WhoWasMichael

Latest News About Called Ministry

To help us assess the congregregations ministerial needs, the Search Committee asked each member to complete a survey in September of 2007. Click here to see the results of that survey.

Background on Called and Interim Ministry
or More Than You Wanted to Know About the Process

First we need a few definitions. Just what is the different between a Called, Hired, or Interim minister and how does that affect the church membership? The following information comes from the Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship's September Newsletter (http://www.luf.ca/stratplannewsletter.pdf) and several other sources.

"One of the best analogies comes from the world of real estate. Entering into a search for a minister is like being a first-time homebuyer. We (LUF) have a picture in our mind of the ideal new home (or new minister.) We have endless questions about a 'buying' process that seems mysterious and even untrustworthy. We wonder if there are creative ways to do it that will get us a 'good deal.' Maybe, but it is also important that we understand the usual process.

When a UU congregation is searching for a minister, they work with the Transitions office in the Department of Ministry and Professional Leadership at the Unitarian Universalist Association in Boston. (Note: MSUS works with the Prairie Star District also.) The Transitions Office provides counsel and resources to congregations facing changes in their professional ministry, and helps to provide interim ministers to serve the congregation through the transition."

A Minister Is A Minister, Or …What's The Difference?
"While there are a lot of different titles for ministers, they basically fall into three general categories. Again we could make real estate comparisons."

Settled/Permanent/Called Minister:
"This is home. We've found just the right match and we make a commitment to it for the long haul. We're prepared to 'live' here indefinitely. What distinguishes a called minister is not whether it is full time or part time, but rather the commitment, the covenant that the minister and we have made one to another. The minister's "call" comes from the congregation as a whole. A contract is signed and perhaps reviewed every few years, but there is no time limit. In other words, called ministers serve for an indefinite period of time. A "called minister" is truly the congregation's choice."

Contract/Consulting/Hired Minister:
"We might call this home, but it's a rental. We resign a lease periodically, and we have the ability to give notice and move rather easily. Again, this could be full time or part time; what distinguishes it is a lesser degree of commitment on both sides. Perhaps we don't care for it in the same way because we don't own it. Contract/Hired ministers, and any others who are hired by the Board of Trustees, serve for the fixed period of their contracts."

Interim Minister:
"We've made a decision to buy a house; and an interim minister gives us temporary housing and helps us to ready ourselves to make the big purchase. Part of the interim's task is to help us take stock of who we are as a congregation and who we hope to be, in order to help us to identify just the right minister to walk with us into the future. Because an interim minister's placement is only temporary, because the time between the minister's announcement of departure and the interim's desired arrival is short, the interim hiring process is simple, brief, and competitive. Interim ministers who are hired by the Board of Trustees serve for the fixed period of their contracts. stipulating a specified start and termination date."

Some Limitations:
"While it is possible for a contract minister to be called by a congregation, it is generally not recommended. Calling an "inside candidate" robs the congregation of the deep discernment process it must go through to call a minister. It colours our ideas of what might be best for us by not allowing us to see the full spectrum of possibilities. Ministers who are in fellowship with the UUA belong to a professional association, the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. The UUMA encourages ministers to take positions at churches that have used the UUA settlement process in order to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process that gives equal opportunity to all. Going outside of the system may to some degree limit the candidates who are interested in coming here."

Additional Information on Interim Ministry
Much of this material was taken from the UUA web site.
"In response to research conducted by the Alban Institute of Bethesda, Maryland, the UUA's Settlement Office began to urge …: that every congregation seeking to replace a minister who had departed for any reason hire a transitional minister for the interim between called ministers. ... At best the next (called) minister will have heavy going. At worst the (called) minister will not last.
The same publication lists the skills that an interim minister can bring to the church. In addition to the abilities to carry out the normal responsibilities of congregational ministry, including worship and pastoral care, Interim Ministers possess specific skills in:

assisting the congregation in claiming and honoring its past and in healing its grief and conflicts;
illuminating the congregation's unique identity, its strengths, its needs, its challenges;
clarifying the multiple dimensions of leadership, both ordained and lay, and aiding the congregation in navigating the shifts in leadership that accompany times of transition;
renewing connections with available resources, within and beyond the UUA; and
enabling the congregation to renew its vision, strengthen its stewardship, prepare for new professional leadership, and engage its future with anticipation and zest.

Process
The process of hiring an interim minister differs significantly from hiring a contract or called minister. When looking for a contract or called minister the UUA or the District publicizes to ministers the congregation's needs but is not involved in the selection process. The ministerial search committee selects a minister that the committee thinks will be a good fit with the congregation. This minister is then presented to the congregation, which votes on whether or not to accept the minister for the position.

Unlike a called minister, whose "call" comes from the congregation as a whole, interim ministers are hired by the board of trustees. This means that the ministerial search committee and the board work with the UUA or the district to identify an interim minister who will best serve the needs of the congregation for the upcoming transition year(s). The board then hires the minister for a limited short term: one year, perhaps with an option to continue for a second year. The Interim Minister is NOT eligible to be considered as the next called or contract minister.

Because of the active involvement of the UUA and the District, and because the interim minister is hired for a short term and with specific skills and goals, the congregation does not vote on the choice of an interim minister.

Additional Resources:
http://www.uua.org/programs/ministry/settlement/index.html

http://www.uua.org/programs/ministry/publications/interim/