The Ministry (ritual, attend, church, spiritual, pastor)

[Runt]

Jobs in the ministry:

Community Ministery: There are three kinds of callings for community ministers:

1. Those who work independently or with an organization OUTSIDE of a congregation to serve the cause of Unitarian Universalism
2. Those who attempt to bridge congregations and secular organizations
3. Those who serve part-time in a congregation, and work part-time in a community organization.

The Ministry of Religious Education: Trains people as lay professional UU Religious Educators as well as Ministers of Religious Education.

International Ministry: For those serving overseas.

Qualities looked for in applicants for the ministry: a strong motivation to join the ministry, a balanced and healthy personality, a capacity for self-understanding, a concern for others, and intellectual and leadership abilities.

Process to joining the ministry:

http://www.uua.org/programs/ministry/credentialing/

To be an applicant for the ministry you must:
1. Graduate from college
2. Earn a Master of Divinity degree from a theological school approved by the Committee.
3. Be sponsored by a UU Congregation (and attend a UU Church for at least 2 years)
4. Complete an approved internship
5. Go through the interview process

The site lists the basic requirements for UU ministry as:

1. Career assessment program at a career center approved by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee
2. Candidacy status granted by an RSCC
3. Sponsorship by a UU Congregation
4. Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent;
5. Approved internship;
6. Basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education;
7. Completion of the Reading List;
8. Interview with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee.

Similarly, ministers of Religious Education are required to: have a Master of Divinity or equivalent, graduate work in areas of Religious Education, A Clinical Pastoral Program, and a supervised ministerial internship.

Theological Schools Offering the Master of Divinity Degree:

The Unitarian Universalist Association is most closely related to two theological schools, Starr King School for the Ministry and Meadville/Lombard Theological School. In addition, the UUA maintains close ties with Harvard Divinity School which is non-denominational.

The education you receive at a theological school (in association with the UUA) will include courses on Unitarian Universalist history, polity, religious education and arts of ministry, counciling techniques, and classes on a variety of different spiritual paths. (Look at this link for some of the classes at the Starr King School: http://www.sksm.edu/academics/spring_2004.php)

[Green Gaia]

Cool, thank you for looking all that up and posting it.

Is going into the ministry something you are considering?

[Runt]

Aye, it could be a fulfilling job... but it is not a decision I am ready to really think about right now... I'm still in high school, I like a LOT of potential careers that would be just as fulfilling, and who knows what will happen between now and grad school?