Interim Director of Religious Education
The departure of a Director of Religious Education (DRE) from a congregation, while often a sad occasion, can also be a fruitful time for change. This is particularly true when the tenure of the DRE has been long-term or complex.
What have been the highlights and the challenges of the religious education programs of the past? What unique identity can be claimed for the religious education program, and how can this identity be strengthened? Are there new ways of doing things, changes in the structures of the program, personnel, and policies that might be timely to envision? What must happen for the congregation to attract the settled religious educator of its choice, and look forward to a future in religious education with welcome and excitement? These are the sorts of questions that a trained Interim Director of Religious Education can help a congregation explore.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has developed a program of training in interim religious education. The information and events described below will be of interest to religious educators and congregations seeking more information about the training and interim religious education.
Reception at GA for Interim DREs
You are invited to a Reception at GA for those interested in
Interim Religious Education. It is meant for those serving as Interim
DRE's, those who might be interested in becoming one, and those
congregations wanting to learn more about interim religious education.
It will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. -
6:15 p.m., at the Grande Ballroom A of the Fort Lauderdale Grande
Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP by Thursday June 12, 2008, to Beth Williams, the
Religious Education Credentialing Director, at
recdirector @ uua.org
or by phone at (617) 948-6417.
UUA Interim DRE Training
The UUA's Interim DRE Training course offers education and support for Religious Education professionals working with congregations in transition. The training will be held on July 23-25, 2008, at the Eliot & Pickett Houses in Boston, MA. You are invited to apply for this training if you are an experienced Religious Educator serving in an interim capacity now or in the near future. The application deadline is July 14, 2008; the application form and details about the training are in this brochure (PDF).
Developmental Tasks for the Interim Period for Professional Interim Religious Educators
Developed by the UUA Interim DRE Visioning Team in March 2005 and revised in May 2005.
- Coming to Terms with History
- Helping the congregation’s leaders to get a perspective on its RE history and culture.
- Helping the congregation claim, honor and appreciate its past and work toward health and healing.
- Getting feedback and gathering information about past events and circumstances, negative as well as positive.
- Helping congregation and RE leaders to process the transition of the predecessor.
- Knowing what questions to ask to facilitate this process.
- Evolving a Unique Religious Education Program Identity
- Helping the congregation to gain a new understanding as a lifelong learning community.
- Helping the congregation’s religious education community to gain self awareness of its wholeness: emotional, spiritual, and sociological status.
- Illuminating the congregation's unique RE program identity: its strengths, its needs, its challenges.
- Helping to make connections with other committees and groups in the congregation in its shared ministry to children, youth, and adults.
- Getting feedback and gathering information, positive and negative.
- Modeling new approaches, practices and procedures.
- Being visible.
- Evaluating the RE program and its safe congregations policies and procedures.
- Offering vision.
- Knowing what questions to ask to facilitate this process.
- Leadership Changes During the Interim Period
- Helping to identify the changes needed in RE program structure and staffing.
- Clarifying the multiple dimensions of leadership and aiding in navigating the shifts in leadership that accompany times of transition.
- Advocating for strong RE Committees and lay RE leadership development.
- Attending to self care.
- Exercising ability to listen.
- Providing a stable and non-anxious presence.
- Helping to empower the congregation and RE leadership through positive attitude.
- Demonstrating skills in navigating the transitions.
- Modeling new approaches, practices and procedures.
- Offering vision.
- Nurturing collegial relationships with other staff.
- Knowing what questions to ask to facilitate this process.
- Renewing Denominational Linkages
- Raising awareness among the RE Program leaders about the
importance of Unitarian Universalist Association and professional
identities and relationships.
- Renewing connections with available resources and services
within the district and the UUA, including LREDA and other RE and
lifespan faith development resources.
- Knowing what questions to ask to facilitate this process.
- Commitment to the Future Vitality of the RE Program
- Enabling the congregation to renew its vision, strengthen its stewardship, prepare for new professional leadership and engage its future with anticipation and zest.
- Helping the congregation focus their energies on the future in a positive way.
- Planning closure and have an effective leave-taking strategy.
- Knowing how (and how not) to be involved in the search process for the next religious educator.
- Implementing change while leaving the system open to future changes.
- Developing and implementing a transition strategy for transferring information to next religious educator.
- Knowing what questions to ask to facilitate this process.
- Conducting or overseeing the customary responsibilities and functions of RE program Administration and Leadership
- Clarifying tasks, priorities and communication functions from the beginning, making adjustments along the way.
- Establishing clear boundaries with regard to work roles, responsibilities, hours, and relationships.
- Fulfilling the responsibilities and functions as outlined in the established job description.
Recommended Resources
The Janus Workbook, 2002, From the Pacific Central and Pacific Northwest Districts, and the UUA Settlement Office of the Ministry & Professional Leadership Staff Group, UUA.
Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbook for Interim Ministry, 1998, Roger S. Nicholson, editor. Published by The Alban Institute.
For more information contact recredentialing @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, May 9, 2008.
