The following shortened covenant incorporates the revisions congregational members have suggested to date. It also includes the Covenant Tenders’ comments explaining our reasoning behind the decisions we made to arrive at this new version.
Please note: This is not the final version, which will be decided upon following the town hall discussion after the Sunday service on October 6. We look forward to hearing your ideas at that time.
- Act with good will to repair the relationship (Our reasoning: A few people wanted to reinsert “and assume good intentions”; however, the Covenant Tenders (CTs) concluded that this covenant applies to all our members; therefore, if all the individuals involved act with good will, their intentions are by definition, good.)
- Listen deeply (Our reasoning: A few people wanted to add “and appreciatively”; however, CTs decided that listening deeply implies we are also listening appreciatively.)
- Be willing to change
- At all times, maintain mutual respect
- Take concerns to the people involved
- Share our strengths, talents, and resources
- Support each other in living this covenant (Our reasoning: One or two people wanted to reinstate “and help one another return to Covenant”; however, the CTs decided that this was a little too wordy.)
When resolution is elusive, seek help from the Committee on Healthy Relationships.