Reviewing the List of Applicants

Part of The Settled Ministry Search Handbook

A stack of files

After the release of interested applicants in January, the search team should send an acknowledgement, then start the screening and review process.

The Release of Applicant Names

Ministers read through congregational profiles during the month of December, and indicate interest on the ones they think would be a good match. On 02 January, when the names are released and the ministerial records are made visible to the search team, each team member will receive an automated message.

The Initial List and Gathering of Additional Information

Once the search team gets their initial list of applicants, the team should:

  • acknowledge receiving each application via email
  • send the view-only access link to the documents packet link to each applicant
  • request a link to the ministers’ website (if this information is not included in the ministerial record)
  • request the initial set of references (if these are not provided on the minister’s website).

Plan for Reviewing Ministerial Applicants

Search teams that make a plan for how they will review applicant ministers’ search profiles and websites feel more confident making decisions. We especially encourage search teams with several applicants to develop a fair and equitable rubric. More on the discernment process will be covered in Phase 5, but keep in mind what the congregation identified as the highest needs of the next ministry, then ask yourselves, “Could this be our next ministry partner?”

Additional Applicants

While the search team will receive most applications on 02 January, the UUA Transitions Team will continue to release names of interested ministers for two weeks until 16 January. If a search team is interested in continuing to receive names after 16 January, the search team should email the UUA Transitions Team with that request.

Ministers wishing to apply to a congregation after January 16th should confirm via email with the UUA Transitions Team that the search team is still accepting names. The application cutoff for evaluation is when pre-candidate invitations are made. Names released after the 16th should be considered in time for pre-candidate invitations on 23 January.

Keeping the Congregation Informed

Messaging should be high on hope and low on detail at this time in the search process.

The congregation can know:

  • the search team’s process
  • that your record is live
  • that you’ve received names of applicants
  • that you’re hard at work.

The search team should not tell them anything about the applicants. For example, search teams should not share something like “Only folks who are new to ministry have applied.” It is important to remind the congregation that this is a time of high confidentiality, though you will be as open about process and timeline as you can be.