UUA Church Staff Finances
Guided by Unitarian Universalist values,
we equip congregations for excellence as employers
and their staff for financial competence and well-being. |
Retirement and Insurance Plans
Compensation and Staffing Guidance
Aid Funds |
Compensation & Staffing News |
April 1, 2026
The Final Edition
(No foolin' – read on!) |
Editor's Note
Dear Readers,
This is the last time I’ll be publishing Compensation and Staffing News. In fact, it’s the last issue of our team’s newsletter to go out under this title. This edition is mostly an extended Editor’s Note. Thank you for indulging me.
You'll definitely want to read the Property & Casualty insurance article, too! |
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The History of Compensation & Staffing News |
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Origin Story
It was February of 2017, seven months into my time on the Church Staff Finances team. We had just updated our salary recommendations for the 2017-2018 year. How, I wondered, would we get the word out that the revised materials were available? Days later, Compensation and Staffing News was born! That first issue went to a distribution list of seven people – six of whom were my Church Staff Finances teammates, LOL. The seventh was an enthusiastic Personnel Committee chair who had reached out with a question the previous day. (Hi, Laurie!)
Once published, I invited others to subscribe by sharing the link to that inaugural edition with the Association of UU Administrators (AUUA) and the UU-Money listserv. By the following month, if I recall correctly, the distribution list had expanded to about 40 early adopters.
Evolution
Each month for the past nine years, I’ve compiled and distributed Church Staff Finances content through this publication. Readership has steadily grown: the March 2026 edition was delivered to 1,872 subscribers – congregational board members, finance and personnel leaders, supervisors and staff, and many UUA staff. Special thanks to those who have stuck with me through formatting experiments, color-choice changes, and occasional bad links. |
What's Happening Now?
A Shift in My Role
As of today, April 1, I have a new position at the UUA! I’m now part of the Congregational Life staff group, joining a team of national programming leaders who complement and collaborate with your regional staff. Leaving Church Staff Finances after nearly a decade is bittersweet. But I’m incredibly excited and grateful to take my place among the wise, love-forward humans who coach, connect, challenge, and companion our faith communities.
In the newly created role of Congregational Staffing Director, I will continue to equip congregations for excellence as employers; provide compensation and staffing guidance; and support congregational staff and professional organizations through consultations, liaison relationships, and project work. Of course, since benefits are such an important aspect of compensation, I’ll remain in close communication with my Church Staff Finances friends.
But Wait, There's More! |
Big news is coming very soon about the Church Staff Finances team. As they sharpen their focus on benefits and fully integrate Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance (see article below), you’ll be introduced to this group’s new name, mission, logo, and webpages.
The rebranded team will still keep you informed through a regular newsletter. Retirement Plan Specialist and all-around fabulous colleague Anna Gehres, pictured here, will be the editor. Thank you, Anna! |
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What's Next?
It’s been an honor and a pleasure to share information and perspectives that help you live our shared values and care for your staff so that they – and your congregation – can thrive. I plan to launch another publication once I get grounded in my new setting. I’ve saved this distribution list. You haven’t heard the last of me!
In the meantime, please check out our refreshed and reorganized Congregations as Employers page (button below), with easy navigation to the resources you’ve come to rely on. Additional content is in development. |
Signing off with love, joy, and gratitude, |
Jan Gartner, Congregational Staffing Director
UUA Congregational Life |
PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE |
The Wait is Over...
We're excited to officially launch our new Property & Casualty (P&C) program on April 6th! This new offering has been thoughtfully designed to better support and protect what matters most to you, and we can't wait to share it with you. |
To kick things off, we're partnering with Gallagher, our insurance broker, to host a live town hall on Thursday, April 2nd, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET (8:30 to 9:30 AM PT). During this session, we'll take you through key highlights, important details, and everything you need to know to make the most of this new program.
Can't make it live? No problem. We'll be recording the session so you can watch it at your convenience. Stay tuned, get excited, and join us as we roll out this important new initiative!
Date: Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
Time: 11:30AM-12:30 PM ET (8:30-9:30 AM PT)
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams, button below) |
With Gratitude,
Hugh Dennis
Director, Church Staff Finances
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UUA Church Staff Finances provides general information to
help equip and empower congregational leaders in their decision-making.
We are not legal or tax professionals and we do not track state law. Congregations are solely responsible for their legal obligations. We encourage you to consult your own legal and tax advisors for specific guidance. |
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