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 This Covenant supports the ideals of a beloved community and promotes constructive relations among the congregation. Respect, civility, integrity, responsibility, openness, transparency, and making official decisions through the democratic process form the basis of this Covenant.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe Covenant of Right Relations
In pursuit of the ideals of a beloved community and to promote constructive relations among ourselves, we, as members and associates of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe covenant to:
Treat one another with respect and civility
• Honor diversity of individuals and of ideas
• Demonstrate civility, empathy, and compassion
• Speak of issues rather than the merits of individuals
• Listen thoughtfully
Behave with integrity and responsibility
• Be aware of our personal values and their relationship to our roles in the congregation
• Be fully open, truthful, and fair
• Accept the responsibility of helping the congregation to make decisions and do its work
• Honor collective decisions, even when we do not agree
Cultivate Openness and Transparency
• Make congregational activities safe places for open discourse
• Communicate constructively
• “Frame” issues for accuracy and understanding rather than distort them for persuasive advantage
Make official decisions through the democratic process
• Understand and follow the congregation’s bylaws and formal procedures
• Achieve maximum information and understanding through thorough discussion of issues and seek maximum practicable consensus
• Achieve official decisions by majority as per the bylaws
• Faithfully carry out official decisions
To learn more about this covenant and how to fully live it please read Living the Covenant.
Relational Support Group
Recognizing that misunderstandings and difficulties in communication are sometimes the inevitable consequence of our dealings with one another, the Board of Trustees voted to authorize the formation of a Relational Support Group as a resource to assist in clarifying issues and resolving differences among and between members when such assistance would prove helpful. The organizational meeting was held January 15, 2012. Members are: Gene Farnum, Robin Lackey, Jim Preus, Sally Sabo, Leona Stucky-Abbott, and Werner Tillinger. These people are either experienced in the helping professions or highly trusted members of the congregation or both.
The Group's mission is to: help people come together, be a resource for good conversation, help people feel safe in expressing their opinions, and facilitate fruitful, constructive dialogue among and between members. Any member can bring a concern to any member of the Group or to the minister. Confidentiality is the cornerstone for trusted interactions and is strictly maintained.
The Relational Support Group is an integral part of the Covenant of Right Relations, one way to be sure small squalls do not become major storms within the congregation. The Group hopes to be a useful component in our on-going implementation of the Covenant.
Sally Sabo, Relational Support Group
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