FELC Community Covenant
We find covenantal language throughout Scripture. In the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, God's covenant and promises to his people were dependent of their obedience to God's laws and codes for holy living (Genesis 12:2-3, Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:9). We believe that in Christ, God established a new covenant (Romans 3:21-27, 6:14-15, 11:27; Galatians 2:16, 3:10-16, 3:24-26 & 4:21-31; Hebrews 8:8, 10:9-17). This new covenant teaches us that our salvation isn't based on our words or actions. Instead, our salvation is based on God's grace and Jesus' actions--his ministry, life, death and resurrection, all of which exemplified God's change of heart and God's forgiveness and love for all of us.
Because our salvation isn't dependent upon our words or actions anymore, we can love and serve both God and neighbor solely out of gratitude or thanksgiving (which is a more authentic, worry-free, and vibrant way of living, don't you think?). The Book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 42-47 describes a community grounded in gratitude and thanksgiving. Such a community is one we strive to emulate. Based on God's new model of covenant and because God first served and loved us in Christ, we at FELC want to live into a covenantal, service-oriented, and loving relationship with you by:
· Accepting you as you are, for who you are
· Assisting you spiritually and materially when needs or concerns arise
· Challenging you to grow spiritually in your relationship with God
· Desiring to be in relationship with you and in ways that empower and strengthen you as an individual
· Encouraging you to speak, act, and think for yourself by claiming your doubts, struggles, and hang-ups
· Equipping you to be a leader in this congregation, your local community, and our global society
· Extending our building space and hospitality to you and your loved ones on special occasions
· Focusing our hopes and activities on your well-being and Christ’s love and forgiveness for you
· Following, loving and supporting your children as they grow and mature
· Holding you in prayer, as assuredly and wholeheartedly as we can
· Honoring your God-given ideas, dreams, hopes, skills, abilities, gifts and talents
· Offering you sanctuary and worship services that are vibrant, inspiring, and hopeful
· Officiating services and invoking God’s presence during sacred life passages and celebrations
· Promising to be real, authentic, genuine and honest with you
· Providing formation classes and means for fellowship that are intellectually stimulating and fun
· Uplifting your outcries for personal, social, and environmental justice, equity and equality
· Utilizing your offerings and financial gifts responsibly and for the glory of God’s reign
· Visiting you in the hospital and checking in on you or your loved ones when health concerns arise
In turn, we pray that you’ll want to live into a covenantal, service-oriented, and loving relationship with
God and all of us by:
· Advocating on behalf of the impoverished, the outcast, the widow, the immigrant and the stranger
· Being real, authentic, genuine, and honest with yourself, God, and your community
· Bringing your children to church so to foster their faith, formation, development, and commitments
· Contributing positively to the community, in patient, nonjudgmental and encouraging ways
· Engaging only in activities that are healthy, life-changing, strengthening and fulfilling for you
· Giving of your financial resources so to sustain our ministries to God’s people
· Helping the pastor and staff to be reminded of your needs, if or when you’re feeling unattended
· Introducing yourself to others and ensuring that visitors know their way around our building
· Involving yourself in classes and events that are meant to strengthen your faith and formation
· Joining us for worship as often as you can--knowing that you’re missed when you’re not with us
· Loving everyone who enters our doors, as they are, for who they are, judgements aside
· Participating in discussions and forums regarding the health and vitality of our community
· Reaching out to those in need by praying for them and extending a helping hand of service
· Seeking forgiveness and forgiving others, choosing love and God’s Gospel over divisiveness
· Serving on committees that navigate and structure our community’s mission and vision
· Sharing your God-given ideas, dreams, skills, abilities, gifts and talents with us and others
· Speaking in love and offering suggestions for the community that are helpful and empowering
· Trusting in your leadership skills and putting them into practice in our community
· Working to maintain relationships with members in the midst of hardships, upsets and disagreements
By upholding our community covenants with God and one another, we can better work to strengthen our communities for the good of all and the betterment of God’s world. Knowing that we often fail and fall short of our commitments as well, God's new covenant demonstrates our need to humbly seek forgiveness, patience, and endurance, from God and one another, as we seek to live in such accord.
Please pray about participating in this covenant with us. When you feel ready, join us for a membership class (click here for dates and times). During class, you'll have the opportunity to sign the form below and talk about your faith commitments and hopes with others!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
I, __________________, commit to living in a covenantal relationship with God and my community to the best of my abilities. I recognize the many blessings God gives me in Christ as I live in community. In turn, I desire to give back to God and my community through acts of love, learning, leadership, and service.
Signed: ____________________________ Date: _________________________
We find covenantal language throughout Scripture. In the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, God's covenant and promises to his people were dependent of their obedience to God's laws and codes for holy living (Genesis 12:2-3, Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:9). We believe that in Christ, God established a new covenant (Romans 3:21-27, 6:14-15, 11:27; Galatians 2:16, 3:10-16, 3:24-26 & 4:21-31; Hebrews 8:8, 10:9-17). This new covenant teaches us that our salvation isn't based on our words or actions. Instead, our salvation is based on God's grace and Jesus' actions--his ministry, life, death and resurrection, all of which exemplified God's change of heart and God's forgiveness and love for all of us.
Because our salvation isn't dependent upon our words or actions anymore, we can love and serve both God and neighbor solely out of gratitude or thanksgiving (which is a more authentic, worry-free, and vibrant way of living, don't you think?). The Book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 42-47 describes a community grounded in gratitude and thanksgiving. Such a community is one we strive to emulate. Based on God's new model of covenant and because God first served and loved us in Christ, we at FELC want to live into a covenantal, service-oriented, and loving relationship with you by:
· Accepting you as you are, for who you are
· Assisting you spiritually and materially when needs or concerns arise
· Challenging you to grow spiritually in your relationship with God
· Desiring to be in relationship with you and in ways that empower and strengthen you as an individual
· Encouraging you to speak, act, and think for yourself by claiming your doubts, struggles, and hang-ups
· Equipping you to be a leader in this congregation, your local community, and our global society
· Extending our building space and hospitality to you and your loved ones on special occasions
· Focusing our hopes and activities on your well-being and Christ’s love and forgiveness for you
· Following, loving and supporting your children as they grow and mature
· Holding you in prayer, as assuredly and wholeheartedly as we can
· Honoring your God-given ideas, dreams, hopes, skills, abilities, gifts and talents
· Offering you sanctuary and worship services that are vibrant, inspiring, and hopeful
· Officiating services and invoking God’s presence during sacred life passages and celebrations
· Promising to be real, authentic, genuine and honest with you
· Providing formation classes and means for fellowship that are intellectually stimulating and fun
· Uplifting your outcries for personal, social, and environmental justice, equity and equality
· Utilizing your offerings and financial gifts responsibly and for the glory of God’s reign
· Visiting you in the hospital and checking in on you or your loved ones when health concerns arise
In turn, we pray that you’ll want to live into a covenantal, service-oriented, and loving relationship with
God and all of us by:
· Advocating on behalf of the impoverished, the outcast, the widow, the immigrant and the stranger
· Being real, authentic, genuine, and honest with yourself, God, and your community
· Bringing your children to church so to foster their faith, formation, development, and commitments
· Contributing positively to the community, in patient, nonjudgmental and encouraging ways
· Engaging only in activities that are healthy, life-changing, strengthening and fulfilling for you
· Giving of your financial resources so to sustain our ministries to God’s people
· Helping the pastor and staff to be reminded of your needs, if or when you’re feeling unattended
· Introducing yourself to others and ensuring that visitors know their way around our building
· Involving yourself in classes and events that are meant to strengthen your faith and formation
· Joining us for worship as often as you can--knowing that you’re missed when you’re not with us
· Loving everyone who enters our doors, as they are, for who they are, judgements aside
· Participating in discussions and forums regarding the health and vitality of our community
· Reaching out to those in need by praying for them and extending a helping hand of service
· Seeking forgiveness and forgiving others, choosing love and God’s Gospel over divisiveness
· Serving on committees that navigate and structure our community’s mission and vision
· Sharing your God-given ideas, dreams, skills, abilities, gifts and talents with us and others
· Speaking in love and offering suggestions for the community that are helpful and empowering
· Trusting in your leadership skills and putting them into practice in our community
· Working to maintain relationships with members in the midst of hardships, upsets and disagreements
By upholding our community covenants with God and one another, we can better work to strengthen our communities for the good of all and the betterment of God’s world. Knowing that we often fail and fall short of our commitments as well, God's new covenant demonstrates our need to humbly seek forgiveness, patience, and endurance, from God and one another, as we seek to live in such accord.
Please pray about participating in this covenant with us. When you feel ready, join us for a membership class (click here for dates and times). During class, you'll have the opportunity to sign the form below and talk about your faith commitments and hopes with others!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
I, __________________, commit to living in a covenantal relationship with God and my community to the best of my abilities. I recognize the many blessings God gives me in Christ as I live in community. In turn, I desire to give back to God and my community through acts of love, learning, leadership, and service.
Signed: ____________________________ Date: _________________________