Faith Without Borders: International Partnership

Global map showing the lights of civilization.

There are many types of international partnerships, but Faith Without Borders uses the term in the specific sense of a church-to-church partnership modeled upon the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC)—or similar—methodology.

Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations are invited to use the following check-list as a way of evaluating the inclusion of Partnership in their international engagement.

  • Members of our congregation have read the UUPCC’s Partnership Handbook and subscribe to its newsletter and other resources.
  • Our congregation understands the transformative nature of church-to-church international partnership.
  • Our congregation has established an international partnership through the UUPCC.
  • Our congregation’s international partnership is guided by a written covenant.
  • Our congregation follows the “best practices” in partnership designed by the UUPCC, i.e.
    • Remembers its partnership often during worship.
    • Promotes clear and common communication between partners.
    • Employs “Economic Fairness” guidelines.
    • Visits between the congregations occur regularly.
    • The partnership envisions a community capacity building or similar project.

If your congregation fulfills two or more of these examples of international partnership ministry, you’re well on the way towards integrating this aspect of international engagement. Please consider choosing one or two additional elements to grow into over the next 1-3 years.

If there are other ways in which your congregation is involved in international partnership, please share them with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) International Resources Office (IRO).

International Partnership Resources

  1. The UU Partner Church Council provides access to its Partnership Handbook, its newsletter and other resources on its website:
  2. Congregations come to understand the power of church-to-church partnership when the work of the relationship and its results are well-planned, have broad participation, and are celebrated. Contact the UUPCC or the IRO for examples.
  3. To learn more about establishing an international partnership, please contact the UUPCC.
  4. Written covenants can be very useful documents for international partnerships. Please see the UUPCC Handbook for detailed information. For other information about the history or philosophy of covenant, please contact the IRO.
  5. The UUPCC assists in the establishment of effective partnerships in many ways. On their website you will find: