Outlining a process and following it closely will enable all of the involved parties to keep clear boundaries and honor everyone's dignity by keeping appropriate confidentiality.

Staff should practice well-boundaried relationships with the departing minister and help the congregation prepare for the new minister.

Leaving well is a time for reflecting on the ministry's accomplishments and lessons, and reassuring the congregation as they will move to a new future.

Congregations facing the departure of a minister should focus on ending the ministry well while planning for the future.

The Guidelines of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA) (Art. IX, Sec. C, D & E) mandate that the greatest sensitivity and care be exercised in the relations between the retired minister, the congregation and the new incumbent minister.

After a minister has retired from a congregation that they have served in a full, long, and mutually meaningful ministry, the congregation may wish to honor the shared ministry by designating them as minister emerit/us/a.

When a minister decides to retire, the first step is submitting the Intent to Retire Form to the UUA's Ministries and Faith Development staff.

The UU Retired Ministers and Partners Association offers the UURMaPA Retirement Guide (PDF). It's full of wisdom from the experience of dozens of retired ministers. It includes advice useful to ministers and partners contemplating retirement as well as those who have already retired.

Our Ruler Method provides a consistent approach to placing employee salaries with in our recommended ranges. Use it mathematically or simply conceptually.

Different types of ministerial departures tend to elicit reactions in a congregation. These different scenarios can give you a starting point as you lead your congregation through the transition.

It can be very disappointing and disheartening when your congregation has been through a search process but could not find a match. But know that you are not alone! Your UUA Staff are still your companions!

The ending of a ministry is an opportunity for reflection and learning. The exit interview practice enables congregational leaders, ministers, and regional staff to assess the ministry of both the congregation and the minister during their tenure.The experience is both pastoral and educational.

Congregations and ministers that take the time to conclude a ministry well, to express gratitude and good wishes, set the tone for the next ministry partnership.

Access recordings from previous Congregational Leaders Conversations, where leaders from across the country gather monthly to hear an esteemed guest speak on an emergent issue, hopeful development, or pressing concern in Unitarian Universalism.

Join CB Beal in talking about how UU Congregations are uniquely positioned for sacred resistance.

Adhering to these guidelines in all materials related to your OWL program ensures visual uniformity that reinforces the brand’s aesthetic, purpose, and values.

The 2024-2025 Sermon of the Month series was created by the UUA Congregational Life Small Congregations Task Force to help support small congregations with quality worship resources.

When a professional leaves their position, it’s important to set their successor up well. A covenant between the outgoing and incoming professionals is one piece of a healthy transition, creating shared understandings and paving the way for the new staff member to fully embrace their role.

Understanding the different "pockets of giving" will help your congregation be more savvy about when and how to ask for financial gifts. Pockets of money are not the same!

The Sermon of the Month series is a monthly subscription service that provides recorded sermons congregations can download and use for worship. Along with a transcript of the sermon, each month’s offering will include suggested readings and hymns.