Covenant
The Covenant of Hope Mennonite Church was drafted in 1987 by the original members of the congregation. It is a document to which new members assent and which all participants re-visit and celebrate in worship at least once per year.
We gather together this day to covenant with one another to be the Church. We acknowledge with gratitude God's leading in our lives to this point. We also remember with thanks our forebears in the faith and express our wish to follow the Anabaptist vision.
In the presence of God, who is revealed to us in the Bible and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, we commit ourselves:
To be a worshipping community which looks to:
God as Love, Creator and Sustainer of all,
Christ as Saviour, Lord and Friend,
The Holy Spirit as empowering presence and guide to truth,
and The Bible as source of faith and practice.
To be a community of faith:
Bound to each other with the tie of Christian love,
Hospitable to those with differing beliefs,
Calling one another to discipleship,
Discerning God's will in our lives,
Openly sharing burdens and joys,
Giving time, energy and earnings,
Growing together and seeking truth through regular Bible study and prayer,
Recognizing the importance of small groups,
Living as people of hope.
To seek and promote God's peace:
In our personal lives,
In our relationships,
By caring for our environment,
By loving all peoples,
By being peacemakers,
By following Christ's example of love.
To seek justice:
Through non-violent means,
By being fair in our dealings with others,
By treating others like we want to be treated,
By living amongst and enabling the powerless,
By calling to attention abuses of power,
By working with those who seek God's Shalom.
To see each member as a minister of the church:
Serving within the congregation and beyond it,
Reaching out to those who are in need,
Inviting others into the community of faith.
And by the grace of God we commit ourselves to do this as together we walk with all God's People along the Way to which God has called us.
Adopted June 12, 1988
Hope Mennonite Church