At Main Line Unitarian Church, we have created — and the congregation has approved — a Right Relations Covenant: an expression of how we engage with one another so that all feel welcome and at home here.
It is not a set of rules, but an aspiration—a way of reminding us how to return to love and respect when we inevitably stumble. It helps us practice community that is supportive, accountable, and grounded in our shared Unitarian Universalist values.
✅ The Right Relations Covenant Has Been Approved
After more than a year of congregational listening sessions, drafting, and feedback, the Right Relations Covenant was approved by the congregation at the Annual Congregational Meeting on June 14, 2026.
What Is a Right Relations Covenant?
A Right Relations Covenant is a guide to how we live together as a spiritual community: congregants, ministers, staff, friends, and anyone who calls MLUC home.
It recognizes that conflict is inevitable—and sometimes necessary for growth. The covenant provides a framework for navigating those tensions and returning to right relations. Rather than being a code of conduct, it is an ideal we pursue together—a living commitment that can grow and change as our congregation grows and changes.
“We’re all human. We’re all going to fall out at some point. And we need each other as accountability partners. The covenant will recognize that and allow all of us to be our human selves.”
— Carol Hillman, MLUC’s Right Relations Task Force Chair
Why Now?
Many UU congregations embrace Right Relations Covenants as part of practicing Shared Ministry. In this time of Developmental Ministry, MLUC is deepening its commitments to justice, compassion, and spiritual growth. A covenant will provide steady ground as we work to widen our welcome, strengthen our connections, and live our values more fully.
How This Covenant Was Created
This covenant is being created by all of us together. Through Appreciative Inquiry sessions, we gathered stories, hopes, and commitments from across the congregation that shaped the draft. This is a shared ministry project—owned not by one team or committee, but by the entire community.
Timeline
- Sept. 21, 2025 – Kickoff sermon by Rev. John Morehouse
- October–November 2025 – Appreciative Inquiry sessions with committees and groups
- Jan. 18, 2026 – After-service Right Relations Covenant Creation meeting – all congregation
- Feb. 15, 2026 – After-service Right Relations Covenant Creation meeting – all congregation
- Feb. 22, 2026 – Online Right Relations Covenant Creation meeting (Zoom only)
- March 1, 2026 – Draft covenant completed
- March 22, 2026 – After-service presentation & feedback session
- April 2, 2026 —Community feedback deadline
- June 14, 2026 – Congregational vote — covenant approved
What Comes Next
With the covenant now affirmed, the Board is forming a Right Relations Team to help our congregation live into it—supporting faithful communication, creative conflict resolution, and ongoing learning. Team members will model covenantal practice, offer training, and remind us that returning to right relations is part of the work of spiritual growth.