It’s a two-way street. Potential ministers are choosing us, as well as us choosing them. Under the UUA rules, there is a deep process for UUFSD as a congregation to introspect and self-evaluate so we can present our Fellowship honestly and completely to our future minister. What we learn from these steps will be reflected in our Congregational Record and in the Search Committee’s actions.

Our Congregational Survey

Your Search Committee will prepare a survey that all members and friends are urged to complete, during the Fall of 2019. The responses weigh heavily in describing what kind of congregation we are and what we seek in a settled minister. Sample questions: What expectations, however unstated, do you have about the minister’s family and personal life? How important are these various ministerial functions to you? (Administration, Preaching, Social Action, etc.) Take the survey by clicking here.

Cottage Meetings

These are small group discussion sessions which all members and friends of UUFSD are encouraged to attend. Sample topic of discussion: What is your vision of the future? Ideal minister? Following is the current schedule. Sign up by clicking here.

Beyond Categorical Thinking –

Saturday, October 5, 2019, from 9:30 AM-12:30 PM, Founders’ Hall

In October, our congregation will attend this 3-hour seminar, created and delivered by the Unitarian Universalist Association as an important part of the search process. The seminar focuses on identifying unconscious aspects of categorical thinking that could prejudice the selection process—including race or color, gender, sexual orientation, cultural habits, disability, and so forth

Sunday, October 6, Sermon will also address Beyond Categorical Thinking.

Our Congregational Record

The Congregational Record is the key document describing and presenting our Fellowship to potential ministers. It covers a lot of ground in a format prescribed by the UUA—size, history, what we are like (warts and all), what we seek in a minister, and what we can afford to pay. It incorporates the learnings from the Congregational Survey and small group meetings. It must be completed by mid-November, then approved and published by the UUA on December 2, 2019.

Our Documents Package

By the time we identify potential candidates in January 2020, we will also have assembled a very large package of documents (in addition to our website and Congregational Record) for pre-candidates to study to get to know us thoroughly. The package will contain items such as 5 years of past budgets, examples of Orders of Service from many Sundays, a draft employment contract for the new minister, our by-laws and policies, and many other easy-to-find and hard-to-find pieces of paper.