OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY COVENANT

Throughout Scripture and in our faith tradition, covenants play a powerful role in how we understand relationships. They establish norms and boundaries; they help us understand how we should act, what we can expect from others, and how to prioritize values. Covenants can create a web of loving relationships so that how we treat each other becomes a living expression of our faith.

As a congregation, we strive to be kind and compassionate and to honor the diversity within our church, recognizing that any lack of respect for one another can undermine our pursuit of beloved community. In the last few years, white supremacy, racial discrimination, systemic racism, and unconscious bias have been at the forefront of our attention. They can and do weaken our sense of community. There are also other causes of disagreements and conflicts, such as differing cultures and traditions, family dynamics, and personalities.

This new Covenant (June, 2022) recognizes these differences and dynamics and expresses our intention to be accountable to each other in the work of creating and sustaining Beloved Community. We confess that we err and often fall short of our aspirations. But we believe we are held together by grace, and uphold the faith that together we can build and rebuild a beloved community today and for years to come. 

Click here for a .pdf of our working “Beloved Community Covenant.”