The FUCSJ Board drafted and approved two covenants on October 19. Both must be
discussed and voted on by the congregation to take effect. That process begins now.
Covenant are the foundation and distinctive documents in Unitarian Universalism.
The UUA Commission on Appraisal’s June 2021 report defines a covenant as:
…a mutual sacred promise between individuals or groups, to stay in
relationship, care about each other, and work together in good faith. In the
Unitarian Universalist tradition, we seek to raise the “we” above the “I”—the
community above the individual.
As seekers, we willingly choose to love each other and stay in relationship over
and over, again and again. In this way, although we may break promises, by
leaning into the transformational power of our faith, we begin again in
covenant to love.
The two covenants passed are an aspirational covenant and a behavioral. The
aspirational covenant describes the community in terms of its highest values and
principles. The behavioral covenant details guidelines for how members agree to care
for one another in the community.
The covenants also provide our Healthy Relations Team a baseline for conducting its
conflict resolution work. Both covenants will be posted on the website for your
review.
We strongly encourage every member and friend to visit sanjoseuu.org to review and
study the proposed covenants. The board will host a congregational meeting for the
congregation to vote on the covenants in early 2024.
Thanks,
The FUCSJ Board of Directors
Ram Kakarala, President