SKSM Thresholds & MFC Competencies

Last month, we wrote about the Starr King Thresholds. These Thresholds were created to provide some structure to our degree programs while maintaining a high level of flexibility that allows students to focus on what they want and need to learn. This structure helps students see and understand the progression of their education. Each Threshold pertains to traditional disciplines and fields of religious study – pieces that are essential in each person for their ministry!

Similarly, because all ministers’ journeys look different, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) uses competencies as a way of judging one’s preparedness for ministry.

These are the same.

Upon starting at Starr King, students do an Initial Threshold Assessment. During this assessment, students are able to acknowledge all the gifts they bring to seminary – the education, work, volunteer work, lay leadership – everything that they have done to build their ministry. This happens again as part of the Mid-Degree Portfolio, and a third and final time as part of the Petition to Graduate.

Starr King Director of Admissions and Recruitment and 2021 graduate, Matty Waterman, recently submitted documentation to see the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC).

As I wrote my competencies, I felt so blessed to have already done this work. During my time at Starr King, I kept track of my courses and the thresholds that they covered (because they were all clearly marked in the course descriptions). Because of this, writing my competencies was easy – I already knew where I had grown, what I have learned, where my ministry is flourishing, and what my growing edges are. Starr King has built a way for students interested in UU ministry to easily prepare for seeing the MFC. I’m so grateful for this education and how it has helped facilitate my journey to credentialed ministry.”
– Matty Waterman

For more information about the MFC process, click here. Learn more about the Starr King Thresholds here.