Do you know FOR SURE that your particular past employers are not mandated payers? (And religious institution or not, don't take their word for it!)
Most religious institutions aren't, but I'd still run it past the unemployment system. Some of them are what they call "reimbursing employers." This means that they only pay when people are actually eligible. They really really hate it, but they do have to pay it if you are otherwise eligible in this circumstance. So file a claim. It's free, there is no downside, and it will let you know for sure if they are covered or not.
And of course they'll explain to you about the base period. Unlike social security, unemployment insurance only takes into consideration the rolling last five quarters of your employment. So no covered wages in the base period, roughly the last 18 months, means no eligible wages.
