The minister’s administrative role

Above all, this Fellowship does not want an Administrator for its new minister. Instead, this Fellowship prefers an active Manager, who will work together with staff and lay leadership to guide and coordinate.

It isn’t like busy members feel overwhelmed and want a minister to help with the details. Even the most active members, those that spend 10 hours or more each month on Fellowship affairs, would rather have a Manager type over an Administrator. Fully half want the manager while only 4% want an Administrator.

The Board is rated positively, by those who know the Board

Since the Fellowship Board has important functions, it’s critical that they have the support of the Fellowship.

UUFSD’s Fellowship rates the Board very positively in many areas – how well they communicate with the Fellowship, how representative they are of the Fellowship, that they encourage and develop participation and new programs, and are responsive to the Fellowship.

However, more than half of the Fellowship answered “Don’t Know” to these assessments of the Board. This says that although those who know the Board’s work rate it highly, most of the members aren’t familiar enough with the Board’s work to rate it.

Important skills for a minister

Above all, UUFSD members want a minister who is articulate, strong, and exhibits leadership. This comes up in responses to many survey questions as it also came up in face to face meetings.

Administrative skills or studies scholarship do not rate highly. True, with this highly educated Fellowship, literacy and getting the facts straight will be valued. It’s that lectures are not sought as much as inspiration.

Priorities – where the minister should be spending time

Just as the Fellowship wants a minister who inspires, they understand this takes time in preparation. Most of the members consider spiritual leadership to encompass the minister’s time.

They also expect a minister to be spending some time in social justice activities, pastoral functions, and some facilitation of the UUFSD community and its committees and programs.

At the other end of the scale, members do not expect ministers to be spending much time in the details of running the fellowship, with other congregations and faiths through interfaith activies, nor with UUA affairs in denominational activities.

What kind of leadership skills do we want in a new minister?

In the focus groups, members offered numerous dimensions of leadership they want in a new minister. 

Leadership

A leader inspires, engages in dynamic dialogue with the congregation, helps us progress along our spiritual paths. Leadership spawns leaders, encouraging and training lay leaders and other volunteers. He or she will draw us together, help us become what we can, and encourage us to act thoughtfully.

Our members asked for a minister who :

• ministers to everyone so we are not separated into groups
• reaches all, from Christians to atheists
• can expound upon our sources, speak to each of the UU living traditions
• is a unifying force among diversity in thought
• good with different factions
• has a vision of where we need to be
• with vision and with the ability to articulate that vision
• channels our energy in some direction
• brings us together
• has a strong voice
• engages congregation in a two-way dialogue
• provides leadership and direction to the Board
• provides structure and change to the Fellowship
• excites people
• energizes us
• inspires us
• encourages us to be thoughtful and act thoughtfully
• is sensitive to all our needs and firm in guiding our growth
• has an opinion

• builds something new without throwing out our favorite traditions