UUA Minister Search — Peoples Church of Chicago
Overview
Peoples Church of Chicago is seeking a full-time UUA minister with full benefits offered in contract.
The UUA's minister search system is intentionally private. Individual minister profiles ("ministerial records"), contact information, and resume links are not publicly accessible — they are housed inside the authenticated portal at ministrysearch.uua.org. This is by design to protect ministers' privacy and maintain the integrity of the mutual matching process.
To access the candidate pool, Peoples Church must initiate a formal search through the UUA Transitions Office.
Key Contacts to Access the Candidate Pool
| Name | Role | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christine Purcell | MidAmerica Region Transitions Manager (covers Illinois) | cpurcell@uua.org | — |
| UUA Transitions Office | National ministerial transitions staff | transitions@uua.org | (617) 948-6408 |
| Ministry Credentialing Office | Credentialing and vetting questions | mco@uua.org | (617) 948-6406 |
Recommended first step: Contact Christine Purcell at the MidAmerica Region. She is the direct regional liaison for Illinois congregations in search and will walk the Peoples Church search committee through the process and provide access to ministers open to the Chicago area.
How the UUA Search Process Works
- Congregation contacts the UUA Transitions Office or regional transitions manager to initiate a formal search.
- The congregation is granted access to ministerial records (search portfolios) of ministers currently in search who are open to the region.
- Matching and mutual discernment proceeds through the ministrysearch.uua.org portal.
- The Ministry Search Handbook outlines timelines, expectations, and process steps in full.
Useful Resources
| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| UUA Ministerial Transitions Overview | https://www.uua.org/careers/ministers/transitions |
| Ministry Search Handbook (PDF) | https://www.uua.org/files/2025-06/Ministry_Search_Handbook.pdf |
| MinistrySearch Portal (login required) | https://ministrysearch.uua.org/login |
| At-A-Glance Jobs Board | https://ministrysearch.uua.org/jobs-board |
| MidAmerica Region Transitions | https://www.uua.org/midamerica/resources/transitions |
| MidAmerica Region Contact Page | https://www.uua.org/midamerica/contact-us |
| UU Ministers Association (UUMA) | https://uuma.org |
Other Illinois Congregations Currently in Search (for context)
| Position | Location | Type | Schedule | Target Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister | Palatine, IL (Countryside Church UU) | Contract (multi-year) | Full-time (100%) | August 2026 |
| Minister | DeKalb, IL | Contract (2 years) | Part-time (50%) | July 2026 |
| Interim Minister | Chicago, IL (Second Unitarian) | Interim (1 year) | Full-time (100%) | August 2026 |
Source: UUA At-A-Glance Jobs Board, March 2026
Document prepared March 30, 2026