One of the Joint Search Committee's I was part of several years back made a decision to send a "invitation to consider our vacancy" letter to ministry personnel who had been in long term ministry places, with the idea being they may be interested in a change if something appealed to them.  We gleaned this information from The UCC diretory, I believe.

 

This process was not successful for us, but I think it was our location, not necessarily the process.

 

You might want to consider it.  Like I say, it was years ago, don't know if the directory is still something printed or not?

 

What is the current UCCan stance on that practice or other "cold" approaches? When I was in a UCCan search back in the eighties, we actually went to hear a minister who wasn't applying but who someone heard might be interested (he was in a two-point semi-rural charge and we were a suburban charge in a growing community). We ended up approaching him and, lo and behold, he applied and was called. I know all this because I was one of the two committee members who initially heard and approached him. However, in my current religious world, the UUA discourages these kind of approaches from an ethical standpoint.

 

Mendalla

 

http://christiancareerscanada.com/

Try posting a link to your web site on Twitter with hashtage #uccan.
Do it weekly

Also post the link on UCC forms, on Facebook. In fact You could create a forum on Facebook so that you and thers could post job ads from now on. Call ot United Church of Canada Jobs in Ministry. I am sure it will take off.

You might also like to inform Unifaith, which is an union type organisation with many UCC ministers

Hi Hilary - here are several to consider that I recently used  - 

http://churchleadership.united-church.ca/  (I think this is the site for the national vacancy listings - there are/were some weird restriction about submitting info, but it seems anybody can register & enter a post with links to your church site etc.- you might have to explore the site a bit to figure that out)

 

http://cruxifusion.ca/  - this has a more specific membership/audience - it may or may not reflect the focus you are seeking, but is generally UCCan folk 

 

When we were starting to advertise, I explored the site jae lists above - it was predominantly Baptist, evangelical, alliance, and a few Presbyterian postings at that time - no UCCan clergy.

 

Ask your congregation to submit names of any ministers they think might be a good fit - we had a recommendation from a person re the clergy who had done her mom's funeral in another part of our province - we got in touch, and although the minister had not been actively considering a move at that time, he was open to what seemed to be God calling, and in fact that's who we ended up selecting! 

Yes, that's true, along with several Pentecostal/Charismatic listings. Still, there's no reason why a UCCanada congregation couldn't post there seeking a new leader.

I would suggest word of mouth as well.  Does your church have a good reputation? Do you have clear missional items, use it to reach out to those who know you...

 

I would also in today's day & age to post the position on your own church site, then put a link to that on the United Church of Canada facebook group.

Hah, that may be a revenue stream for wc2 if you culd get enough traffic...

In the midst of my Staff Ass Ministry, I receeived a postcard from down East, for a church needing a staff ass and asking me to apply. Ummmmm, they must have received my name from some list or other. UCCAN are good at making lists.

Hi Hilary,

 

 

The most reliable location is the National Vacancy List.  Somebody at the Conference level should be able to help you get your info on that list.  It is a free service and all United Church clergy looking for a new pastoral relationship tend to subscribe to the vacancy list just to see which Churches are in need of clergy.

 

Regrettably the Church has not seen fit to offer a similar service the other way.  A National Seeking List so to speak where all clergy looking for a call present their contact information.  Of course, most clergy don't let their congregations know they are planning on leaving until they have a safe spot to land so such a list would blow their cover.  

 

 

Churches are free to advertize anywhere they think a prospective minister might hang out.

 

So if you wanted to take advantage of social media you could contact the various FB pages set up for United Church interests.  I expect that it would get buried mighty fast on most of those sites.

 

Grace and peace to you.

John

Why is the UCCanada such a closed shop? Most of the comments on this thread seem to suggest only looking for a new UCCanada minister through UCCanada channels. Could the lack of fresh leadership entering the denomination from outside be one of the reasons why the denomination is dying?

What are you talking about? You do realize you have to be certified to work for the church, yes? Ps, it isn't a denomination issue . You seem to be trolling again, jae, you bored or did someone sting yoh

Hi Dcn. Jae,

 

 

We aren't a closed shop.  That said there are certain requirements that clergy need to meet in order to be called or appointed within the United Church of Canada.  Advertizing through traditional means within the Church is the quickest way to access those who meet the requirements of the institution.

 

 

If you wanted to buy a new Ford (for example) would you go to a Nissan dealership?  I doubt that congregations in your denomination go looking for their new clergy people on United Church lists.

 

 

This may come as a surprise to you but on average The United Church of Canada accepts roughly 10 clergy from other denominations per year.  We probably take in more Salvation Army clergy than any other denomination but we get Presbyterians and Roman Catholics as well.  

 

I don't know how many leave the United Church in any given year to go elsewhere.

 

We also have a fair number of congregations which are shared ventures with the Anglican Church.  Typically calls to those congregations alternate between Anglican and United clergy.

 

Grace and peace to you.

John

Certified in what way? Thing is, I've heard and read about other denominations hiring from outside. There is certainly a degree of movement within the evangelical churches. The UCCanada, however, from most of what I've read here, seems to only be interested in relocating its own.

see revjohn's response above.

We have "hired from outside" for our Children's Church coordinator position - but clergy is different - as we're a UCCan church, we seek UCCan clergy.

Hilary I know of a UC of C minister not currently in a church. She's in lethbridge and might be open to applying. She is currently doing some pulpit supply and weddings and other non church jobs.

Post or message me your link and I will pas it on.

What is a staff ass ministry. sounds suspect to me lol

That hit me too Alex - that crazyheart :) :) :)

Thank you all for your help (and humour)!  I will be passing all this information along to the chair of our JNAC.

I've sent you a wondermail, Tabitha, about who you might know in Lethbridge.

Hilary - when I was on a search committee and planning to attend both Conference and a theological seminar, it was suggested that I keep my eyes open for any ministers who might match our requirements and be in a position to move. 

 

I did find one who I was very impressed with who had been ministering in a small isolated community since settlement over five years previous.  (Many clergy only stay in their settlement positions for two or three years.)   He appreciated the invitation to be interviewed but declined because he hoped to move back to his home province when the opportunity arose and, being a man of principal, he didn't think he could accept our call, if it were offered, unless he intended to stay three or more years.

 

I also called another minister who had been in his position for some time and who I thought might be interested in a change, but he too wasn't interested. 

 

We did eventually find several people who were interested.

 

 

 

Really? Someone at GCE needs to talk to UUA. I'm about 99% certain our system works both ways and that once a congregation's record in the system is uploaded and approved, they can search for matches among listed ministers just as ministers can search listed congregations. Not sure how they handle the "minister who is looking w/o the congregation knowing" scenario.

 

Mendalla

 

 

Non-UCCan clergy can and do move into the UCCan (per John above). I personally know a UU minister who did so (who is known to some folks on here). But it isn't as simple as applying for a UCCan position from what she told me. Educational and other credentials need to be examined to ensure they meet UCCan requirements and there is the question of essential agreement. It is not something you can do lightly and it is the minister, not the congregation, who needs to initiate the process of being credentialied in the UCCan.

 

UU, on the other hand, does have some wiggle room due to the fact that it is ultimately in the hands of each congregation who they call. UUA provides support and advice and credentials ministers but if the congregation chooses to go a different path, all the UUA can do is inform them that the UUA Settlement office won't be able to help if there are problems. I recently read (and may have posted it here) that that a UU congregation stateside is now being led by a rabbi.

 

Mendalla

 

Closed shop? Your church doesn't hire women for ministry. How do you accept gender inequality as policy, and then call the UCCan a closed shop?

 

Actually when ministers apply to transfer in their name is read at Presbytery meetings all across Canada to see if anyone knows of any reason they are not fit. -as well as all the other screening and credential checks.

 

Too bad Hilary-you know of whom I speak but no go.

 

At this present time my church doesn't have any women in paid ministry, that's true. However, we certainly have many women and men in various kinds of volunteer ministry. We have also hired women to be in ministry in the past and may well do so again in the future.

There used to be a national availability list of clergy willing to declare themselves available for call -- this list was only available to Joint Search Committees to protect the privacy of clergy who were willing to consider a move, but had not requested a change in pastoral relationships.

 

The church I am serving in Calgary as a transiional minister had, at last count, 14 applications, and almost all of them before the ad was printed in the Observer.

 

One member of Calgary Presbytery just became available when her appointment as  chaplain was not renewed --  I see her as having strong gifts for ministry.

 

From: http://www.wondercafe.ca/discussion/church-life/admission-order-ministry

 

Now I'm just confused.

 

 

Is it presumptuous of our Search Committee to contact theirs?  Could we contact those applicants who are unsuccessful at your church with an invitation to apply to ours?  In their correspondence, would your Search Committee say "We don't want you, but maybe you want to look at ************ United Church's JNAC report."?

I'm so jealous of you having so many applicants!  I hope you find someone great!

 

 

[edited to clarify pronouns]

I believe they are not allowed to pass on the nemes of applicants due to confidentiality requirements.

http://www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/jobs

 

 

Thanks for that link Sterton.  Isn't it interesting that my Conference is not even listed, suggesting that our posting is still not on their website after three months!  Argh!

Oh no :(

Actually Hilary, my conference does NOT show on the list either - because they do not post vacancies on the conference website (for some reason that I fail to comprehend).  If you go below the conferences list you will see a link to the vacancies listing - so hopefully your ad appears there. 

... it takes me to a login page!  The ad might appear there, but I don't know who gets to see it.  

OOh!  You're right!  I didn't try the link. So just register - it's free.  I think that's what I must have done.  Anybody looking would have likely registered. 

 The reason vacancies are not posted to a specific web site is that it has been found that open vacancies in Toronto Conference draw applications from around the world; all of which are simply not qualified or are unsuitable. Foreign applications for vacancies must be vetted and checked by the National Office and prequalified. The Vacancies list is posted to Church Learning Network, for which you have to apply and be prequalified. The process is also undergoing massive changes.