In the United Church of Christ, we do not organize ourselves around control. We organize ourselves around a covenant. That word can sound formal or abstract, but covenant is deeply practical. It shapes how we relate to one another as local churches, authorized ministers, Committees on Ministry, and the Conference. Covenant is not a contract. It is not a hierarchy. It is a promise to walk together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Throughout Scripture, the covenant is the way God chooses to be in relationship with God’s people. In Genesis, God binds God’s self to Abraham. In Exodus, God forms a covenant community at Sinai. In Jeremiah, God promises a new covenant written on the heart. Covenant is God’s way of saying, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” It is relational, mutual, and enduring.
Our life together in the Southwest Conference reflects that same spirit. When a minister is ordained, it is not simply a personal achievement. It is the recognition of a call within a covenantal body. When a church calls a pastor, it is not a private arrangement. It is a shared commitment that includes the wider church. When the Committee on Ministry engages in standing, authorization, or accountability work, it does so not as an enforcement arm, but as a covenant partner.
Covenant means we belong to one another. It means that churches are not alone in seasons of transition or conflict. It means ministers are not isolated in their leadership or personal struggles. It means the Conference does not operate at a distance from local congregations, but alongside them.
Covenant also carries responsibility. We promise to maintain healthy boundaries. We promise to engage in ongoing formation. We promise to participate in Information Reviews and continuing education. We promise to communicate honestly and to seek support when needed. These are not bureaucratic tasks. They are expressions of our shared life.
In a culture that often prizes independence, covenant calls us back to interdependence. In a time when many institutions feel fragile, covenant reminds us that our strength comes from shared commitment, not individual control.
As we move into a new year of ministry together, I invite us to reflect on a simple question: How am I living into our covenant?
For some, that may mean renewing a three-way covenant in a ministry setting. For others, it may mean reconnecting with a Community of Practice, reaching out to the Committee on Ministry, or strengthening communication between a pastor and church leadership. For all of us, it means remembering that we are part of something larger than our own context.
We are churches in covenant. We are ministers in covenant. We are a Conference in covenant. And most importantly, we are people in covenant with God. Let us continue to walk together in faith, accountability, grace, and hope.