Over the years congregations have employed various methods to handle complaints from congregants. Many congregations direct complainants to a Ministerial Relations Committee, a Committee on Ministry, or, if a complaint involves a staff member, to speak to that person directly. The Rev. Dr. Daniel...

Is it possible to imagine that an armed intruder could show up on Sunday morning at one of our congregations, inflamed about our inclusiveness or a particular justice stance we’ve taken in the community, and proceed to do us harm? It happened in 2008 at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist...

The UUA is committed to being a sexually healthy and responsible denomination. There are tools that can help you in assessing your congregation.

A list of organizations that can help with sexual health issues.

Presenter: Rev. Cathleen Diane Cox. Is conflict a sign of something wrong or an organic component of growing communities? This workshop presented the clear, accessible processes of Compassionate Communication (NVC) which turn conflict into an opportunity to build stronger connections in which...

Developing a Covenant of Right Relations is an important step in clarifying expectations and creating a safe environment for congregations. "Covenant" is Latin for "come together" and means a "solemn agreement" or "promise from the heart" regarding a course of action between parties. Although the...

What is Destructive Behavior Policy? A Destructive Behavior Policy, sometimes called a Disruptive Behavior Policy, gives the leadership of the congregation more tools to stop abusive, harmful, inappropriate, and otherwise destructive behavior in your midst. A Destructive Behavior Policy, put into...

Debra W. Haffner This book is designed to help our congregation’s lay and professional leadership specifically reflect on the issues of safety, health, conflict, comfort, and justice in the context of becoming a safe congregation. These are issues that affect our relationships on all levels of...

45-Minute Workshop Suggested Participants Ministers Religious educators Congregational leaders Goals Explore how religious leaders can take care of themselves Learn the difference between stress and burnout Learn about common boundary violations in a religious context Materials Copies of “Mental,...

It is not always possible to pair a UU Principle and every safer congregation issue. Here are a few samples of ways to discuss this subject. What ideas do you have? The inherent worth and dignity of every person Every person's sexuality is sacred and worthy of respect; it is not to be violated.

Essential and Recommended Questions Essential Questions for Persons Under Consideration for Positions in Religious Education, Church Music, Church Administration, and Contact with Vulnerable People Adapt, as appropriate, if talking with a personal reference versus an employment reference.

If a previous employer won’t give any information about the person’s performance, what are our options? You cannot force a former employer to provide you with information. However, you should ask as many questions as possible to ensure that you have explored possible avenues of information. Make...

For Unitarian Universalist Association Organizations When Adding Clergy, Professional Leaders, Staff, and Volunteers Authored by: Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director, Congregational Services Staff Group; Harlan Limpert, Director, District Services Staff Group; Beth Miller, Director, Ministry and...

I. Guidelines We recommend that all Unitarian Universalist institutions—congregations, Districts, Sponsored Organizations, and the UUA itself—adopt the following guidelines when calling ministers, hiring professional religious leaders and staff, and recruiting volunteers whose work will put them...