Introduction to the Search Process

within the United Church of Christ

The search process within the United Church of Christ was designed with a number of commitments in mind. Some include:

• A commitment to an open search process. This commitment gets lived out in the assurance that any person can have access to the materials within her or his own Ministerial Profile, that any appropriately authorized person can have her or his profile submitted to any United Church of Christ calling body, and that full disclosure of all relevant information by all parties is encouraged.
• A commitment to equal access for, and parity among, all ministers. Toward this end, we circulate only the official profile form, neither advantaging nor disadvantaging persons due to disproportionate access to sophisticated videography, expensive print materials, etc.
• A commitment that the search process embody the intention named in the Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ (see paragraphs 22, 118, 119, 161, 220). Practically, this results in practices such as your profile being sent from the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry to the appropriate association/conference office and the conf-erence/association staff person working directly with the search committee of a given local church.
• A commitment to the minister being proactive on his or her own behalf in the search process. Unlike some other church bodies, the United Church of Christ does not appoint persons to positions. Rather, the person herself or himself is responsible for contacting the appropriate placement staff person(s) to pursue positions in which he or she is interested. Ministers are strongly encouraged to direct the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry to send their profiles to specific placement offices, to follow up with each placement office and express interest in particular openings, to request that their Ministerial Profile be submitted to particular ministry locations, and to offer supplemental materials when appropriate (sermon texts, additional references, etc.).
• A commitment to balance the respective interests and concerns of the various parties within a search process. Usually this commitment involves balancing the concerns of those seeking positions with those calling bodies looking for candidates. An example may be the length of the current Ministerial Profile. Clearly persons completing a Ministerial Profile may find the length somewhat daunting. On the other hand, search committee members wish to have as much information as possible before making decisions about interviews. The current practices seek to balance these and other contrasting interests.
• A commitment to responsive service to ministers, calling bodies, and conference /association placement personnel. Considering a new setting for ministry is both an exciting and stressful time. The Parish Life and Leadership Ministry together with conferences and associations is committed to doing whatever the Office reasonably can to facilitate your search process, within available resources.

Although particular aspects of the search process may vary among conferences, there are clear norms which are honored and practiced throughout the United Church of Christ. Some of these include:

• Persons seeking new opportunities learn of openings primarily through United Church Employment Opportunities.
• Persons interested in a particular position request that the Profile Office send their profile to the Massachusetts Conference placement office. The person then follows up with the Association Office to pursue particular openings.
• The Parish Life and Leadership Ministry only circulates complete Ministerial Profiles. The Parish Life and Leadership Ministry will not knowingly circulate inaccurate or incomplete information. Conferences and associations circulate only profiles they receive through the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry.

Search and Call Resources for Pastors

Search and Call Resources for Churches