Something for the Journey
Janette M. Lallier, Director of Operations & Finance
 I grew up on a cul-de-sac across from Casmir Pulaski Elementary school in Meriden, CT. Removed from the main road, for half of the year, my neighborhood was quiet, allowing us kids to play in the street with relative safety. And each year, the week after labor day that changed when the school opened and buses, car-pools, and family station-wagons descended for morning drop-off. Many years later I find myself in a relatively quiet corner of The Bronx, once again living across from The Horace Mann Day School. And while the busses and station wagons have been replaced by taxis, town cars and subway arrivals, the sound of September enthusiasm is remarkably similar.
While my position at the UUMA does not follow a school calendar, I can’t help but get energized by the sounds of a new start. As our children and youth return to school many of you in congregational and institutional settings are also returning. And, like me, many others have been at their desks throughout the summer, perhaps awaiting a burst of enthusiasm or a new place to focus your energies. If so, I want to hold up the Find-A-Minister project that the UUMA soft-launched at this past Ministry Days and are very enthusiastic about!
Many of you who are not full time employed with congregations or institutions have been telling us you need more ways to promote your ministries to those who are looking for what you have to give. We are excited to have designed a tool that we hope will help expand the reach of your ministries in meaningful ways.
Find-A-Minister is a new search tool on our site which is fully integrated with our membership management system. The only thing you need to do to be included is fill out the Find-A-Minister section of your uuma.org profile and check that you’d like to be included in user searches. This search tool will offer benefits to members seeking to find other members, including replacing our clunky mentor database. Current mentors should select the kinds of mentoring they are available for in the Member to Member section and, if open for a mentee, opt-in to be listed in the search. It will also benefit members with innovative and entrepreneurial ministries as well as members seeking opportunities to provide ministerial services for a fee such as pulpit supply, rights of passage, coaching and consulting services.
We designed this tool with access and security in mind. You control whether you opt in or out and what shows up on searches. Searchers will be able to access only what you have shared. To inquire with you they will click a button that goes to you through our site. This means no one will have access to your contact information unless and until you give it to them.
We launched the tool to members at Ministry Days in a beta version. After we get a large representation of members enrolled, seek feedback, and work out the kinks, we will make this tool available more widely. We imagine starting with a special focus on reaching out to lay-led congregations who do not have the financial resources to employ a minister, but who have some resources to compensate guest ministers for various roles. Find more details about what this is and isn’t on our site and if you want assistance with your profile sign up with our new Membership Administrator Rev. Denise Cawley. We are grateful to be in this work with you and want to help you share your gifts far and wide because your ministry is a blessing in our world.
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