Along with your MinistrySearch record, your congregation will also want to make some key documents and information available to prospective ministers.

The search team should provide all applicants with a link with view-only access to an on-line folder which anyone with the link can access (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) with the following. See this visual guide (PDF) on how to share files confidently via Google Docs or Dropbox.

Employment-Related Information

• Draft ministerial agreement/contract (board-approved) with any deviations from the model agreement “tracked” as changes 
  (A link to the draft agreement is also included in the Congregational Search Profile)
• A change log, if deviations from the UUA/UUMA model agreement were made and not tracked in the draft agreement itself
• The Compensation Worksheet which includes a breakout of total compensation (salary, housing, benefits, etc.) information
• Employer Participation Agreement for the UUA Retirement Plan

Search-Related Information

• Biographies of search team members
• Quality of life and connection information about your wider community:
  • Collegial opportunities such as the UUMA chapter and local interfaith clergy groups
  • Links to your location’s Chamber of Commerce, Main Street, or other local shopping districts
  • Links to restaurant guides and cultural centers, such as theaters and museums
  • Maps with local parks and hiking opportunities
  • Local housing information

Congregational Information

• Congregational Bylaws
• Church Covenant and/or policies around behavior or expectations of congregations (safe congregation policy, destructive behavior, etc.)
• Other board policies guiding congregational decision-making
• Previous five years of congregational budgets and end-of-year financial reports
• Previous annual reports (shared at the congregation’s annual meeting) from the past three years
• Minutes from the last three annual meetings (if not shared in the annual reports)
  • If your record your meetings, you might share a link to the most recent video
• Minutes from the governing board over the last year
• Job descriptions for each staff member

Additional Information for Settled Ministry Searches

• Congregational assessment data summary (and question set)
• Small group meetings/focus groups summary
• Break Barriers, Build Beliefs application and any reflections you took away from the
  weekend experience
• Covenant between interim minister and previous settled minister
• Staff Covenant
• List of ministers who have regular contact with congregants
• Several orders of service (include Christmas Eve, Easter, and other special holidays too, if possible)
• Copies of sample newsletters, email blasts, and other regular announcements that go to congregation

Optional Additional Information

• Longer report from congregational assessment and small group meetings
• Search team covenant
• Timeline of congregational history
• Link to video tour of congregational building
• Sample information given to new members
• Current strategic plan
• Organizational chart
• Information given to parents on religious education/exploration opportunities
• Anything else the search team wishes to include