Position Description

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. All interviews take place online.

Please send a letter of interest, resume, and supporting materials to the RE Search Advisory Team at DREE-Search@uucuc.org. If you have questions about the position, please email Rev. Florence Caplow at minister@uucuc.org.

Position is Full-time; Salaried, Exempt | Start date: Approximately August 1, 2021

The salary range is $53,400 to $57,300. UUCUC provides full benefits as per UUA recommendations. UUCUC is committed to paying salaries for all staff at least at mid-range for our size and Geo-index, as well as following UUA guidelines for staff benefits. Level of LREDA credentialing and other experience will affect salary. Full details on the DREE benefits package can be found at this link.

Summary: The Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign seeks a Director of Religious Exploration and Engagement. As a vital, rapidly growing, social-justice oriented congregation of 345 adult members and 100 children and youth, the church is completing a successful three-year interim religious education process with a Credentialed Interim Director of Religious Education. As part of the interim process, the church developed a new Five-Year Strategic Plan, with a clear vision for the integration of all ages into the full life of the congregation, and the role of the Director of Religious Exploration and Engagement as a central pillar of that vision.

The Director of Religious Exploration and Engagement (DREE) will be the staff member with primary responsibility for leading the spiritual and faith development of families and learners from early childhood through high school. The DREE will also collaborate with the ministers and other staff in shared ministry to foster intergenerational engagement and to deepen UU identity and values for people of all ages. While classes and curricula are part of learning, equally important are intergenerational opportunities in worship and social justice work and reflection, particularly anti-racism work, as part of the congregation’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and Black Lives Matter.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about the well-being and development of children, youth, and families. A collaborative spirit, creativity, warmth, playfulness, and the power to inspire and motivate are key qualities for a person in this position. In this time of society-wide change, as well as change within our congregations, adaptive leadership capacity is critical. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about helping us manifest Beloved Community as a truly multi-generational and justice-rooted congregation, where the spiritual needs and gifts of all are valued.

The DREE will be supported by a quarter-time Youth Coordinator and a quarter-time to half-time RE Assistant. The DREE will work closely with the Associate Minister for Congregational Life and the Lead Minister, who is also Chief of Staff for UUCUC.

Essential Functions of the DREE Position

• Develop and curate creative and powerful learning and engagement opportunities that reflect a commitment to anti-racism, development of leadership, social, and emotional skills, and diversity in programming, curricula and leadership for children, youth, and families (diversity includes racial, sexual, gender, emotional and physical ability, neurodiversity, and others).
• Collaborate with Ministers and volunteer Adult Religious Exploration leaders to develop and support the Adult Religious Explorations program, with a clear commitment to anti-racism, equity, and diversity. 
• Work closely with lay leadership in the RE Council to plan Religious Exploration and Engagement across the lifespan. Facilitate innovative opportunities for families, teachers, and parents to share activities and develop relationships outside of traditional Sunday morning activities (e.g. family-friendly gatherings, parenting support, teacher training)
• Work with Ministers, the Worship Committee, and Staff Worship Team to develop opportunities for full inclusion of children, youth, young adults and families in worship, and collaborate in worship planning with the Staff Worship Team with a particular focus on the needs of children and families.
• Establish opportunities for youth and young adults to serve as mentors and models for younger children to foster leadership in young people.
• Collaborate with Social Justice, Membership, and other committees and task forces to fully include all ages in their activities, wherever possible.
• Recruit, train, support, and supervise the Youth Coordinator, the RE Assistant, and other RE staff and volunteers.

Core Competencies

• Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, and values of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign (UUCUC) as well as Unitarian Universalist values, theology, and understanding. 
• Educational Skills: Has training in child and human development, understands and keeps current on trends and best practices in religious education and lifespan faith development, as well as anti-racism and social justice, and communicates these to teachers, ministers, and congregational leaders. 
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates passion for religious education, children, and families; a positive outlook, the ability to inspire others and to be self-motivated, as well as work in a staff team. Able to accept constructive criticism, can navigate conflict successfully; manifests a participatory style for achieving goals.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to use computer programs relevant to the position (Word, Excel) as well as web-based training materials, ability to provide communications in a timely manner.
• Leadership Skills: Inspires trust and confidence from teachers, committee members, parents and children; brings new ideas from the larger community of religious educators to UUCUC; is a good judge of character and provides opportunities for volunteers to grow and develop. 
• Management Skills: Manages work time well without overworking; marshals resources (people, funding, materials) to get projects completed on time and successfully; keeps accurate records and a functional filing system, as well as successfully managing an annual budget.
• Personal Self Awareness and Development: Is aware of personal strengths and growing edges; demonstrates spiritual maturity and sensitivity to different learning and communication styles; practices personal stress reduction and spiritual growth work; works with a religious education mentor and actively seeks collegial connections.

Education and experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in education, child development, community development, social work or ministry related field preferred; Liberal Religious Educators Association credentialing (or progress toward credentialing) recommended. 
• Strong computer and digital communication skills.
• Demonstrated training in and understanding of anti-racism education and action within congregations and communities.
• Understanding of theories of learning and religious traditions.
• Knowledge of and willingness to learn more about UU principles, history, and traditions, and particularly current social justice concerns within UU.

Job Conditions: Currently our building is closed and all staff are working primarily from home except when it is necessary to enter the building. We anticipate that after the building re-opens partially or wholly sometime in the fall of 2021, the DREE will work in a professional office setting during the week, with work from home also possible. Evening and weekend hours are often required. This job is multifaceted and sometimes requires work under time pressure. However, the UUCUC staff culture emphasizes self-care and not over-working. Nearly all parts of the church are accessible for those who use mobility assistance, although the entrances to the building require the use of an elevette.

Letter from Lead Minister, Rev. Florence Caplow, to Applicants

Meet the Religious Exploration Advisory Search Team

Who We Are

Click on the descriptions below in each section to read about congregational life, the congregation’s mission, anti-racism and anti-oppression at UUCUC, and living in Urbana-Champaign!

Congregational Life

The Congregation’s Mission

Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression at UUCUC

Living in Urbana-Champaign

Religious Education at UUCUC

History of Religious Education at UUCUC

Click here to read a timeline of the religious education at the church; on that page, you will also find a link to a video about the history of the church, produced and led by congregant Jerry Carden.

Letter to Applicants from Interim Director of Religious Education, Dr. Michele Townsend Grove

Recent children and youth-centric Services:

• Our service “Adaptability” was led by Youth Coordinator Emily McKown and others from the Y.R.U.U.
  
• Our service “Preparation, Anticipation, Waiting” was led by Michele Grove, Interim Director of Religious Education, and Emily McKown, Youth Coordinator.

In January of 2021, the RE Advisory Search Team conducted a congregational survey on the new job title and essential functions of the DREE position. Sixty-three members of the congregation responded to the survey. The word cloud below displays the answers to a question about which qualities the respondents thought were most important in the person who will be in our new position. Below that, you may read other responses to some of the questions by clicking that link or on the image of UUCUC Survey Responses.

The team also conducted three focus groups on the job description: one of parents, one of RE teachers, and one of RE leaders. Edits to the job description were made in response to the feedback from the focus groups.

Take a tour of UUCUC!

The slideshow below gives you an idea of the classroom spaces and sanctuary of the church. In addition, there are some photos of Emily McKown, Youth Coordinator, working with the youth groups at the church and events.