you may wish to work on the questions off-line. If you do, it’s best to clear any formatting before copying and pasting text into the system.

Congregation Life

• Describe your Congregation and its culture:
• Your Congregation’s mission:
• Describe and provide examples of how your Congregation lives its values:
• What potential applicants should know about the congregation’s lay leadership:
• Link to your Safe Congregation policy:
• Worship service schedule:

Personnel

• Describe the diversity in congregational staffing, now and in the past. Detail how leadership can assure opportunities and on-going support for people with marginalized identities in hiring practices.

Congregation History

• Provide your Congregation’s founding history:
• Date founded:
• Describe important events in your Congregation’s history:

Ministerial History

• List non-UU ministers who have served the congregation, including their names, denominational affiliation (if any), and approximate dates of service:
• Recall if a minister with a marginalized identity has served the congregation, and describe how this ministry did go / is going:

Membership & Finances

The data for the table below comes directly from the UUA’s annual congregational certification.

The following notes and/or explanations have been offered by the congregation:

Demographics

• What percentage of members do you estimate identify as people of color?
• What percentage of members do you estimate identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ)?
• Please describe the gender makeup of your congregation:
• What number of staff (including full and part time) identify as people of color?
• What number of people of color serve as leaders or chairs of your volunteer committees and program teams?
• What number of your Board of Trustees identify as people of color?
• What can you say about the diversity in congregational leadership, now and in the past? How does leadership assure opportunities and on-going support for people with marginalized identities in leadership development practices?

Accessibility

• Does your Congregation provide assisted listening systems?
• List parts of the building(s) which are accessible to people who use wheelchairs or have disabilities which affect mobility:
• List parts of the building(s) which are not accessible:
• Does your building have accessible, automatic exterior doors?
• Describe other ways your congregation is working toward being more accessible:

Resources & Programs

• List the resources and programs your Congregation used or participated in during the past year:
• Describe your religious educational programs across the lifespan:
• Describe your youth and campus ministry programs:

Surrounding Community

• Describe the character of the surrounding community, including population and demographics:
• Describe how your Congregation is known/perceived by the larger community:
• Describe how the surrounding community shaped your congregation, and how your congregation has shaped the surrounding community:

Position Basics

• Anticipated Start Date:
• Term:
• Percent Time:
• Minimum Salary + Housing:
• Benefits:
• Plan to offer relocation expense reimbursement:
• Information about the draft ministerial agreement:

Questionnaire

• How did the last ministry end (or how is it ending)? How is the congregation doing with this time of transition? What momentum would you like to maintain in the next ministry?
• What does the congregation hope the minister will focus on in the next ministry partnership?
• Describe the minister’s relationship to other paid staff. Who is responsible for hiring and firing other paid staff?
• Is your congregation designated as a Welcoming Congregation? Please include information on Welcoming Congregation Renewal status.
• Is your congregation designated as a Green Sanctuary? Are you participating in the Green Sanctuary 2030 process?
• Does your congregation support our association of congregations through the UUA’s Annual Program Fund at the Honor level?
• What debt does the congregation have? How is the debt structured (terms)? Reserves? How are reserves used/accessed?
• Describe how the congregation defines good preaching and worship:
• How does the congregation handle conflict?
• What is a current source of pride for your congregation?
• What work is slow, stuck, or left undone within the congregation?
• How is trust in your congregation right now? Historically? Do people trust the minister? Do congregants trust leaders to lead? How can the minister best build trust with the congregation? How could a minister break trust in your congregation?
• How has your ministry changed since COVID began? Where do you see decline? What have you let go of? Where do you see fresh energy?
• Imagine that, early in the next ministry partnership, a member of your congregation behaves in a way that escalates over time from curmudgeonly criticism to disruptive actions to bullying staff or other members. Keeping in mind your congregation’s real experiences, policies, and covenant, how would leaders handle this situation?
• There have been some theological divisions and spirited discussions in Unitarian Universalist circles in the last several years about our shared values, how to articulate these values, and what these values call us to do, especially around equity, inclusion, power, and covenantal relationship. Please share some examples of how this is playing out in your congregation.
• What else would you like potential applicants to know about your congregation?