So, I’ve been at the ECO National Gathering this week with eight others from our congregation (including Pastor Scott and Karen!) and around 1,300 others from our denomination. It has been wonderful to catch up with friends, network, learn and worship. Naturally there has been tons to think about, but I was particularly struck by a talk on “covenant.”

We are a “Covenant” Order of Presbyterians and our members are called covenant partners. This means we have committed to be God’s people together both as a denomination and within each of our congregations. We belong to God, and we belong to each other.

Covenant thus informs the way we do church together. We are there for each other and our discipleship, or growth in Christ, depends on being there for each other because discipleship depends on accountability. And accountability comes with Covenant. Covenant also informs how we do mission— together in order to invite people into the covenant community.

Covenant is a desperately needed counter to the rampant individualism of our culture. Individualism can lead to depression and burnout, but people living in covenant relationship with one another have a support system for each other, both their discipleship and mission. So friends, let’s live into and embrace our identity as God’s Covenant people.