PREPARATORY STAGES

The Following outline describes the stages of preparation for UU ministry and some of the policies and procedures associated with each stage.

APPLICANT STATUS

Applicants are persons who have:

1) Contacted the Ministerial Credentialing Office or a Regional Sub-Committee on Candidacy (RSCC) office indicating intent to pursue fellowship as a UU minister.

A record of applicants will be maintained by the local RSCC office.

ASPIRANT STATUS

A person in Aspirant Status has submitted the following forms to the Regional Sub-Committee on Candidacy (RSCC) office:

2) Initial Inquiry Form (RSCC-1)
3) Interview Forms - UU minister and a UUA Field Staff member or designee (RSCC-2)
4) Essay on ministerial aspirations and relevant biography (1-2 pages) in which you say something about who you are and the ministry you feel called to do.
5) Transfer/Plural Standing Form (if applicable) (MFC-7)
6) Accepted to theological school or another approved program, or has graduated from theological school

Please note: when you have been accepted to a theological school, please contact the appropriate RSCC office. You will be sent the Information for Candidates packet that contains forms for steps 9-12 and information about preparing to meet the RSCC and the MFC.

The RSCC office will open a file for each Aspirant and notify the Ministerial Credentialing Office of a person’s Aspirant Status. Aspirants will be placed on the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group’s mailing list and will sent the Religious Leader four times a year. Aspirants may subscribe to the student email list, UUMINS2B.

Aspirants may be eligible for a $900.00 program assistance grant. Full-time students are eligible for reduced registration rates for the UUA General Assembly. Students who are attending theological school at least half time are eligible to apply for UUA general scholarship aid, payable in the second year of school. Incentive grants are available to people of color and from historically marginalized communities in the first year of theological school by contacting the Ministerial Credentialing Office. Persons seeking transfer or plural standing are not eligible for financial aid from the UUA other than the Program Assistance Grant.

CANDIDATE STATUS

In addition to 1 through 6 above, a Candidate has also:

7) Completed an approved career assessment program and released report to the RSCC, Ministerial Credentialing Office and MFC (Report should be mailed to the RSCC only.)
8) Completed at least one year of theological education,
9) Agreed in writing to abide by the Rules and Policies of the Ministerial Fellowship
Committee, and
10) Agreed in writing to defer accepting any ministerial position other than internships
and student ministries unless approved by the Ministerial Credentialing Director.
(Violation of this policy shall render the candidate ineligible for interviewing with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee or Ministerial Fellowship for four years from the commencement of the position.)
11) Been interviewed and approved for Candidate Status by the RSCC. (Students who were enrolled in theological school prior to July 1, 1999 are not required to be interviewed by an RSCC, but are still recommended to do so.)

Persons seeking transfer from another denomination or plural standing must have submitted a record of their good standing in their previous denomination and letters of reference from 1) a ministerial colleague and 2) a denominational official from that denomination. Letters should be sent to the RSCC office prior to candidacy interview.

Following approval by the RSCC, all Candidates must obtain the sponsorship of a UU congregation before being eligible to make an appointment to meet with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Candidates must have final evaluation from either their internship or Clinical Pastoral Education, or both, by the time of their MFC appointment.

In order to protect the integrity of the ministry, in rare instances it may be necessary for the UUA to permanently discourage certain persons from pursuing UU fellowship. Therefore, upon the recommendation of the Ministerial Credentialing Director, the Executive Committee of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee may refuse Candidate status to an individual they deem highly unsuitable for Unitarian Universalist ministry.

A copy of the procedures regarding complaints against candidates for UU ministry is available from the Ministerial Credentialing Office.

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100