The Mayflower Compact was the first covenant in North American history, written in 1620. “We solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic.”
Today, an Open and Affirming covenant is more than a statement, policy, declaration or an amendment to a congregation’s by-laws.
In the UCC’s Reformed tradition, a covenant is an act of faith, a solemn promise to God in response to God’s holy Word. An ONA covenant is a serious step for a congregation in its life of faith.
A church’s covenant is a firm, public declaration of that church’s intentions to serve one another and itscommunity. Here is an example of a covenant of the Plainfield Congregation in Plainfield, IL:
We, the people of the Plainfield Congregational United Church of Christ, seek to be a community of Christians who celebrate and live in openness to the voice of the Still Speaking God. We celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of each expression of God’s diverse family as well as our oneness in Christ. As we seek to live out our mission to “live Christ’s compassion and promote justice, healing and wholeness of life” we welcome into our community persons of every gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental and physical ability, age, race, nationality, economic and social status, faith background, marital standing and family structure; and we invite them to share in the life, leadership, ministry, fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities, blessings and joys of our congregation as we seek to “grow together in faith and love.”
What do we want our covenant to say to anyone looking at our church?
Yes, we are warm and welcoming. But, how do we show that before someone sets foot in our door? If you would like more information or would like to attend a zoom meeting on the subject, please contact the church and ask to be connected to the ONA Committee