Covenanting A Practice of Spiritual Leadership

A cross section of young grass showing roots and dirt, stems, and blue sky. 'Covenanting' is superimposed in white lettering.

Covenanting is at the heart of the practice of Unitarian Universalism. Our religious ancestors created our tradition as a faith community bound not by allegiance to a particular creed — that is, specific beliefs — but rather by faithfulness to a covenant — that is, a set of mutual promises to each other and to something greater than ourselves.

Over time, the practice of covenanting in many congregations has been reduced to behavioral covenants and used as a way to monitor behavior between individuals. This leaves out so many important aspects of covenanting: living our commitments to Spirit, Justice, Love, Earth; to ancestors and generations to come; to other UU congregations who are part of our Association.

Spiritual Leadership calls us to remember that covenanting is a practice, not a product. There are ways to practice covenanting that are multidimensional and liberating, and that help us learn skills needed to contribute to liberation in the world.

“Covenanting” Posts From Our Practice Makes Possible Blog

  • The gathering hall in Norwell, MA during the JLR. People are milling about and at tables chatting, and the screen in the front of the room reads 'Welcome'.

    Last June Rev. Emily Bruce and Rev. Susan Chorley reached out to us on NER staff to ask what kind of gathering we could help them have with their neighboring congregations to work on building relationships, collaborating, and supporting each other.

    By Evin Carvill Ziemer | October 12, 2025 | From NER News
  • The Connecticut rocky coastline with cloudy skies and the ocean in the distance.

    How will we commit to be with one another — in times of ease as well as times of anguish? What promises are we called to make to our congregational community? How will we act in alignment with our highest values? How does our shared covenant hold us in times of conflict, harm, and repair?

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | March 14, 2025 | From Covenanting
  • A windowsill with a book in the foreground, "My First Wonder Woman Book" and a bag in the background, a hallway and doorways stretching into the distance.

    It’s September — time to welcome back our UU congregations returning for the 2024-2025 church year. Of course, not all of our congregations are on the agrarian / academic calendar, and whether we are returning to a brand new church year this month, or rolling into it from a busy summer of…

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | September 12, 2024 | From Covenanting
  • The side of a church, showing a window with a broken shutter and a sign that reads 'Kingston First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist Est. 1717 ALL ARE WELCOME'.

    It will be Love that leads the course of healing for First Parish. A Love that will hold space for tears, for fear, for outrage and betrayal. A Love that will encourage (a word whose derivation is ‘to make strong’) the congregation toward not just healing, but growth.

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | July 12, 2024 | From Covenanting
  • The image reads '5 Ways to a Cool Cong. Summer!' in blue superimposed on a yellow starburst.

    Summer’s coming! Kick off those flip-flops and slather on the SPF! We’ve got five surefire tips to get more out of your congregational life this summer!

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | June 14, 2024 | From Covenanting
  • A row of tea lights are lit against a dark background, only the one in the foreground is in focus. The flames morph into hearts as they descend backwards.

    Love is the doctrine of this church….Love is the spirit of this place….We Side with Love…

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | January 29, 2024 | From Covenanting
  • A wooden sign reading 'WELCOME WE ARE OPEN' hangs on twine from a bright blue, open door.

    My grandparents had a découpage plaque by their front door with President Kennedy’s famous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” A simple collection of words I could read for years before I started to really consider what they meant, and what…

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | August 21, 2023 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog
  • Welcome sign in multiple colors reading "all ages, all colors, all cultures, all genders" with a table, chairs, and white brick wall in the background.

    “Have you been to the bathroom yet?” It’s not the typical pre-workshop conversation my colleagues and I share as we set up projectors, easels, and workbooks for participants. My answer was no, so my colleague proceeded to describe what she found there. There was a beautiful painting in an…

    By Wren Bellavance-Grace | March 7, 2023 | From Covenanting
    Tagged as: Covenant
  • A lit glass globe sits in a bed of stones and gems atop a dark glass chalice. The chalice is on maroon carpet.

    Each Sunday I step into the pulpit and call to worship the congregation sitting in the sanctuary of our 1842 New England Meetinghouse. The sanctuary is simple and elegant. Tall windows line each side, reaching up two stories to the high ceiling, with four chandeliers. The clear panes bring…

    By Ellen Spero | February 22, 2023 | From Covenanting
    Tagged as: Covenant
  • Art models building blocks

    The point of a community of practice is for people who want to get better at something to learn from each other through regular interaction. Even people new to a field can help the group learn. Their observations and questions can identify unrecognized practices and raise awareness of which…

    By Meck Groot, Joe Sullivan | October 20, 2022 | From Practice Makes Possible Blog