During the worship services on September 29, Reverend Joan and the Committee on Ministry presented our proposed church covenant to the congregation. The covenant is a short statement of how we intend to be in fellowship together.  You can read the proposed covenant below.   

This church year, we of the Committee on Ministry urge all of you to read the covenant, talk about it in your committee meetings, and engage with it however you can. As one example, can you identify a time when you needed to take responsibility for the impact of your action? We want to hear from you about how the covenant is working for you. We are looking for the practical aspects of the covenant, not wordsmithing at this time.  Rather, look deeply into the meaning of the covenant and give us an honest assessment of its value. 

Please send your comments to Committee on Ministry Chair, Dustin Rand. Later in the church year, the Committee on Ministry will evaluate all the comments received in whatever format, written or in person, and will make changes to the covenant if any seem warranted. Then, the congregation will be asked to vote to accept the covenant at the annual meeting in May.

~ The Committee on Ministry

Proposed Congregational Covenant

We recognize that we are bound together by love and aspiration in imperfect human community. We commit to ourselves and each other to support and encourage a process which will help us move toward a more Beloved Community. Within a safe and nurturing community, we accept some discomfort to stretch beyond past boundaries and habits, and covenant to:

…speak honestly and listen deeply to each other and the voice within.

…take responsibility for the impact of our words, our actions, and our inaction.

…treat each other with compassion, celebrate our differences, be flexible with one another as we change, and honor the gifts of the past.

…support one another in times of need, grieve for each other’s sorrows, and celebrate beauty and joy in our lives.

…encourage each other in the brave work of creating and sustaining a healthy and just world.

…and, forgive each other and start again.

Feedback on this proposed covenant can be shared with Committee on Ministry through April 8, 2020 using this online form.