Reflections on Negotiating a Call Agreement

The Rev. Davi Weasley, Pastor, Everett United Church of Christ, Everett, Washington, shares tips to help ministers advocate for themselves during the call agreement negotiation process.

Have an honest conversation

When you’re starting a call agreement process, I think it’s important to have a really honest conversation. I want to feel like I’m advocating for my own compensation, resources, and labor practices that are going to be lifegiving for me. But it’s also important to know that it’s not just me I’m having that conversation for. When I advocate for a fair and just call agreement, that sets the stage for every clergy person who comes after me.

Ask yourself: Is this church or community the right fit for me

It’s important to think about what you and your family need not only to survive, but to live well in a healthy way—to be building up savings, to be moving toward home ownership, to be setting aside money for your kids’ college, or to be paying off your student loans. If the church can’t afford to help you do that, then it might not be the right call for you.

Advocate for yourself

It’s wise to approach a letter of call negotiation or discussion as you would any other kind of serious discernment, knowing that the Spirit might call you to walk away. It’s far better to say no—for your own wellbeing, the health of the congregation, and the stability of the entire family system—than to say yes to something unsustainable.

Don’t settle for less healthcare

You want to be clear in saying, “I’m looking for health coverage for me and my family,” and identify who those folks are and what that coverage will look like. It’s a huge burden for families if they want to find their own insurance, both in terms of stress and in terms of expenses. I will say I’ve had a really good experience with the Pension Boards’ plan.

For me, one of the nice things about working with a denomination like the United Church of Christ is that while it’s not a requirement for all our clergy be on the same healthcare plan, it’s a possibility. If I were a moderator at a church and they said, “Oh, we can afford to pay a pastor, but we can’t afford their health insurance,” to me, it means they can’t afford a pastor because part of calling a pastor is providing for their income and health.

You’re worth it

I like to go in with some sense of my own power and responsibility in the role that has called me. They want you. They really don’t want you to walk away. You might have other options. They might have other options too, but it would be a huge inconvenience to them.

Ask questions

Many jobs that call people cross-country pay the moving expenses, and I think the congregation should consider that. It’s important to think about housing, retirement, and health insurance, but also more specific features like who owns the sermons, workshops, prayers, and liturgical writing that you create as part of the job. I think it’s appropriate in a letter of call to say, “These features all belong to the person who wrote them—the pastor—and the church can use them while the pastor serves there.” If they want to use them after the pastor leaves, they can reach out to the pastor and ask, which feels like a positive way of shepherding that intellectual property.

Think about the whole church community

If a church has a history of overworking their clergy, not respecting vacation time or time away, or asking them to work more than is appropriate—more than 40 hours, for example— then you can make that all the more clear in your call agreement and say, “This is my boundary.” 

It’s a cliche to say, “Good fences make good neighbors.” But I think it’s true that being prayerful about covenant makes for a vibrant community. That’s the whole pitch for me of what it means to be part of the United Church of Christ.