Unitarian Universalism is not a dogmatic, creedal faith. We say this often when we define ourselves. It’s only the first part of the story, however. If we only tell this part, then we end up with a faith that has no definition and leads to the false statement that “we can believe whatever we want to believe.” Not really. There is a second part to the story of who we are and it is the part that positively defines us.

Indeed, we are all on our own spiritual paths and we hold a wide variety of theological beliefs. But when we become Unitarian Universalists, we root those beliefs in the shared values embodied in our 8 Principles. Our principles are the promises, the covenant, that we make for how we should be in this world. From there, we develop covenants as congregations, as governing boards, as committees, and as small groups. These covenants are a guide for how we want to be together. Each covenant reflects the expected behavior and aspirations for each group, again deeply rooted in our principles.

Covenant is what binds us together and makes us a faith. Covenant guides our thinking, our behavior, and our decisions and gives us a distinct characteristic that sets us apart from dogmatic religion. Covenant is a reminder of how we should show up with one another. Covenant calls us to care about shaping ourselves and the world with love and justice. Covenant calls us to put our values into action. Covenant makes us Unitarian Universalists. This is the most vital part of who we are as a people of faith. If you don’t aspire to be in covenant with the rest of us, perhaps you should ask yourself if you are truly a Unitarian Universalist. As Susan Frederick-Gray has said, “we are not a casual faith.”

Yet, we are imperfect humans and we break covenant again and again. It is why we sing Rumi’s “Come come whoever you are, wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving, ours is no caravan of despair, come yet again… though you’ve broken your vows a thousand times, come yet again come.” This song calls us back in and asks us to do better upon each return, honoring our connections and not destroying them, as disconnection sends us down a spiral of despair. I’d rather have hope in our being together, wouldn’t you?

We have a congregational covenant. It was written in 2007. We need to write a new one and I expect that we should be doing so this coming Fall. However, it’s a good enough covenant and it is still what we need to turn to (along with our 8 Principles) as we engage in spiritual reflection and deepen our faith. I suggest you print out the congregational covenant and our 8 Principles, tape them to a mirror or hang them on the fridge, and ask yourself, on a regular basis, if you are helping to build the UUCL community by rooting yourself in our values and behaving with the integrity that those words call us to. We are all imperfect, yet we can all grow, supported by values that help us blossom and create a world of beauty.

The one disclaimer that I would like to make about our covenant below is in regards to number 5. Not all views are equal. If you are a person of power and privilege (in other words, if you are white, or male, or straight, or cis-gendered, or wealthy, you have power and privilege) and if your views are harmful to people with less power and privilege and they contribute to ongoing injustice and oppression, even in subtle ways, then you are asked to examine those views and understand why they are harmful. Do the work of dismantling oppression within yourself. We ALL have work to do (yes, me too. It is a never-ending process). That is what our 8th UU Principle calls us to and is why it is so important. As always, I have faith that we can do this work together, transforming ourselves and the world around us.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lakeland

Covenant

Adopted at Annual Meeting 2007

We the people of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lakeland, in our effort to promote the true spirit of our guiding principles, hereby commit our lives and resources with the following covenant:

1. I will, with patience and understanding, treat all others with kindness and respect.
2. I will be sensitive to the needs of others, treat them with civility, and honor their confidentiality.
3. I will promote a harmonious spirit and a truly welcoming congregation by my personal caring and positive attitude.
4. I will promote democracy by speaking with candor, respecting the right to dissent, seeking consensus, and honoring the will of the majority.
5. I will seek to possess an open mind and a respect for views different from my own.
6. I will support our congregation by volunteering my time and fulfilling my commitments.

Our 8 UU Principles

(the guiding principles)

We covenant to affirm and promote:

1. 1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. 2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. 3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. 4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. 5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. 6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7. 7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
8. 8th Principle: Journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.