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UUA Transitions Team 
Newsletter

Serving Congregations & Ministers

April 2025

 The UUA Transitions Team is a partnership between Ministries & Faith Development and Congregational Life staff, supporting good matches between congregations and ministers.

In this issue...


  • Settled and Developmental Search Teams
  • Ministers who Participated in Settled & Developmental Searches
  • Interim Ministry Search Teams
  • Ministers Interested in Interim Ministry
For Settled and Developmental Search Teams

You have all done good, faithful work this year to represent your congregations well and seek the right ministry partner to accompany your congregation forward. Your work will shape what comes next for your congregation, regardless of your search outcome.

This has been an anomalous search cycle, with only seven of the thirteen congregations in settled search and one of four congregations in developmental search matching with ministers. A number of matches seemed likely, then did not work out at the last moment. Ministers in search this cycle are making decisions with the added pressure of concerns which affect us all: new family financial worries, ever-increasing cost of living, inaccessible housing markets, and the changing nature of ministry against the backdrop of all that is happening in our country. The UUA will study this search cycle with great care and concern to learn what we can for the benefit of those in future searches.

The UUA Transitions Team will archive settled and developmental search profiles this week. If you haven’t saved a copy of yours, we can always provide it, should you need it in the future.

For search teams with a match, please reach out if we can help as you initiate background checks, negotiate agreements, and plan for announcements and candidating week.

For those of you without a match, count on our continued care as you pivot to new plans for the year ahead. If you are pivoting to a contract or interim search, please take the time to consider each applicant fully and fairly.
 
For Ministers who Participated in Settled & Developmental Searches

Ministers, you put yourselves forward well. Some of you matched with congregations, and we hope the paths forward are fruitful for you all. For those of you who did not match in this part of the season, and who are still hoping to find ministry, please know that we are glad to support and partner with you. There are opportunities for interim and contract placements  
For Interim Ministry Search Teams

We began publishing search profiles on 04 April! For those whose profiles are not complete, please leave time for your congregation’s primary contact on UUA regional staff to review the profile and offer feedback on it before the due date for publication: 18 April.
Please be sure to include a link to your board-approved draft contract (not the blank employment agreement template) in the compensation and benefits section. The work your team does on the front end of the search will increase the odds of a smooth negotiation process and a good match.

Ministers Interested in Interim Ministry

If you are planning to be in interim search or contract ministry search for a congregation entering an interim/transition period, welcome! I am your primary contact, Transformational Interim Ministries Director Rev. Patrice Curtis. I will hold Drop-In office hours on Tuesdays April 1, 15 and 22 from 9am-10am PT and on Thursdays April 3, 10, and 17 from 2-3pm PT. You can also make an individual appointment by first checking my online calendar. If no dates/times work for your preferences, please send me an email. I welcome the chance to support you.

As we have asked the interim search committees, please familiarize yourself with the Interim Ministry Search Calendar, and take time to read the latest version of the Transitional Ministry Handbook (from page 26; please be sure you have the January 2025 edition). In addition, you might check that your ministerial record is freshened; for example, there may be new sermon recordings a search team would like to watch or listen to that reflect your response to the changing environment since Fall 2024. 

If this ministry would be your first transitions placement, we expect you to enroll in the transitions ministry training, YLTMT (Year-long Transitions Ministry Training). Congregations are expected to support you in participating, as outlined in the interim employment agreement. If you will need to attend, please fill out the YLTMT interest form.
 
With you in hope and excitement,

Rev. Patrice (PK) Curtis (they/them): pcurtis@uua.org
Transformational Interim Ministries Director

Rev. Eric Kaminetzky (he/him): ekaminetzky@uua.org
Interim Settled Ministry Director

Christine Purcell (she/her): cpurcell@uua.org
Congregational Transitions Director

Amy Szen (she/her): aszen@uua.org
Transitions Administrator
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Transitions Office
24 Farnsworth St, Boston, MA, 02210