Congregational Covenant Task Force

Message from the Covenant Task Force

The Covenant Task Force (CTF) was formed in the spring of 2026 to create a draft covenant in preparation for the search for our next minister. 

Many people have asked “Why Now?”

What we have learned is that ministers in the search process are eager to learn how congregations have managed upset, conflict, and challenges within their community. Although the staff and many of our committees have created their own promises of ways to be together, have shared them in meetings,  and have had them posted on the FP web pages, we have not had one for our entire congregation.

First Parish’s Mission Statement defines who we are, but a covenant can offer ways for us to practice and live our faith with intentionality. So the task force was asked to craft a draft with more details and specific ways of being together.  

Here is a quick review of the steps we have taken so far:

• In the spring our ministers – Revs. Jonipher, Erica and Stevie, all offered sermons to educate the congregation about the theological reasoning of covenant creation for us and other congregations now and throughout UU history.
• The Transition Task Force crafted a document which compared twelve other UU congregations of approximately our size, and included examples of their covenants. The CTF offered ways for those examples to be read, then coordinated listening circles to hear feedback and suggestions. 
• Over the summer the CTF crafted our own draft, based on what we’ve learned from our community and successful covenants from other congregations.
• We then shared it with the ministers, who made edits to clarify, shorten,  and created categories for easier understanding.
• Rev Stevie offered a multi-generational workshop about the covenanting process using the courtyard tree usage as an example.
• Over the month of October we have shared the draft in committees, affinity groups, and via FP social media.
• The ministers have offered more sermons to clarify various components of the draft this fall. 
• On November 8  we will host another round of listening circles to learn how this document was received.

Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about congregational covenants:

1. What is a covenant?

In a religious context, a covenant often refers to a solemn promise between members of a congregation regarding how they will act toward each other. Synonyms for covenant include: pledge, promise, bond, and understanding.

2. What is the history of covenants in Unitarian Universalism?

Covenants have been fundamental to our religious movement for more than 400 years. Our first congregations in New England rejected the idea of creed as a central doctrine for a religious community. Instead, they adopted covenants—written documents—describing how members of the community wanted to be with one another. Central to each covenant was the idea of the spirit of love working in the hearts and minds of each member of the community. Essentially, UUs have always been people of a covenant instead of a creed. Covenant is fundamental to our UU identity.

3. What is the value in having a Congregational Covenant?

• To specify ways we can act to be our most positive, supportive and caring selves in our relationships with others––to create “beloved community.”
• To specify actions and behaviors each of us can expect of ourselves and others within our church community.
• To remind and guide us toward constructive contributions when tensions or conflicts arise within our community.

To learn more about the importance of covenanting in our UU Faith please go to this link: https://www.uua.org/southern/blog/why-covenant 

The Covenant Task Force invites you to our upcoming Listening Circles on November 8th!

As we move forward with this process we will do our best to keep you informed and educated.

Your Covenant Task Force,
Tali Avery, Anthony Fernandez, Amy Hadley, and Tina Schultz 

Our Team

Amy Hadley, Anthony Fernandez, Tina Schultz, and Tali Avery.

Questions or Comments can be sent to covenanttaskforce@firstparish.info.