When to Call the Region

By Central East Region of the UUA

Headshots of the CER Staff. Rev. Sana Saeed, Lenore Bajare-Dukes, Rev. Tyler Coles, Cassandra Montenegro, Beth Casebolt

The Central East Region staff team and the UUA is here to support our congregations in all areas of congregational life. We have many resources on LeaderLab and the UU Institute online learning center has a number of classes related to congregational life to assist you, but sometimes you can’t find what you are looking for or you aren’t exactly sure what it is you need. That’s when our staff can help.

But we often are asked “We don’t know what the UUA is or why we would call them.” Here is a list of when you might call your Regional Staff, and some other staff at the UUA.

When to call Regional Staff (please fill out our partnership form or contact your primary contact):

  • You would like to discern with other leaders how your congregation can become the best institutional incarnation of Unitarian Universalism it can be
  • Your congregation has a crisis such as a fire, death or incapacitation of a staff member, robbery, damage due to a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or earthquake, significant vandalism, violence or hate crimes, or other illegal activity
  • You feel “stuck” in congregational life
  • You want to renew your congregation’s core values, covenant, mission, or vision
  • You have just become the Congregational President
  • You are a minister who recently moved to the Central East Region
  • You need assistance with crafting a board retreat
  • You need assistance with by-laws, policy, or procedures
  • You need assistance with your organizational chart
  • You need assistance with your committee on ministry or committee on shared ministry
  • You need assistance with your lifespan faith development program, including membership paths, leadership development, youth and young adults, or curriculum mapping and support
  • You need assistance with your small group ministry program
  • You have questions around stewardship or capital campaigns
  • You are embarking on a process of strategic planning or long-range planning
  • You have a new minister or religious educator and need a Start Up
  • You have a multi-staff congregation and would like a staffing start-up, jump start, or covenanting session
  • Your Minister or Religious Educator is going on or has just returned from sabbatical
  • When you have questions about certification
  • You have large-scale conflict in your congregation that cannot be solved with your right relationship/destructive behavior policy

When to call Christine Purcell (CPurcell@UUA.org), Transitions Program Manager for Congregational Life:

  • Your minister or religious educator is leaving
  • You are in discernment about the type of ministry you need, such as contract, call, interim, or developmental
  • You are in ministerial search and need assistance with building a search team or a congregational record
  • You need help understanding how to hire, call, or settle, or search for professional ministry
  • You want to expand your ideas about what ministry is most beneficial for your congregation
  • You want to explore ministerial and staffing options

When to call Jan Gartner and Sean Griffin (comp@uua.org), Compensation and Staffing Practices Team

  • You are writing or modifying a contract for a staff member or a ministerial agreement
  • You need help understanding the staff compensation guidelines
  • You want to understand how to pay taxes for your minister or other staff
  • You are a minister or a congregation and need assistance with understanding housing and salary allowance
  • You are a minister or a congregation and need to understand the UUA health, dental, vision, or life insurance policies

When to call the Stewardship and Development Office (apf@uua.org or 617-948-6512)

  • When you have questions about your congregation’s Annual Program Fund (APF) contribution
  • When you have questions about your congregation’s status as an APF Honor Congregation
  • When you have questions about how to give or where to send your APF contributions or other offerings

The UUA’s mission is to support congregations, equip leaders, and live out our UU Values in the world. Regional Staff coach, companion, connect, and challenge congregations – to live into the fullest expression of Unitarian Universalism that they want to and to create Beloved Community in the cities and states in which they practice. Please do not hesitate to reach out so we can help you create your Beloved Community.