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Dear Delbert,

The heart of my job is ensuring that congregations are faithful employers – faithful to the law and to our values. We have many resources that help congregational leaders understand the legal aspects of being an employer. On the values side, to start, what does it mean to put love at the center of the employment relationship? Reflecting on love as the power that holds us together, I recognize three (overlapping) elements:    

• Mutual trust: The employment relationship is built on support and respect. Congregational leaders and staff can count on each other.  

• Clear expectations: The leadership defines each staff member’s responsibilities, time allotment, goals, compensation, and schedule. Boundaries around time and scope of work are respected. The congregation’s mission helps staff put their work in a larger context. 

• Strong communication: Two-way sharing and good listening are essential. Supervisors help staff set priorities, manage their workload, and navigate obstacles.

In ordinary times (when were those?), cultivating trust, clear expectations, and strong communication often go pretty well. But when leaders are overwhelmed, the budget is unsustainable, or the larger world is in tumult? Those relational principles become more challenging to uphold. 

I know congregational leaders are struggling to align their budgets with their staffing and missional priorities while also dealing with changing volunteer patterns. Meanwhile, many staff are frustrated, expected to do too much work for not enough pay. 

Relationships anchored in love require honest conversations and hard choices. Here is a values framework to guide you:

• Equity: Are staff compensated reasonably? Do their hours fit their job scopes? How is ministry shared among staff and lay leaders? 

• Transparency: Employees deserve to know if staff reductions are being considered. Supervisors should keep staff informed. Involve them in conversations, as appropriate. Communicate the decision-making process and timeline. Staff should receive advance notice of personnel-related congregational communications. 

• Compassion: Consult our Compassionate Staff Terminations resource in LeaderLab if eliminating a position becomes necessary. 

• Economic justice: Consider disparate impacts. How would furloughs or other across-the-board measures affect staff with fewer safety nets? 

• Interdependence: No single congregation can “do all the things” but, collectively, we have broad skills and vast capacity. Might you share a staff member with another congregation? Can a lay leader nearby offer coaching? 

Learn more about centering love in this evolving online resource, part of the UUA's LeaderLab collection of resources.

In these extraordinary times, please reach out to me by emailing comp@uua.org if I can help you take the liberatory path of grounding your employment relationships in love. Explore the video and links below for other important announcements and resources from your UUA. 

Faithfully, 

Jan 

Get ready to meet the moment at the 2025 General Assembly! Join us and invite fellow UUs to gather in Baltimore, MD this year and explore your faith, engage in social justice and service opportunities, and participate in the democratic process. Registration opens in December.  

In an age when 80 percent of U.S. adults say religion’s role in American life is shrinking, a new data report from the UUA's annual certification process shows steady membership and growing religious education attendance in Unitarian Universalist congregations. Read "Our Faith is Needed" from UU World to learn more.   

Sharing our resources is a way we live our Shared Values of generosity and equity. It is a core part of our religious practice. As we plan to meet this moment, we need to cultivate readiness for the climate disasters and political threats that folks are already experiencing and those yet to come. This brief survey will enable UUA staff to deepen our ability to do rapid response work in support of our congregations and communities. 

Materials expressing our our Unitarian Universalist Shared Values are now available for order from inSpirit: the UU Book and Gift Shop. As visitors arrive at our congregations in the coming weeks, offer them Love at the Center bookmarks, buttons, and a tote bag to help affirm what matters most in our faith tradition. Search for Shared Values on the inSpirit website for pamphlets available for pre-order, wallet cards, and posters available for download. 

The Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism (often informally referred to as the Distinguished Service Award) is one of the most prestigious awards given by the UUA. The Award Committee is currently seeking nominations from throughout our Association for this year's Distinguished Service Award. Please submit your nomination by January 1, 2025.