Search & Call Resources

​Searching Churches

View churches in our Conference seeking ministerial/pastoral leaders.

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Pastoral Call Agreement

​A resource guide from MESA to be used when covenanting a call agreement between a local church and the pastor they have called.  For use with settled pastors, intentional interim pastors, supply pastors, and designated term pastors.

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Four-Way Covenant Hospital/Chaplaincy
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Three- and Four-Way Convenant Descriptions

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Search and Call Resources

The UCC’s resources for search committees, ministers, interim ministers.

Guides to Search & Call

For search and call assistance, please contact the MMSC Associate Conference Minister, Rev. Damien Lake 314-918-2605 or by email at damien@mmsucc.org.

The Guides give us tools and language to talk about the four different kinds of pastoral ministry:

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1. Settled

2. Interim

3. Supply

4. Designated-Term

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They also provide guidance on the path of discernment for churches seeking ministers and for ministers seeking good places to fulfill their calling.

This work is supported in the Missouri Mid-South Conference by our volunteer Stewards, our volunteer Profile Reader, our Associate Conference Minister, and your OCWM contributions.

Thank you!

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There are four guides to accompany search and call processes (click on the notes to download a PDF copy):

1. Notes for the Local Church

2. Notes for the Intentional Interim Minister

3. Notes for the Supply Minister

4. Notes for the Minister in Search

Click here - UCC Resources & Purchase Guidebooks to Search & Call

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• Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Intentional Interim Minister ($2.50 apiece or 5 for $10.00): For those serving in intentional interim minister positions, this guide provides liturgical and logistical tools for leading a congregation during its transitional season. From the Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Team of the United Church of Christ.

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• Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Local Church ($2.50 apiece or 5 for $10.00): This guide overviews the practical work of transition and the faithful work of discernment that are essential for a congregation’s healthy search process. Includes Bible studies, sample letters to candidates, and more. From the Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Team of the United Church of Christ.

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• Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Minister in Search ($2.50 apiece or 5 for $10.00): This guide outlines the definitions, polity & process, and tools for those who are seeking pastoral positions in UCC churches. Ministers and candidates can use this guide to pray and discern, to learn tips and set personal expectations for the search process, to track communication with churches, and more. From the Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Team of the United Church of Christ.

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• Guide for Pastoral Search and Call: Supply Pastor ($2.50 apiece or 5 for $10.00): This guide provides support for ministers serving temporarily as supply pastors, including questions to help establish clarity of role, liturgies to recognize the start/end of a supply ministry, and discernment tools for faithful leadership. From the Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Team of the United Church of Christ.

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Search and Call Kit for Churches  which would include:

• 3 copies of the Call Agreement Workbook

• 3 copies of the Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Local Church

• 1 copy of the Guide to Pastoral Search and Call: Intentional Interim Ministry

• 1 copy of the Discernment Travelogue

• 1 set of Marks Mosaic Playing Cards

• 1 “Seeking a New Pastor” Poster

• 1 “Sailing on Faith” DVD

• Kit price $35.00

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