Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-015

A MODERN COVENANT

From ‘Sunrise Sunset’ (HarperCollins/Harper San Francisco), Rowland Croucher’s book of daily meditations. Feel free to use or adapt it.

God provides food for those who fear him; he is mindful of his covenant. Psalm 111:5.

Here’s a modern covenant statement, adapted from one produced by the United Church of Canada several years ago:

‘We humans are not alone, we live in God’s world. We believe in God: who created and is creating, who has come in the true man, Jesus, to reconcile and renew, who works within us and among us by his Spirit. We trust him. He calls us to be his church: to celebrate his presence, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil. We proclaim his reign over us and the whole world. In life, in death, in life beyond death he is with us. We are not alone: thanks be to God!’

Every Christian community ought to be bound together by some form of covenant, which is renewed periodically (say, once a year). Such a covenantal community is thus more than a loose association of persons who come and go at will: they voluntarily take upon themselves serious obligations towards others. Such covenants may be repeated together at membership reaffirmation services.

And I, Lord, am part of your covenant community. You have been faithful to me through the years, you have redeemed me, I am yours. You have promised never to leave me or forsake me, to be with me to the end. And I pledge to you, my God, my loyal obedience, for ever. Amen.

Shalom!