FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF VICTORIA
3.4. CONGREGATIONAL COVENANT OF GOOD RELATIONS
(adopted by the Congregation in September 1997)

The Covenant

We the members of the First Unitarian Church of Victoria agree to treat ourselves and each other fairly and respectfully. We are committed to improving the quality of our lives by supporting one another's self development, spiritual growth and the use of our skills and talents in fulfilling and responsible ways.

1. Application

1.1. The congregation agrees that by accepting and practicing the following attitudes and actions, we will begin to fulfill our covenant of good relations. We also acknowledge that each of us has within ourselves additional ways to contribute to this ideal.
2. Self

2.1. I am an individual aspiring to be a fully integrated, responsible and actualized person within my family, at work and within my community.

2.2. I believe that to be successful, I must take responsibility for my personal well-being and that I must value myself. By doing so, I will be better able to understand and serve others, my church and the larger community.

2.3. I will make the kinds of choices that balance my various needs with the needs of others.

2.4. I will make a commitment to learn the necessary skills to communicate in clear and sensitive ways.

2.5. I will nurture my spiritual needs.
3. Member to Minister

3.1. I will treat the Minister and the Minister's family with dignity, respect and consideration.

3.2. I will look for occasions to offer sincere praise.

3.3. I will respect the personal time of the Minister and the Minister's family.

3.4. I will support and encourage the Minister to exercise a responsible freedom of the pulpit.

3.5. I am responsible for nurturing my own spiritual growth and acknowledge the Ministry as an important resource for this development.

3.6. I take responsibility to address differences of view with the Minister and to deal with them in a personal way first, before taking them directly to the Minister.

3.7. I take responsibility to address unresolved issues between myself and the Minister by seeking advice from the Committee on the Ministry, or by following the appropriate procedures as set forth in the Conflict Management Policy.

3.8 As a member of the First Unitarian Church of Victoria, I will respect the UUMA's Minister's Code of Professional Practice and will refrain from conduct that will be harmful to or endanger the integrity of the Minister.

4. Member to Staff

4.1. I will be courteous and respectful in my interactions with Staff.

4.2. I will make only reasonable requests and will work with Staff to determine the best method to get the work done.

4.3. I will respect the Staff's work hours and the personal time of Staff and their families.

4.4. I will acknowledge, or offer sincere praise for, work done.

4.5. In situations where I have an unresolved difference of opinion with a Staff member, I will seek an appropriate resolution with the assistance of the Conflict Management Committee and the Personnel Committee.

4.6. I will support reasonable and fair compensation for Staff services.

5. Member to Board

5.1. My role does not stop when the Board is elected.

5.2. I will actively support, encourage and show my appreciation to the Board by being responsible for providing feedback when it is sought and making my expectations clear to the people I have chosen to represent me.

5.3. I will participate in the life of the church by using my skills and talents through taking part in committee and volunteer work where, and when, it is possible to do so.

5.4. I will support the church financially to the best of my ability.

5.5. I accept responsibility to learn how the church operates and will seek information through the various communication channels such as Neighborhood Groups, Committee Chairs, Board Members, Bulletins and the Order of Service.

6. Member to Member

6.1. I believe that each person is free to make choices regarding their personal journey. I will respect these choices and will support the spiritual growth of others in an inclusive, loyal and generous manner.

6.2. I aim to actively listen to what others have to say.

6.3. In clearly communicating my needs, sometimes I will have to decline or say "no". I will also honour the rights of others to do the same.

6.4. I will not engage in harmful gossip. I will be responsible for getting the facts for myself.

6.5. I will respect absolutely the confidentiality and private disclosures of others.

6.6. I will not claim sole ownership of any role or task while still recognizing the need for accountability.

6.7. I will make every effort to be aware of my emotions and to be sensitive to the emotions of others, recognizing that these signal meaningful issues requiring empathy and guidance. In this regard, I will learn the necessary skills, if needed, and undertake the appropriate actions to express my emotions and beliefs in a constructive way.

6.8. I will be respectful of the private and intimate bonds of other members, and not exploit the needs of another person for my own.

6.9. I will make every effort to settle issues between myself and another member on a one-to-one basis. If this is unsuccessful or unsatisfactory and I feel the need for further action, I will forward my concerns to, and follow the recommendations of, the Conflict Management Committee.

6.10. I will welcome new members and guests and commit to getting to know people in this religious community.

6.11. I appreciate that I am a member of a religious community that makes decisions through a democratic process. As a responsible citizen in this community, I will actively participate in the process and will respect the outcomes of the collective wisdom.

7. Member to the Community at Large

7.1. I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being and will live my life in a way to encourage equality and compassion in human relations.

7.2. I will act responsibly in local and global issues in order to promote a world community with peace, freedom and justice for all.

7.3. I will respect the interdependent web of all existence. I respect and uphold life, and will live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

8. Implementation

8.1. This covenant aims to complement the following documents of the First Unitarian Church of Victoria:

The Unitarian Universalist Statement of Principles
The Mission Statement
The Constitution and Bylaws
The Sexual Misconduct Policy
The Conflict Management Policy