In order to help First Parish explore possible staffing structures, the Transition Team contacted 12 other mid- to large-sized UU congregations to ask about their staffing structure, recent transitions, governance, conflict resolution process, and covenant. Our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Regional Staff Hilary Allen supplied a list of comparable congregations, to which a few were added based on other recommendations.
This Newsletter provides a summary of the findings. Here we give a deeper dive into the results.
Topics Covered in our Interviews
- Congregation size and growth trends
- Staff Positions with level of effort and reporting relationships
- Contracted Services
- Experience with recent ministerial transitions
- Pastoral Care – How is it provided?
- Governance – Size of Board, governance model used and changes in governance
- Covenant – Does your congregation have a covenant?
- Conflict Management practices
| Congregation | Members | Budget |
| Foothills Unitarian, Fort Collins, CO weekly attendance | 650 * | $1.4M |
| First Parish in Concord, MA | 540 | $1.3 M |
| Community Church of Chapel Hill UU, NC | 498 | $0.8 M |
| UU Congregation of Asheville, NC | 491 | $1.0 M |
| Beacon UU Congregation in Summit, NJ | 470 | $1.1 M |
| First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, TX | 460 | $1.3 M |
| First Parish UU of Arlington, MA | 453 | $1.1 M |
| Neighborhood UU Church, Pasadena, CA | 446 | $1.3 M |
| First Church in Belmont UU, MA | 438 | $1.0 M |
| UU Church of Annapolis, MD | 504 | $0.9 M |
| South Church, Portsmouth, NH | 400 | $0.8 M |
| Follen Church, Lexington, MA | 360 | $0.9 M |
| First UU Society in Newton, MA | 342 | $0.9 M |
Admin and Operations staffing may be understated as many congregations have contracted services (custodial, bookkeeping, tech) which weren’t quantified.
Some second ministers have lifespan faith formation responsibilities, which include RE; therefore, their congregations’ RE staffing is greater than the orange block. (Asheville, Summit, Belmont and Portsmouth)
The following congregations have RE enrollment of 100 or more: Annapolis, Arlington, Belmont, Chapel Hill, and Summit.
Key Positions at Other Congregations
(First Parish positions are bold)
Note that many congregations, rather than having a general “Parish Minister”, has a second minister with a specific charge, such as “Congregational Care”. Ministers with “Lifespan” in their title typically are in charge of Religious Education as well as related areas.
While Rev. Stevie is an ordained minister, the position he holds at First Parish is “Director of Religious Education”.
Note that are most senior administrative position we have is “Manager”, where other congregations have Administrators at the Director or Executive level, alleviating the Lead Minister of administrative management tasks.
Ministry Positions
- Lead or Senior Minister or Co-Ministers (called ministers)
- Minister for Congregational Care
- Minister for Pastoral Care
- Minister of Faith Formation or Minister for Lifespan Faith Formation or Minister of Faith Development
- Parish Minister
- Others use “Assistant Minister” and define primary responsibilities
Lead Religious Education Positions
- Minister of Religious Education
- Director of Religious Education
- Director of Lifespan Ministry or Director of Lifespan Religious Education
- Director of Lifespan Faith Development or Director of Lifespan Faith Formation
- Manager of Religious Education
Community Engagement Positions
- Director of Community Engagement
- Director of Membership & Communications
- Director of Member Engagement
- Director of Congregational Life
- Director of Family and Community Ministries (includes RE)
- Community Engagement Manager
- Congregational Coordinator
- Connections Coordinator
- Membership Coordinator
- Welcoming Coordinator
Lead Administrative Positions
- Executive Director
- Director of Finance and Operations
- Director of Administration
- Director of Operations
- Administrator or Congregational Administrator or Office Administrator
- Office Manager
| City | State | Members | RE Enroll | Pledge Units | Total Expenditures | Minister FTE | Second Minister | Non-Ordained Leader | |||||
| Category 1: More than 400 Members, Budget $1 million + | Title | Called/ Hired | Responsibilities | Title | Called/ Hired | Responsibilities | |||||||
| Fort Collins | CO | 650 | 90 | 450 | $1,300,000 | 3.0 | Associate Minister | called | Spiritual Deepening, Small Groups, Digital Ministry | Executive Director | hired | HR, Processes, admin, fundraising | |
| Assistant Minister | hired | Pastoral Care | |||||||||||
| Concord | MA | 540 | 65 | 308 | $1,300,000 | 2.0 | * | Minister for Congregational Care | hired | Pastoral Care | |||
| Annapolis | MD | 504 | 122 | 316 | $859,700 | 1.0 | none | ||||||
| Chapel Hill | NC | 498 | 180 | 327 | $806,493 | 2.0 | Intern Minister | hired | all aspects of ministry | ||||
| Asheville | NC | 491 | 319 | $989,684 | 2.0 | Minister of Faith Formation | hired | ||||||
| Summit | NJ | 470 | 101 | 238 | $1,135,856 | 2.0 | Assistant Minister | hired | Pastoral care & communications | Executive Director & Lifespan Ministry Lead | hired | finances, facilities and Stewardship | |
| Austin | TX | 460 | 40-60 | 297 | $1,300,000 | 2.0 | Assistant Minister | hired | |||||
| Arlington | MA | 453 (later revised to 417) | 130 | 270 | $1,098,000 | 2.0 | * | Parish Minister | hired | Pastoral care, membership, lay ministry, stewardship, social justice | |||
| Pasadena | CA | 446 | $1,307,686 | 1.0 | |||||||||
| Belmont | MA | 438 | 120 | 230 | $1,000,000 | 1.9 | Assistant Minister for LIfespan Faith Formation | hired | |||||
| City | State | Members | RE Enroll | Pledge Units | Total Expenditures | Minister FTE | Second Minister | Non-Ordained Leader | |||||
| Category 2: Up to 400 Members, Budget less than $1 million | |||||||||||||
| Portsmouth | NH | 400 | 75 | 270 | $762,660 | 2.0 | Director of Lifespan Ministries | called | reports to Board, same as Minister | ||||
| Lexington | MA | 360 | 75 | 248 | $900,000 | 1.5 | Intern Minister | Director of Community Engagement | hired | outreach, welcoming, hospitality, effectiveness, volunteer recruitment | |||
| Newton | MA | 360 | 56 | 250 | $600,000 | 1.1 | Co-Minister | called | share worship, pastoral care, Bd. Hers: social justice & community, membership, stewardship, safe congregation | ||||
| Denotes exception to size grouping | |||||||||||||
| *DRE=MRE; not included in ministerial FTE count | |||||||||||||