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Shared Ministry

Staff Team Self-Assessment 

The most vital and thriving congregations practice shared ministry. Strong staff teams add to the health and vitality of our congregations. This self- assessment tool for staff teams was inspired by Susan Beaumont’s 30 Markers of Staff Team Health and Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, as well as our shared commitments to multicultural anti-oppressive congregations. Resources for continued learning and development are included when available. This tool is designed to foster open and respectful conversations among staff team members, enabling effective, engaged, and compassionate staff team relationships. All religious professionals are invited to bring this assessment tool to their staff teams, as a means of personal and shared reflection and learning. HAVE YOUR STAFF TEAM TAKE THIS SELF-ASSESSMENT

Joint Task Force For Excellence in Shared Ministry

In Spring of 2013, the Joint Task Force on Excellence in Shared Ministry submitted a report identifying best practices in shared ministry and outlining recommended training opportunities to nurture excellence in ministry for staff teams. The Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, Liberal Religious Educators Association, and the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network convened the Task Force as part of a joint effort to work toward the common goal of more successful ministry collaborations within staff teams. 

The Task Force charge was to meet and communicate with key leaders/members of our professional organizations so they could:
1. identify our most urgent shared professional development needs;
2. identify best practices and models for team learning and excellence;
3. recommend best practices, learning opportunities and other strategies to nurture and sustain excellence in professional ministry.

Team Members:
Karen Bauman, UUMN
Gail Carey, UUMN, Co-Chair
Evan Keely, UUMA
Anne Principe, LREDA, Co-Chair
Annie Scott, LREDA
Wendy Williams, UUMA

Shared Ministry Resources 

The Shared Ministry Resource Team was charged with compiling a list of available resources around the concept of collaborative ministry. The committee was comprised of members of LREDA, UUMA, UUMN and the Ministries and Faith Development office of the UUA. Resources (books, articles, webinars, workshops, videos, etc.) are organized into six categories, based on the work of the LREDA/UUMA/UUMN Task Force for Excellence in Shared Ministry (2013). 

Team Members:
Emily DeTar, UUMA
Jan Gartner, Professional Development Specialist in Ministries and Faith Development, UUA
Darrick Jackson, UUMA, Co-Chair
Michelle McKenzie-Creech, LREDA, Co-Chair
Anne Watson Born, UUMN
Jessica York, Faith Development Director in Ministries and Faith Development, UUA

Presentation at the 2015 Fahs Excellence in Shared Ministry Event, Portland, OR

The fall 2014 Excellence In Shared Ministry Implementation Team Reported at the Fahs Excellence in Shared Ministry prior to the 2015 UUA General Assembly. 

Tim Anderson, UUMN President, Don Southworth, Executive Director of UUMA & Cathy Seggel, President of LREDA 

Ministry is Meant to be Shared

The most vital and thriving congregations practice Shared Ministry. This includes an intention to match personal gifts with opportunities to serve, in covenantal relationship, all in service to the mission and vision of the congregation. The health and vitality of the congregation depends on the health and vitality of its minister(s), religious educator(s), music professional(s), administrative professional(s), membership professional(s) and other staff.


This library of resources on the UUA website was compiled by a Shared Ministry Resource Team, comprised of members of LREDA, UUMA, UUMN, with input from the Ministries and Faith Development and Congregational Life offices of the UUA.