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.