*If you’re not aware of which region your church is located, please check the Keystone
Conference Map for assistance.
We recognize that Seasons of Transition can be challenging times for church members (and pastors), and we want to be present on the journey with you. With the recent changes to the Search and Call process and to the UCC Local Church Profile, even if it has only been a few years since your last search, this one is likely to be different.
Search and Call is the umbrella term that we use for the process by which our local churches seek new pastors, and searching pastors seek new settings for ministry. The UCC does give us a basic process, but there are variations across the denomination that meet regional needs and peculiarities. Your Regional Conference Minister, our Search and Call Team Members, and Church Future Coaches are here to help along the way.
Thanks to your contributions to Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM), the Keystone Conference can offer resources to make the transition smooth: connecting you to temporary leadership and pastoral care resources like interims, bridge pastors, or Sunday supply, guiding your Consistory or Council in the logistics of transition, training your Search Committee on discerning a candidate fit for the specific needs of your congregation, and so much more!
Contact your RCM today to get started.
A special note for searching pastors, please indicate your willingness to serve in the Keystone Conference in the UCC Profiles Portal, and contact the person listed in UCC Opportunities to note your interest in specific positions posted at UCC Opportunities.
If you do not hold UCC authorization for ministry, you will need to complete a profile equivalent and a criminal background check through our conference office. Our congregations are instructed to accept profiles or profile equivalents only through the Conference Office. Contact one of the Regional Conference Ministers to begin this paperwork. You can read about Dual Standing and Privilege of Call authorization in Section 2.2 of the UCC’s Manual on Ministry.
