Committees 

Covenant of the Minister and the Director of Music

The Revs. Gail Seavey and Jason Shelton, September 17, 2006

Thus do we covenant:

1. We will stand in a supportive relation to our colleagues and keep for them an open mind and heart.
2. We will strictly respect confidences among all colleagues, and expect them to keep ours.
3. Should we know that a colleague is engaged in practices that are damaging, as defined in our Code of Professional Practice, we will speak openly and frankly to her/him and endeavor to be of help. If necessary, we will bring such matters to the attention of the UUMA.
4. We will not speak scornfully or in derogation of any colleague in public. In any private conversation critical of a colleague, we will speak responsibly and temperately. And we agree to share with one another both praise and concern as expressed by members of the congregation, so as to continually engage in the process of growth and formation in the arts of ministry.
5. To promote healthy congregational life, we will consult with colleagues within Nashville who practice the diverse forms of our ministry to reach mutually acceptable understandings about the appropriate roles that
   ministers in the same area should play.
6. I will defer accepting any congregant's requests for ministerial services outside of my role as Director of Music until I have consulted with Gail. In order to maintain her free choice in these matters, I will inform the person requesting my services of the necessity to consult our professional Guidelines.
7. As we share the ministry of this congregation with one another, members and staff, we will earnestly seek clear delineation of responsibility, accountability, and channels of communication before responsibilities are assumed. We will thereafter work in cooperation and consultation with each other, taking care that changing roles and relations are re-negotiated with clarity, respect and honesty.
8. As a member of this congregation, I will in all ways honor the priority of Gail's call to the ministry of this congregation, and I will avoid influence which other members may tend to yield to me in light of my length
   of service and experience.
9. We will be generous towards each other in word and spirit, and will extend the same courtesy to all colleagues.
10. We will keep our collegial relationships alive by attending UUMA Chapter meetings whenever possible and by thoughtfully considering matters of mutual professional interest.
11. We will encourage by example an inclusive, loyal, generous, and critical spiritual leadership.
12. We will take responsibility for encouraging adequate and sensible standards of financial and other support for minister and staff.
13. We will encourage the growth of our congregations and spread the ideals of the Unitarian Universalist tradition and fellowship.

Mindful of the challenges and responsibilities of the ministry to which we have been ordained, we enter into this covenant with mutual respect and openness, trusting that our successes will be celebrated with selfless joy, our failures will be held in tender compassion, and our visions of a world transformed will be met with enthusiasm and encouragement.

We ask for the support of this congregation, as part of our shared ministry as a people of living and courageous faith, that it may be lived out in love for the good of all. So may it be, and amen.

See also: The Homilies of the Rev. Gail Seavey and the Rev. Jason Shelton from this service