What’s done and what’s next?

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Ministerial Search Update

Our HUGE thanks to the Fellowship for all of your participation to date – the Congregational Survey, Focus Groups and Cottage Meetings, Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop, Town Hall ideas and comments on Shared Ministry, and your ongoing feedback. Here’s where we are and what we can look forward to in the upcoming months:

COMPLETED

  • Congregational Record – 51 specific questions/answers about our Congregation: religious, political, and social context from a historical and current perspective (with support from your feedback) – sent in to UUA after final approval
  • Documents packet – documents/records/UUFD histories (some that supplement the CR questions) – sent in to the UUA after final approval
  • Our Negotiating Team has been working on a possible hiring contract package, with compensation, housing, insurance, and other elements in the mix to be discussed with a potential candidate.

WHAT’S NEXT

  • Now through mid-December: Our CR and Documents Packet are being reviewed and approved.
  • Once approved – ideally, by December 1 – the above are made available for prospective ministers to review.
  • First week of January – MSC team receives names of interested applicants.
  • January – Team Zoom interviews possible candidates and chooses final slate of pre-candidates.
  • February/March – Team invites pre-candidates to campus for in-depth, on-campus interviews, as well as hearing them preach at an out-of-town neutral pulpit.
  • March/April – Team decides on final candidate, submits name to negotiating team. Background check on minister.
  • May – Candidating week, when leaders, staff, and congregation have time to meet and interact with the candidate. Candidate will preach one Sunday or both at the beginning and end of that week. Congregation votes; if 95% vote to accept the proposed candidate as our new minister, we then can move forward, and the signed contract is sent to the UUA Transitions Office.
  • May-July – Interim Ministry finishes.
  • August 1 – New minister arrives.

THANK YOU, UUFD, for your feedback and information, questions and concerns, and your shared ministry and support as we travel this important path together.

Your Search Team: Allison Andersen, Bonnie Miller, Connie Jacobs, Lisa McCorry, Liz Volz, Sheryl Guy, and Tim Miller