Ministerial Search and Transition

Ministerial Search RESET!

The All Souls Church Search Committee and the Board of Trustees (BOT) have shifted our Search process to finding a Developmental Minister. This process is quite different than the one we communicated about previously; we are learning as we go along. This is a reset for us and an update for you; we are all practicing resilience in the best interests of the congregation.

Updates From the MSC

What is Developmental Ministry?

Developmental ministry is meant for congregations that have serious, and often chronic, structural, financial, spiritual issues and/or an aging historic building that needs work. These congregations work to identify deeper issues that have led to symptoms like burnout, conflict, and turnover. After identifying the needed work, congregations hire, by contract, a developmental minister to serve for a finite period of time (between four to seven years) and to help the congregation focus on that work.

Developmental ministers hired  to do this type of work are seasoned ministers, experienced enough to help a congregation take on big challenges that might be beyond the limits of a more junior settled minister. The search process for a developmental minister is different from the process for an interim or settled minister. The developmental minister search process is abbreviated and, since they are hired by the board and not called by the congregation, does not include a congregational vote. The Search Committee and the Board, who were both elected by the congregation to represent the congregation, identify the best candidate, and then the Board contracts with them.

ASC Search Committee Zoom Group Photo
ASC Search Committee Zoom Group Photo

Setting Goals

As part of the search, the Board will decide on a set of 3-5 concrete goals for the period of developmental ministry. These goals can be about finances, facilities, church culture, conflict, administrative processes– anything the congregation needs to work on. The Ministerial Search committee started this work by gathering goals articulated previously by the congregation and creating some theme areas. It delivered these to the All Souls Board of Trustees which will finalize them, so the goals can be added to our Search materials, for prospective candidates to see. These goals may not be the final goals for the developmental ministry period; they may change once the developmental minister is engaged. After the developmental ministry is completed, and the goals have been worked on, All Souls should be in a much better position to call and settle a senior minister.

Timeline of the Search Process

  • Fall 2023

    The Board continues the work of the Search Committee and creates initial goals for the Developmental Ministry period.

  • Fall-Early Winter 2023

    The Search Committee compiles information about All Souls to provide to the UUA and potential candidates.

  • Winter 2023-24

    The Search Committee works with our UUA contacts to identify potential candidates and assess them, while keeping the Board up to date.

  • Spring 2024

    Search Committee and Board representatives interview candidates and identify a candidate to recommend to the board for hiring. Then the Board contracts with the minister.

  • Summer 2024

    Summer: Rev. Bill Sinkford completes his Transitional Ministry, and the Developmental Minister starts in time for the Fall church year commencement.

Identifying and Hiring

The Search Committee will work cooperatively with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) to identify a number of developmental minister candidates in Winter/Spring of 2024. The All Souls BOT and Ministerial Search Committee will interview and recommend a candidate. Then the Board will select and hire them.

How to contact the Ministerial Search Committee​

There will be numerous ways and times to give input to the committee on your vision for our future ministerial team throughout the search process. 

By phone: coming soon!

By Email: searchcommittee@allsouls.ws