COVENANT
of the Central Midwest Chapter
of the UUMA
adopted April 2002 at Columbia MO

In order to enhance our ministerial skills, effectiveness and leadership, we covenant:
     - to support each other through the chapter and to nurture our ties to one another
     - to foster a sense of commitment to one another and a concern for the professional rights of the ministry.

                  from Article 2 (Purpose) of the Constitution of the Central Midwest Chapter of the UUMA

As members of this Chapter, in order to fulfill the Purpose of this Chapter as stated in our Constitution and to nurture the community of colleagues in ministry, we do further covenant to the best of our ability

1.    to attend meetings of our local ministerial groups and our District Chapter;
2.    to acknowledge major professional events (ordinations, installations, retirements, etc.) in the lives of our District colleagues by physical presence, note, phone call and/or physical presence;
3.    to have a Chapter representative at such events, empowered by the membership to convey the greetings of all;
4.    to schedule such events (if we wish for collegial participation) on days and at times when our colleagues might reasonably be expected to attend, and to inform our colleagues of the date well in advance;
5.    to welcome our new ministerial neighbors (and the definition of "neighborhood" will vary in different parts of our District) by note, phone call or e-mail, and inform them of local UU ministry groups and activities;
6.    to say "Yes" whenever possible to collegial requests. Examples might include: neutral pulpits for precandidates, service on committees, creation of worship services, and participation in programs and events;
7.    to let colleagues know in a timely manner if we find we cannot carry out a charge we had previously accepted, and to help find someone else able to carry it out;
8.    to be sensitive to the changing nature of our ministry and to the very different schedules, needs, degrees of flexibility and availability of colleagues in our different ministries, whether they be Parish, Religious Education, Community, Part-time, or some combination thereof;
9.    to be sensitive to the needs and demands of our colleagues' personal and family lives;
10.    to educate ourselves, our congregations and our community ministry settings regarding the expectations placed upon us by the Guidelines of the UUMA, the Constitution of this Chapter, and any formal statements of collegial covenant we may adopt;
11.    to take responsibility for asking for help, support, and collegiality, informing our colleagues of significant events and/or needs in our lives and our ministries, trusting that our colleagues would in fact gladly respond if the request were made;
12.    to remember that, as ministers serving within the Central Midwest District, we as individuals and as a Chapter are in a covenantal relationship not only with one another but with this District as a whole.