BEHAVIORAL COVENANT
MARCELLUS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

PREAMBLE:

We recognize that we are a diverse group of believers holding differing viewpoints. We are, however, united in our belief that God wants us to love God, one another, and ourselves: To that end, we hereby covenant both individually and as a Session, Board of Deacons, and Congregation to embrace the following peacemaking behaviors both in our church life and in our everyday life:

WE WILL:

• Make Positive Statements and Say What We Want to Do
• Be Focused Towards Our Goals
• Recognize That All Voices Are Equal, Because God Is Personal but Never Private.
• Keep Our Communications and Interactions Sacred, and as a Body, Keep Christ as the Center.
• Listen to What Jesus Is Telling Us to Do.
• Not Accept Intimidation as a Behavior in Any Form.
• Exercise Patience, Gracefully Express Impatience and Agree to Stay Together in Community for the Good of the Body of Christ.
• Be Open to Suggestion from All People.
• Encourage Open, Honest, Graceful, and Face to Face Discussion, Where All Ideas Are Valued and Respected.
• Encourage All Voices, Particularly the Quiet among the Body.
• Provide a Safe, Non-judgmental and Sacred Space
• Embrace and Appreciate Silence.
• Forgive and Be Forgiven.
• Recognize the Humanity and Error in All of Us.
• Lead by Example.

COVENANT:

We Hereby Covenant to Follow These Behaviors and Hold Each Other Accountable for Them.

[Created on 06/30/2007]