PEACE WITH JUSTICE COVENANT

COMMUNITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
January 30, 2005

It is the calling of the church in every age and place to bear witness by word and deed to the biblical vision of shalom: the non-violent resolution of conflict and peace with justice. The local church is the crucible of transformation of individuals who are empowered to be witness bearers in the wider community in the building of shalom.

Therefore, we as members of Community United Church of Christ covenant together and with God to become a Peace with Justice Church. 

We affirm: 1. That God’s creation nurtures humanity and that humankind has been called to live in unity with one another and with the good earth. This is the vision of Shalom. 

We affirm: 2. That humankind has the power to make choice that result in both good and evil. Much good has come from human choices; however, out of this reality also comes brokenness, conflict, disharmony, greed and destructive violence. Furthermore, humans now have the ability to destroy much of life on earth and therefore have even greater responsibility to care for the earth.

We affirm: 3. That Jesus Christ’s teaching of God’s love and grace invites us to reconciliation, healing, love of neighbor and non-violent resolution of conflicts. We affirm that we are called to love God and one another, to see truth, to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God. We believe that without equal justice, there can be no lasting, meaningful peace.

We covenant to continue to educate our church community and ourselves about shalom and live out justice and peace in our church, our families and our wider community.

We covenant to promote peaceful resolution to conflict.

We covenant to be mindful of and responsible for the integrity of God’s creation.

We covenant to build ecumenical ties and openness to people of other paths to the God of justice and peace.

We covenant to work to develop greater sensitivity to and support for all the world’s peoples in our shared struggles for liberation.

We covenant to careful study of social justice and peace issues and to seeing a consensus as to what actions our church should take on behalf of social justice for the oppressed and poor and with non-violent alternatives to the resolution of conflict.

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History of this Covenant

At the CUCC La Foret All Church Retreat in November, 2002, several priorities came out of the goal setting session for both Inreach and Outreach. One of the Outreach recommendations to the congregation was to consider becoming a Just Peace Church. The concept of a Just Peace Church has been part of the United Church of Christ commitment since the 1985 Fifteenth General Synod passed a pronouncement "Affirming the United Church of Christ as a Just Peace Church". Many churches since then have engaged in a process of biblical and theological reflection and study and discussion and arrived at a decision to become a "Just Peace Church" through a congregational covenanting process. The sentiments expressed at the planning session at the Retreat reflected the reality that we as a society are engulfed in violence as well as the threat of war and that the Christian church must stand as a bulwark standing for nonviolent alternatives to conflict while at the same time holding firm to the call for social justice for the hurting millions of God's children. For CUCC to become a Just Peace Church required a process that took time and engaged this congregation in a thoughtful and inclusive exploration and sincere commitment.

2650 Table Mesa Drive
Boulder, Colorado 80303
303-499-9119

An Open and Affirming Congregation
The Rev. Pete Terpenning, Pastor