Behavioral Covenants for Unitarian Universalist

Congregations

Behavioral Covenants for Unitarian Universalist

Congregations

Congregational Covenants

District Executive Eunice Benton

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Program Consultant Connie Goodbread

What is this workshop about?

• A little bit of history

• Defining a behavioral covenant

• How to develop one

• How to use one

Cambridge Platform 1648

PolityYou’re not the boss of me.We are all in this together,To work for a just and loving world.

Cambridge Platform 1648

CovenantThe wonderful material that is used

to build a house is not a house. We define ourselves. We agree to come together/We are more together than we are

apart.By our works shall they know us.

Unitarian Universalist Association

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote…

Unitarian Universalist Congregations

Are covenantal not creedal faith communities

What is a covenant?What is a covenant?

Covenant

The realization that we truly are all inthis together.

A deep abiding promise between equals - to

partner with each other and that which is bigger than ourselves, to workfor a just and loving community.

Covenant

MannersDeliberate develop of cultural

normsBuilt on respect and honoring the

inherent worth and dignity of every human being

Laying a foundation upon which to build

Why do we need a covenant?

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“Well folks, Robert’s Rules doesn’t seem to specify whether the Chalice Lighting should come before or after the call to order.”

Covenants

Share your experience with why we might

want behavioral covenants.

Covenants

Share your experience with why we might

want behavioral covenants.

Covenant

Behavioral Covenants start with manners and ourselves.

Covenant

How do we begin?

LeadershipStaff transitions

Covenant

How? Discussion

DiscernmentDevelopmentPractice

Covenant

Discussion - talking to one another about why we would do this - what is the purpose?

Covenant

Discernment - what are the things we need to list - what do we need to say to each other - what are the behaviors we ant to model?

Covenant

Development - what are words we will use - wordsmithing to get it right - reworking it and living with it and reworking it again.

Covenant

Practice - calling ourselves and each other back into covenant over and over.

Though we’ve broken our vows a thousand times…

Covenant

After a time when leadership has struggled with what a covenant is and how it is best used - we may begin the process to develop a congregational covenant.

Covenant

Using the same process:DiscussionDiscernmentDevelopmentPractice

Covenant

How many congregations present have experience with covenants?

Share with one another.

Covenant as Poetry

A covenant once developed for the Universalist congregation at Gloucester, MA

somewhat modified:

Mindful of truth ever exceeding our knowledge, of love and compassion ever exceeding our practice,

reverently we covenant together, beginning with ourselves as we are,

to share the strength of integrity and the heritage of the spirit, in humanity's unending quest

for reality, justice, love and human wholeness.

Covenant

A covenant is a tool not an end

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Unitarian Universalism striving to build

communities where faith and acceptance

coexist in harmony.

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Is this the way of the world?

Eunice Bentonebenton@uua.org

Connie Goodbreadcgoodbread@uua.org

Mid-South Districtmsduua@uua.org

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