STEPS TOWARD FINAL FELLOWSHIP FOR
COMMUNITY MINISTERS
by the Rev. David Pettee, Ministerial Credentialing
Director, UUA, dpettee@uua.org
and
the Rev. Jeanne Lloyd, Co-President, Society for The
Larger Ministry, jlloyd@uuma.org
I. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this guide is to educate and empower community ministers to
successfully bridge the gap between the granting of preliminary and final fellowship.
Given that creativity is a hallmark of community ministry, it is not possible
to offer a blueprint that every community minister must follow to advance toward
final fellowship. This guide is intended to address the requirements with the
suggestion of which order these steps might occur.
Despite centuries of prophetic ministerial service beyond the walls of a congregation
within the Unitarian and Universalist traditions, community ministry was only
formally recognized as a specialization within Unitarian Universalist ministerial
fellowship in 1991. Community ministry remains misunderstood by many congregations,
seminaries, students and ministers. In addition, there have been significant
challenges affecting the development of good professional practice, due to
the broad and flexible expression of community ministry within Unitarian Universalism.
Community ministers serve the cause of Unitarian Universalism in many ways.
Some community ministers work independently or in an organization outside a
congregation; others attempt to bridge congregations and secular organizations;
still others serve part-time in a congregation, and work part-time in a community
organization.
The Rev. David Hubner, Director of the Ministry and Professional Leadership,
is the primary contact person for issues relating to community ministry. www.uua.org/programs/ministry
II. PRELIMINARY FELLOWSHIP RENEWAL PROCESS
Settlement/Employment
Settlement for community ministers means employment at least half-time in
a ministry requiring the use of traditional ministerial skills, such as pastoral
counseling, worship and preaching, religious education, social witness and
advocacy, and institutional leadership. For more information, see rule #18 in the: MFC Rules & Policies 
Upon becoming settled/employed, the community minister must inform the MFC
Assistant, c/o the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group, UUA, 25
Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108. Report of this information will start the preliminary
fellowship renewal process, and trigger the sending of an invitation to attend
the annual First Year Ministers' Seminar, a start-up conference for ministers
in their first year of settlement/employment, usually held in late winter or
early spring.
The UUA Ministerial Settlement Office receives few notices of job opportunities
for community ministers. However, as opportunities become known, they are listed
under "Opportunities for Community Ministry" at: http://h5.uua.org/community_opps.asp
Each year, those granted preliminary fellowship by May 15th are eligible to
participate in the Service of the Living Tradition, held at General Assembly.
The community minister will receive an invitation from the Administrative Assistant
to the Director of the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group, UUA,
25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108.
Once the MFC Assistant has been notified of at least half-time employment, approximately nine to ten months later (depending upon the schedule of MFC meetings) a renewal form will be sent to the minister. Each minister must successfully complete three renewals to be granted final fellowship by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Renewal forms, and links about the renewal process are found at www.uua.org/programs/ministry/mfc/renewal.html
For further questions about the preliminary fellowship renewal process, please contact the UUA Director of Professional Development. www.uua.org/programs/ministry/development
Additionally, knowledge and awareness of the permutations of the process of renewal of preliminary fellowship for community ministers in different circumstances and settings is best determined by reviewing MFC Rule 15. See www.uua.org/programs/ministry/mfc/rules_policies.pdf. During each renewal, three evaluations must be completed and returned to the MFC Assistant: a self-evaluation, evaluation by the supervisor and evaluation by the Committee on Ministry and/or supervisory committee. The designation of a Committee on Ministry or a supervisory committee is determined by the location of the committee, whether in a congregation, or the community minister's place of employment.
Ideally, the supervisory committee should be made up of at least five persons
including if possible, at least three members from a UU congregation. The community
minister may be required to prepare a list of potential members from which
the supervisory committee can be appointed by the appropriate local UU congregation,
area council, and/or district board in the area served. Meeting regularly with
the committee is encouraged.
The supervisory committee is responsible for:
- Completing the MFC renewal
evaluations as required;
- Receiving annual reports as requested;
- Ensuring that the community minister,
where appropriate, maintains membership in at least one certifying professional
association.
Further purposes of the Committee on Ministry and/or supervisor committee
might include: giving the community minister a strong UU connection; providing
the community minister with a place to discuss and/or receive feedback regarding
his or her ministry; and, if it is the practice of the congregation, to provide
a structure to discuss annual reports. Many community ministers use these regular
meetings to try to deepen and secure the institutionalization of their community
ministry.
As part of the renewal process, each community minister must also meet three
additional requirements: mentorship, endorsement, and membership in a UUA congregation.
Once a community minister has satisfactorily been granted three renewals, they
will be welcomed into final fellowship, and eligible to participate in the
Service of the Living Tradition, held at each General Assembly.
Mentorship
All community ministers must find a mentor, who can be a community minister,
parish minister, minister of religious education, or retired. The mentor shall
ordinarily be in Final Fellowship, although this Rule shall be waived as necessary
for mentees in community-based ministries. The UUA Mentor form must be completed
and signed and sent to the MFC Assistant with the renewal materials. Mentorship
must be confirmed annually during the renewal process.
The minister is expected be in monthly conversation with the mentor, preferably
in person, for at least half an hour, to discuss current situations and reflect
broadly on the nature of ministry. Where distance is a factor preventing face-to-face
meetings, regular telephone calls are an acceptable alternative.
Mentors do not report to the MFC. The exchange between mentor and mentee is
held in confidence. It is recommended that the mentor receive copies of all
renewal forms evaluating the minister, in order to have a better sense of how
the minister is being perceived by his or her employer. Mentor forms: Word format  , Print-Ready PDF
Endorsement
All community ministers must be endorsed by a UUA member congregation, authorized
District Body, UUA Associate Member organization, or the UUA. Endorsement includes
a pledge of continuing relationship and support and affirmation that the work
is recognized by the endorsing body as a ministry. Some community ministers
arrange to be endorsed by more than one congregation, if the nature of their
community ministry involves more than one congregation. It is possible for
a community minister to be endorsed by their home church. When the renewal
forms are submitted, a copy of the endorsement form must be included. Evidence
of endorsement will assure inclusion of the name of the endorsing body in the
minister's listing in the UUA Directory. Please also contact your UUA District
office to add your name and the details of your ministry for inclusion in the
District directory.
The endorsement form, which must be sent to the MFC Assistant as part of each
renewal packet, is found at: www.uua.org/programs/ministry/mfc/statement_of_endorsement.doc
Establishing an endorsed relationship can be a complex process. Further, 'endorsement'
has often been mistakenly used interchangeably with 'affiliation.' Affiliated
Fellowship is something entirely different, available to those ministers who
hold their primary fellowship in another denomination but who desire to manifest
their sympathy with the cause of liberal religion as a whole. (MFC Rule 21)
Working with one's mentor, and seeking early and honest counsel from other
community ministers who have successfully received endorsement has proven to
be an effective strategy to overcome the challenges relating to the endorsement
process.
Congregational Membership
All community ministers must be a member of a UUA member society and maintain
active involvement in a UUA member society. Membership in the Church of the
Larger Fellowship (CLF) can meet this requirement.
III. VOTE AS A MINISTERIAL DELEGATE AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Community ministers in preliminary or final fellowship who are settled and
have been endorsed by a congregation are eligible to vote as a ministerial
delegate of that congregation at the UUA General Assembly. In order to be eligible
to vote, it is necessary to be endorsed by a congregation before the February
1st deadline for establishing GA delegates for congregations. Should the endorsement
occur after the February 1st deadline, eligibility to vote can still occur
if the President of the congregation sends a letter explaining the newly endorsed
relationship of the community minister to the congregation to the Secretary
of the UUA Board of Trustees, who will then facilitate the process, either
prior to, or at the time the community minister requests voting credentials
at GA.
At the current time, community ministers who are endorsed by a District, who
work as UUA staff, work for theological schools, or are in employment of a
UU affiliated institution are not eligible to receive voting credentials despite
being endorsed by these organizations. However, a community minister can still
be an eligible voting delegate at GA if they have been chosen as one of a congregation's
allotted lay delegates. For further information regarding voting privileges
and credentials:
www.uua.org/ga/delegate.html
www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#Section%204.8
www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#Rule%20IV
IV. ORDINATION
While each congregation has the right to ordain anyone it chooses, the Unitarian
Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association
discourage the ordination of those who have not had academic and practical
training provided by an accredited theological school, and who have not been
welcomed into preliminary fellowship. How a congregation determines whom they
will ordain is determined by congregational polity.
When the ordination date has been set, the community minister must inform
the Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Ministry and Professional
Leadership Staff Group, UUA, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108. Two ordination
certificates will be sent. Both need to be signed at the ordination, with one
kept by the minister and the other returned to the Administrative Assistant
to the Director of the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group, for
permanent placement in the minister's file. An Ordination and Installation
Manual is available at: www.uua.org/programs/ministry/publications/ordinationmanual.pdf
V. CLERGY HOUSING ALLOWANCE
Ordained ministers in the US and Canada may have excluded from taxable income
that portion of salary received in the exercise of their ministry that is used
to provide a residence. The clergy housing allowance exclusion is the most
important tax benefit available to ministers and to retired ministers. Information
about the clergy housing allowance, and church staff finance can be found at:
www.uua.org/programs/ministry/finances/2004salary.html
VI. CHANGES IN THE UUA DIRECTORY LISTING
Any changes for the community minister's UUA Directory listing must be noted
by late spring on the UUA Directory Listing form, found at: www.uua.org/programs/ministry/directory.html
VII. CONTINUING EDUCATION GRANTS
Grants are available to help community ministers in fellowship to fund continuing
education efforts. Continuing education grants are made on the basis of 1/3
of total expenses (to a maximum of $500 per year). Applications must be sent
to the Professional Development Director, Ministry and Professional Leadership
Staff Group, 25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108. Please include: (a) a brief description
and estimated total cost (travel, registration, food, etc.) for the program,
(b) indication that the continuing education plans are supported by the congregation
or institution that you serve, and (c) the address to which a check should
be sent. Additional information regarding these grants and professional development
can be found at: www.uua.org/programs/ministry/development
VIII. COVENANTAL AGREEMENTS
Some community ministers have created covenantal agreements with congregations
to clearly spell out expectations and responsibilities. Examples of covenantal
agreements can be found at: www.uua.org/programs/ministry/community/links.html
- First Parish in Wayland and the Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance
- First UU Society of San Francisco and the Rev. David A. Pettee
- The
UU Congregation of York and the Rev. Kate Seitz Bortner
- Unitarian Church of Santa Fe
IX. UUMA MEMBERSHIP
Ministers in preliminary fellowship are encouraged (but not required) to join
the continental Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, and the local
UUMA chapter where they reside. For further information, go to www.uuma.org.
X. Additional information about community ministry can be found at:
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