The Search Process

You know the people on the slate to be voted on to form our Search Committee, but what is their job and what is the process?

The Search Committee is charged with finding the best candidate to serve our congregation as a called minister. The following is a description of the work they will do to accomplish this:

  • Earn and maintain the trust of the congregation
  • Engage the congregation in the search process
  • Represent our congregation when dealing with ministerial candidate

The congregation will be following the UUA defined search process. This is what it is likely to look like at UUCC:

May 31, 2020

Annual Meeting – The slate of eleven Search Committee candidates will be presented to the members of the congregation for a vote. The four candidates receiving the most votes will be elected to the committee. The board will meet to appoint three additional Search Committee members from the slate, with the goal of establishing a Search Committee that accurately represents the entire congregation. The board will announce the Search Committee after that meeting. The fact of a person being elected or appointed will remain confidential with the board.

June 7, 2020

Commissioning of Search Committee during Sunday Service

June, 2020

Search Committee Retreat with UUA Transitions Coach, Christine Purcell (likely via Zoom over several weeks)

July – September, 2020

Congregational Survey – The Search Committee will design and roll out a survey of the congregation to determine demographics, involvement, spiritual leanings, ministerial preferences, and more. This is critical in helping the Search Committee determine the congregation’s needs and desires, and to have information about our congregation to provide to candidates.

August – October 2020

Cottage Meetings (open groups of congregants) & Focus Groups (targeted groups) – The Search Committee will meet with individuals and small groups to talk through what the congregation needs and desires from a called Minister.

September – December, 2020

Beyond Categorical Thinking Workshop for Congregation – an anti-oppression program designed to help congregations in search. This is a weekend program facilitated by UUA trainers.

November, 2020

Congregational Record – Based on input from the Congregational Survey, cottage meetings and focus groups, the Search Committee will create a UUA-defined record of our congregation. This will be provided to ministerial candidates and needs to accurately describe our congregation.

December, 2020

The Record is reviewed and approved by the UU Transitions Coach. Record becomes visible to potential applicants.

Early January, 2021

Applicants interested in UUCC will express their interest, using the Search platform provided by the UUA. This will include the Ministerial Record of each applicant.

February – March, 2021

Pre-Candidating is the second set of interviews. The Search Committee will interview up to three applicants, each on a different weekend. The weekends will include a substantial interview on Saturday, visiting a “neutral” congregation where the applicant is preaching on Sunday, followed by a final conversation/interview after the service.

Late April- Early May, 2021

Candidating Week – When the Search Committee has decided on their final candidate and that person accepts, the ministerial candidate will come to UUCC for a Candidating Week. This is the week where the congregation and ministerial candidate get to know each other. The week runs from Sunday to Sunday. The candidate will lead worship both Sundays,with formal and informal opportunities for the congregation to get to know the candidate during the week between. Following the Worship Service on the second Sunday, there will be a congregational meeting and vote on the candidate. Again, the Code of Regulations stipulates an affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members voting, though most candidates won’t accept a call at less than 90 or 95%.