January 2011
Healthy Practices

Covenants in Congregational Life

For 21 years, St Johns Episcopal Church had averaged 42 in Sunday attendance. Though the parish was only 40 years old, it was clearly “stuck.” So, on the Sunday that the Vestry reported that they had called Reverend Patti from the next diocese over and that her primary task was to bring new life to the parish by working with young families in the surrounding community, you could almost feel the relief spreading out over those present! Two months after their beloved Mother Patti moved in, the Senior Warden made the announcement that the Vestry was forming what they referred to as a “Visioning group.” The group would work with a coach who would guide them through the process of designing and experimenting with a whole new service for those in the surrounding community who were unlikely to attend their present 10:30 am service.

Not five months later, every member in the parish (active, as well as those considered “lapsed”) was invited to a Saturday morning brunch, served by the Vestry. The Senior Warden introduced the new Visioning Group and their Coach, Elaina. Elaina explained exactly how plans for the new service were coming along (step by step) and reiterated that this service was specifically designed around the needs of those who would not attend a traditional Episcopalian church service. She went on to ask how many of those present were happy with the 10:30 service they attended. It was unanimous. One person stood up and said that he wasn’t sure why the parish needed another service when everyone present was so satisfied. He expressed concern that they were going to overwork their new rector. Elaina listened carefully and then explained that the Episcopal Church has many faces and that only one of those is the traditional service known to most Episcopalians. She went on to offer many examples of innovation throughout our Church’s history and opened up time for discussion. By 2:00 that afternoon, she had convinced all present that it was time to make some commitments.

She then invited the Visioning Group to unroll their poster-sized “covenant” for new behaviors for all to see. Even with extensive explanation, the covenant and its eleven commitments were a bitter pill for some to swallow, specifically because of one of the stipulations. It asked that those presently attending the 10:30 service not attend the new 6:00 pm service unless it was to “offer unconditional support by offering hospitality to newcomers, only after completing three training sessions offered by Mother Patti and Coach Elaina.” After minor grumbling and some struggle, everyone present was invited to sign the covenant. Only six abstained and by late afternoon, eighty-two signatures were lined up under the most remarkable commitments this parish had ever seen!

The new service started after eight more months of hard work and elaborate preparations. New teams were trained in hospitality and new member incorporation and within six months; the new Sunday evening service was averaging 85 in attendance. That was six years ago; today, that same parish has four services on Sunday! I recently caught up with Mother Patti to ask her what she thought it was that opened the door to the new vitality that St. John’s is enjoying. Her answer was to the point. In fact, it was just two words: “That covenant!” Patti then went on to explain, “We were able to start a whole new culture at St John’s without the interference of those who were happy with what they already had.”

That remarkable story is in keeping with my own experiences over the last forty years of church life. Via witnessing four congregational “splits,” several new ministries and the redevelopment of two dying ministries, I have come to respect “covenants” as the essential glue for vital faith communities as well as for those leading ministry revitalization. In my understanding of this ancient concept, “covenant” is both a behavior and a way of being. One of the definitions for “covenant” in the New Oxford American Dictionary is “an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his (sic) people.” Our Judeo-Christian scriptures make it clear that we attain this “way of being” by vulnerably committing ourselves to a God that longs for relationship. This covenant between us says, “You matter to me. When you show up, keep your word, share your life – these matter to me! In fact, when you don’t, I am personally affected.” Again, our Scriptures make it clear that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus actually prefers this mutual vulnerability! As such, we engage a covenanting way of being because we join with God’s dreams for all of Creation and we realize that mutual covenanting is the means by which God is made known to us. [1]

One of my favorite Episcopalians begins his manual on new member incorporation with the question, “How can we help people join the church?” Knowing what I know about George (as well as knowing him through the rest of the book that follows that statement), he really means to ask, “How do we make it easier for newcomers to experience the benefits of being in community so that they discover the commitment necessary to learn what it is to live a life covenanted with God, Her children, and all of Her creation?” [2]

If we believe that “covenant” is the gateway to being in community, then we might more courageously engage the questions that newcomers (as well as many of our “cradle” Episcopalians) bring through our front doors. Those questions often include: “What does it mean to be in covenant?” and, “Can I try this out before making a long-term commitment?” and “What are the benefits of living in covenant and do those benefits somehow outweigh the costs?” The questions for our church leaders might include: “How does our community of faith offer a ‘safe zone’ for those new to the intricacies of covenant living?” and “Are we intentional and public about offering that safety and, better yet, a nurturing environment to those who have never experimented with what it means to live in covenant, or even in community?”

If we believe (as Edward Deming claimed) that “your system is perfectly designed to get you the results you’re getting,” then we might ask, “What needs to change in order for more of our churches to embrace a post-Christian culture with the hope of real community?” (“System,” as I use it here, refers to the ways in which we manage our relationships, the stories we tell about ourselves, that which we focus on, and finally, the resultant behaviors.) In other words, there are good systemic explanations for the lack of vitality or the lack of vision or the lack of “rootedness” in many of our faith communities. The question with which so many of our Episcopalian leaders are wrestling is, “How do we model or relearn covenant living in settings where there is no memory of that way of being with each other?” (For a more in-depth look at the power of covenants to transform communities of faith, see Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences by Gilbert R. Rendle.)

It seems to me that “change agents” (those who develop new ministries, as well as those who redevelop ministries in decline) are released to offer their best gifts when they are invited to work within clearly defined behavioral covenants. They do this on at least three levels: covenants between the Leader(s) and Diocesan representatives, between the Leader(s) and the surrounding faith communities, as well as between the Leader(s) and their particular faith community. For example, the Bishop might covenant to buffer the fledgling ministry from area leaders intimidated by the new life emerging. The new leadership team might covenant with area ministry leaders not to engage in that onerous practice known as “sheep stealing.” They might also covenant with newcomers to support them with all of the coaching and mentoring necessary to empower them in their God-given strengths and ministries.

Though it may sound complicated, this three level approach to behavioral covenants clarifies expectations and opens up the possibility of fresh approaches to covenanting communities. In this way, the Diocese, the surrounding faith communities, and the local community enter into behavioral covenants that model new understandings of what it means to be “the people of God.” With this renewed commitment, leaders of faith communities can intentionally pray those incredible words in Eucharistic Prayer C (BCP, p. 372), “Open our eyes to see Your hand at work in the world about us …” and then give thanks as new windows of possibility are opened!

The Reverend Thomas Brackett is the Episcopal Church Missioner for Church Planting, Ministry Redevelopment, and Fresh Expressions. He can be reached at 646.203.6266 and he blogs at http://plantingcentral.typepad.com/bench/.


[1] Because this essay cannot offer an in-depth look at the intricacies of our Judeo-Christian covenant theology, I highly recommend Dr. Walter Brueggemann’s Covenant as a Subversive Paradigm.

[2] From Disciple to Apostle(A User-Friendly Manual for Church Membership), by Rev. Dr. George Martin can be found here: http://www.churchad.com/books.cfm

This article is part of the January 2011 Vestry Papers issue on Healthy Practices