Model convenant

COVENANT
between
NN CHURCH OF SCOTLAND
and
NNNN UNITED FREE CHURCH

As we, the congregations of NN Church of Scotland and NNNN United Free Church of Scotland, have worked, worshipped and prayed together, our relationship has grown and developed.

We confess our common faith in One God, the Father and Creator of all, His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified.
We confess our common calling to serve in God’s mission to the world.

We believe we are called to deepen our life together in Christ, and to seek to offer to the world a visibly united witness.  Therefore, as fellow Christians, we commit ourselves to worship and work together

  • o proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God and nurturing new believers;
    o declaring the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the community we serve in relevant ways that are faithful to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments
    o expressing the love of God through our shared Christian witness;
    o sharing gifts and resources for the advancement of God’s kingdom;
    o advocating justice, peace and reconciliation;
    o growing towards the unity of faith and witness we know to be God’s will;

We now covenant to develop our witness, worship and prayer under the promised guidance of the Holy Spirit.  This will include:

                                                • o Joint worship, witness and service such as Bible Study groups, opportunities for prayer and fellowship, Youth Ministry and outreach to the whole community.
                                                  o Preaching and teaching ministry undertaken by the ordained ministers and by lay people the ministers invite to take part.  Within the United Free Church the 2 ministers from NN will conduct morning worship approximately one Sunday in three, the interim Moderator will conduct worship approximately once a month (and occasionally in NN).  In NN services will be led predominantly by the two ministers.  There will be one Evening Service for both congregations which will normally take place in NN and occasionally in the United Free Church.
                                                  o Pastoral Care in both congregations provided by a team including the ministers, interim moderator, elders and others.  Elders will normally be responsible for caring for a group of people in their own congregation.  The ministers will provide pastoral care in both congregations as required especially in situations of critical pastoral need.
                                                  o Exchange of appropriate information from Kirk Session meetings and occasional joint Kirk Session meetings
                                                  o Representation from the United Free Church congregation on the Nominating Committee in the event of a vacancy occurring in NN.  This would mean at least two representatives from NNNN United Free Church on a committee likely to number 13.  Similarly there would be at least two representatives from NN on a Vacancy Committee or other group involved in an appointment at NNNN United Free Church.

                                                  As we enter into this covenant between our two congregations, we affirm our desire, also to work more closely with other churches in the local community and beyond, when that is possible.

                                                  Recognising the assistance given to the United Free Church congregation by NN, an agreed sum will be contributed to the NN Community Development Fund which will be used to develop local ministry and outreach.

                                                  A joint review of the relationship will be carried out after three years and then regularly every five years.  If the situation changes so that there is only one full time minister in NN, it is recognised some of the arrangements will need to be reviewed.  If it is considered appropriate for an appointment to be made in the UF congregation then the arrangements will be reviewed in the light of this.  A review may also become necessary due to other unforeseen circumstances.

                                                  We enter this covenant relationship in faith, believing that as God has brought us to this point so he will lead us forward as we seek the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in the community in which we serve and beyond.