Our History
In 2009, at the LREDA Fall Con, a group of interim religious educators gathered informally to envision a dedicated support organization for the specialized field of interim religious education. Over the following years, this group expanded and structured itself, ultimately becoming an official organization in 2016 as the Guild of Interim Religious Educators. From the beginning, our mission has been clear: to support religious educators who have identified transitions and interim ministry in their portfolio, to foster ongoing professional development—because learning is a lifelong journey—and to advocate for the critical work of interim ministry in our congregations. Our leadership is guided by the Executive Team and the broader programmatic efforts of the Steering Team.
As our membership has grown, we have welcomed other Unitarian Universalist professionals engaged in transitional work within our network. Ministers, Music Directors, and Administrators from UU congregations recognize the importance of transition management and the best practices for guiding communities through periods of change. In 2023, our members voted to rename the organization as the Association of Unitarian Universalist Transitions Professionals, reflecting our broader commitment to connecting UU professionals dedicated to transitional work within their congregations.
Our Mission
- Support transitions professionals, as well as settled professionals who recognize the value of the interim process in their ministry.
- Advocate for the vital work of transitional and interim ministries in Unitarian Universalist congregations.
- Provide continuing education opportunities for Unitarian Universalist professionals to foster growth and excellence in transitional leadership. To learn more about upcoming education experiences, go to our Education page.
Meet the Executive Team
The executive team is responsible for overseeing the organization, handling legal and financial matters, and setting the mission and vision.
Membership
Membership is open to anyone who engages with transition with their religious professional work. AUUTP supports the work of interim, transitional, and developmental religious education, music and other ministries and all practitioners in faith-based communities. To be a member, one must:
- Wish to connect with others engaged in transitional or interim work in our UU congregations or within the Unitarian Universalist denomination.
- Be a member of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) or similar organization.
- Have completed the AUUTP Transitional Religious Leadership interim training.
To become a member, please see details on our Membership page.