Make a Difference by Becoming a UUA Moderator. Here’s How to Apply.

The Unitarian Universalist Association is searching for a new moderator—or team of co-moderators—to serve as its chief governance officer.

A volunteer position, the moderator chairs the UUA Board of Trustees; is the presiding officer at the annual General Assembly; and works closely with the board, executive staff, and committees of the Association to shape and “hold the vision and mission of the UUA,” according to the Moderator Search Committee (MSC).

The deadline to apply for the position is September 15, 2024, but interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The election for the new moderator or co-moderators, who serve for a term of six years, will take place in June 2025. The term for the current co-moderators, Rev. Meg Riley and Charles Du Mond, who were elected in 2019, ends in June 2025.

“It’s such an important moment in Unitarian Universalism, and this is such an important role,” as the moderator is a highly visible presence at GA, at board meetings, and in connecting groups and people, says Rev. KC Slack, a member of the search committee.

The MSC is open to individual applicants but encourages people to apply as a team given the demands of the position, says Slack. The role can demand 15 to 20 hours during an average week. In the weeks leading up to and during GA, the position typically requires 25 to 30 hours a week.

Elandria Williams and Rev. Mr. Barb Greve served as the first co-moderator team for the UUA following the unexpected death of moderator Jim Key in 2017. Riley and Du Mond are the Association’s second co-moderator team. “We are looking for a team or individual to take on the role that Meg and Charles have so aptly done for these past almost six years,” says Slack. “We are open to individuals, but this is a big position, there’s a lot of work involved in this.” Moreover, Slack adds, “As an Association, we’re leaning in the direction of collaborative leadership and leadership teams.”

A team of two has worked well, and Slack says they can imagine a three-person team although a larger one might be unwieldy. “But if people have a proposal [for something else] we are willing to look at how that might work,” says Slack, who is senior leader at the Washington Ethical Society in Washington, D.C.

What Qualities are Important for Potential UUA Moderators?

Among qualities important to the role are a strong understanding and skill set regarding dismantling oppression and white supremacy toward collective liberation and transformative justice, as well as strong skills in decision-making, policy-based governance and modified policy-based governance, public speaking, and organization and time management.

Experience leading governance and a deep grounding and love for the UU faith are essential, according to the MSC, which adds that the moderator must be able to creatively work with and provide appropriate collaborative leadership for individuals, small groups, and very large groups.

What Opportunities are Available to UUA Moderators?

Among other opportunities—including guiding the faith to govern itself in alignment with its values, welcoming new UU congregations and communities, and working with volunteers and staff—the moderator(s) will serve the faith in helping to dismantle white supremacy culture, including by implementing the recommendations in Widening the Circle of Concern, the report from the UUA’s Commission on Institutional Change.

“So much of the work that the Association has been doing in the past even decade is focused on how do we live into our values for real, and the ways that racism and white supremacy culture filter into everything we do and get in the way of our ability to live into the fullness of what Unitarian Universalism could be,” says Slack. “So, we’re looking for people who are committed, who have a level of understanding about the work that’s already been done, and who are ready to build into those next stages of welcome, of real inclusivity, of ability to really put love in the center in the way we have said we would like to.”

What are the Application Requirements for Potential GA Moderators?

Other than a requirement that the nominees be members of a UUA member congregation, there are no other restrictions on the ability to apply, including age or status as a religious professional. People with disabilities, people of color, Indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQAI+ Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to apply. The moderator must travel to Boston and other locations for meetings, celebrations, and events. Although the position is a volunteer one, all expenses are reimbursed, and there is modest reimbursement available for lost wages.

“We’ve seen over the past decade or so how much the moderator position has been needed within the UUA in terms of upholding conversations and upholding covenants and communications especially in national UU spaces like GA,” says Chloe Ockey, a member of the MSC. Ockey says the MSC is looking for an individual or team “that can work creatively and provide the leadership we need in those spaces.”

A particularly important quality in a co-moderator team is “clear communication,” Slack says. Overlapping but distinct skill sets would also be helpful, such as a team where one co-moderator is very good at running meetings and the other is very good at handling the background duties before or after meetings—and they agree on who does what. It would be helpful for the team to have a sense of how they work together under pressure, Slack adds.

What is the UUA Moderator Search Timeline?

The MSC was appointed by the UUA board to recommend qualified individuals or teams of individuals for their review and potential nomination.

On October 15, the MSC will confidentially submit two or more qualified persons or teams to the board; the board will announce its nominees by November 15. For candidates who choose to file a nomination by petition to the UUA secretary, the deadline is February 1, 2025.

If the board chooses to nominate more than one individual or team, or if an individual/team runs by petition, a contested election for moderator will be held at General Assembly 2025, a multiplatform GA to be held June 19-22 online and in-person in Baltimore, Maryland.

MSC ‘Really Hopeful’ about the UUA Moderator Campaign

The MSC is working to identify at least two individual candidates or two candidate teams to present to the board, and, from there, to be voted on.

“We want to make sure people feel heard and have the opportunity to participate in democracy the way they would like to,” Slack says.

Slack said they are “really hopeful” that the moderator campaign will exhibit the qualities of respect and camaraderie among the candidates that were so prominent among the three candidates—Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Jeanne Pupke, and Rev. Alison Miller—who ran for UUA President in 2017 (Frederick-Gray was elected and served until 2022).

“They had such respect for each other and such care for the wider health of Unitarian Universalism. I would love to see a campaign that looks and feels like that,” Slack says.

As a young adult UU, Ockey—who serves as director of communications at the UU Congregation of Rockville, Maryland—would like to see other young adults apply for the position, especially those interested in the work of collaborative leadership on a national scale.

Interested parties who have questions about the position or process are encouraged to email the MSC at ModeratorSearchCommittee@uua.org.