During the service on Sunday, October 22, Reverend Lisa mentioned the Covenant of Right Relations Policy that your Board of Trustees has been developing. The policy has been a work in progress since the congregation voted to approve the covenant in June 2021. The work was delayed due to competing priorities, but the Board has focused its efforts on the policy in this congregational year, and the policy is now ready to be presented to the congregation.
In our non-creedal faith, Unitarian Universalists are held together by covenants that we establish together and agree to follow. By freely choosing to enter into a shared covenant, we make a promise about how we will treat one another and the community as a whole. Our covenant is one way in which we hold each other accountable. The Covenant of Right Relations, which was approved by the Membership and adopted on June 6, 2021, acts as a compass to guide our actions in a loving way. The accompanying policy is the framework that undergirds this work.
Acting in ways that do not meet the shared expectations set forth in the covenant may lead to conflict, and the new policy sets forth the procedures to be followed when such conflict arises. Key parts of the policy define “conflict” with respect to the covenant; outline the composition, roles and responsibilities of the Right Relations Team; and provide steps for members and staff to follow in resolving conflict.
The full text of the UUCC Covenant of Right Relations Policy can be found here: UUCC Covenant of Right Relations Policy.
With the new policy comes the need to establish a Right Relations Team (RRT), which will perform duties as outlined in the policy. A key component of the policy is that the RRT will be a standing team that not only handles conflicts that escalate to requiring mediation or other support, but also educates the congregation and provides spiritual development and skill-building around covenant, having difficult conversations, and working through lower-level conflicts.
After establishing the RRT, the Board will be presenting the new policy to the congregation in various ways, so please stay tuned for opportunities to learn more.