Our norms as a congregation

A Tuesday blog post, for reference, to remind us of the norms we came up with earlier this year. These norms help us to ensure healthy communication and live out our mission of being a Reconciling, Affirming, Rejoicing congregation.

 

Defining who we are as a faith community

General principles

• We don’t take anything personally; we seek to build trust

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

• We are truthful and kind; we aim for necessary and beneficial communication that fosters unity; we listen actively and seek understanding; we give the benefit of the doubt

Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)

• We abide by the Golden Rule; we are ready to sacrifice for others

In everything do unto others as you would have them do unto you; for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

• We practice sitting with discomfort and remaining non-anxious in conflict

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. (Luke 6:35)

• If we have feedback, we deliver it directly (with a third party witness if necessary), face to face if possible; anonymous feedback (“people are saying”) will not be considered

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (Matthew 18:15-16)

• We keep long term goals in mind; we balance old and new; we are patient and faithful

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Leadership and organization

• If significant change is at stake, we meet face-to-face before taking action
• Likewise, if significant change is at stake, we tackle projects in pairs or groups, not alone

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. (Mark 6:6b-7)

• The wardens and incumbent have the final say in which ideas are implemented
• We are building trust and being patient as multiple very different systems are joined, and as we transition from a family-sized way of functioning to a pastoral sized one

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

 

 

Email communication

• Keep emails and replies to those directly involved
• If you don’t know who’s involved, ask
• When adding people to an existing email chain, name them and indicate why you’re copying them in the email in which you add them
• For large group lists, use bcc (blind carbon copy)
• Use the forwarding function for informational purposes only, and indicate the reason for forwarding in the message
• Be mindful of tone
• Don’t say anything in an email that you wouldn’t say to the recipient’s face

And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. (Colossians 4:16)