Recognizing that we are able to covenant because God first gave a covenant
of love to us and because of the nurture of First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas,
We are now bound by a free decision before God to participate in this
covenant with each other:
We pledge our mutual support as we seek to grow in faith, in awareness, and in sensitivity.
We will begin to act out our care for the world by caring for each other and affirm that it is from our differences that we
can expand our own experiences. Thus, our class encourages a membership of diverse age, marital status, career interest, etc.
We will implement our covenant through rituals and traditions, nurturing, study, service and
witness.
ONCE WE WERE NO PEOPLE. NOW WE ARE THE COVENANT CLASS
OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
Rituals and Traditions
We
recognize the value of rituals and symbols in our lives. These rituals and traditions remind us of who we are, connect us
to each other, and allow us to express our faith together.
We enjoy the regular use of openings and closings in the class
such as joining hands, praying together, and sharing of clouds and rainbows (our sorrows and joys in life). In addition, we
participate in monthly business meetings, regular social activities, and annual retreats. These activities strengthen our
sense of community and our connection to one another.
Nurturing
We celebrate our love for God by caring for one another. The lives of our members and their families
are important to us; therefore, all family members are included in every class activity. We support one another through prayer
and by practical means. If a person has a need, it is important to share it with the class so we can provide the necessary
help and support. This nurturing is the essence of letting our lives speak the Gospel of Christ to each other.
Study
As a community, we recognize the desire and need
of our members to grow in personal faith and utilize our individual and shared experiences as a background to develop and
understand our Christian response to issues in our daily lives as well as world events.
The study life of the class should
include thoughtful and comprehensive exploration of the Scriptures, the history and traditions of the church universal and
the Methodist denomination, and local and world situations that challenge our opinions.
To accomplish this, we are committed
to community study with leadership by class members and invited guest speakers. As a class, we will nurture one another on
our individual spiritual journeys.
Through our study, we celebrate and encourage diversity, not for its own sake, but
because it constantly reminds us we are all children of God, and that our different experiences and beliefs broaden the base
of knowledge from which our faith grows.
Service
Service
expresses our covenant through outreach projects within our church and community. In addition to the ongoing participation
in the life of First United Methodist Church, we will regularly offer opportunities for class projects which demonstrate our
concern for those in need. These projects will be chosen by the service committee to use the talents and resources of our
members as a reflection of God's love.
Witness
God
has chosen us. Our response is to choose God, love one another, and proclaim God. Our witness is the statement that we make
as a class to those who see us from the outside. We state who we are and invite others to participate with us. We demonstrate
care for each other as members of an extended family. We strive to reveal the love we have felt in our lives with others.
Just as we begin our class with a circle of joined hands, love of Christ in the Covenant Class empowers us to turn the circle
outward and extend God's love to others.
The Covenant Class beckons others to experience the boundless love of God-in
Christ. Our decision to share our individual experiences with others in the class is a free choice which is both demanding
and releasing. We rejoice in the daily struggle of living and claim the promise that abundant life is found in everything
we do.
This covenant expresses our willingness to live in community and gives general guidelines for our common life.
We invite the class to read and celebrate the covenant annually. Our hope is that it will be reviewed and reevaluated periodically.
