COVENANT AGREEMENT
This 16th day of Septmeber, 2007, Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ, New Orleans, Louisiana (hereinafter “Central UCC”) and St. Matthew United Church of Christ, New Orleans, Louisiana (hereinafter “St. Matthew UCC”), as member churches of the New Orleans Association and the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ, enter into the following covenant agreement to recognize, formalize, and cooperatively further their joint ministries as a covenanted community for a term of two years.
Introduction
After the devastation and diaspora of Hurricane Katrina, the pastors and members of Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC returned to New Orleans to begin the spiritual and physical rebuilding of New Orleans, supported by the prayers and generosity of many churches and individuals. St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC shared their resources and talents, and prayed, rejoiced, grieved, worshipped, and served the greater community together.
Now, after nearly two years of joint worship, pastoral ministry and fellowship, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC do bind ourselves together in Christian love, serving God as we understand in the teachings of our holy scripture and the life of Jesus Christ. Together we seek the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us as we endeavor to do the will of God.
Recitals
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC are congregations seeking to answer the call of Jesus Christ to love and serve God, our neighbors, and all creation, seeking peace and justice;
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC are each a non-profit religious corporation in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State, each with its own constitution and bylaws, and each is a church affiliated with the United Church of Christ (hereinafter “UCC”), through the UCC’s South Central Conference and New Orleans Association;
WHEREAS, Central UCC has a 135 year history and tradition of ministries offering worship, pastoral services, education, music, and fellowship to its members and friends, and services to New Orleans and to the wider church and human family;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC has a 158 year history and tradition of ministries offering worship, pastoral services, education, music, and fellowship to its members and friends, and services to New Orleans and to the wider church and human family;
WHEREAS, Central UCC’s sanctuary, buildings and facilities on Bienville Street were rendered unusable due to Hurricane Katrina, and continue to require major repairs;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC’s sanctuary, buildings and facilities on Carrollton Avenue sustained minor damage due to Hurricane Katrina, and are usable;
WHEREAS, many members of St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC continue to be displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina;
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC have been jointly worshiping, jointly sharing pastoral services and fellowship, and jointly using St. Matthew’s sanctuary and facilities on Carrollton Avenue since November 2005;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC desire to continue jointly worshiping, jointly using St. Matthew’s facilities, and jointly sharing pastoral services;
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC also desire to jointly conduct a ministry of mission, service education, music and fellowship;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC each own and control movable and immovable property and other assets, and desire to continue separate ownership and control of each church’s finances, property and assets;
WHEREAS, Central UCC is renovating the facility for the Hume Child Development Center, which will continue to be a ministry of Central UCC;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC employs and hopes to continue to employ, manage and compensate a Minister of Music, a Custodian and a Secretary;
WHEREAS, each of Central UCC and St. Matthew has called and will continue to call, support and compensate a Pastor, to provide pastoral services;
WHEREAS, each of Central UCC and St. Matthew desires to separately make pastoral employment, policy and compensation decisions;
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC desire to continue separate direction of their finances, property and certain other affairs;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC desire to jointly decide issues regarding pastoral services to their covenanted community and the wider church and humankind;
WHEREAS, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC desire to jointly provide members of both churches with fellowship, education, music, worship, mission and service opportunities;
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC are grateful for the support received from other churches of the United Church of Christ, other UCC organizations and entities, individuals and others, and desire to cooperatively seek further support and funding to enable renovation, rebuilding, and joint ministries of pastoral services, worship, missions, education, fellowship and service to others; and
WHEREAS, Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC desire to jointly serve God and all persons.
COVENANT
In furtherance of the ministries of Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC, and pursuant to the foregoing recitals, St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC do hereby agree and covenant before God as follows:
1. Term: This Covenant Agreement shall be for a term of two (2) years, beginning when this Covenant Agreement is approved by vote of the members of Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC. This Covenant Agreement shall be reviewed by St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC, prior to the two year term’s expiration. The term of this Covenant Agreement may be extended by mutual agreement, confirmed by resolutions approved by the Central UCC Governance Council and the St. Matthew UCC Church Council
2. Joint Worship: St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC will continue joint worship led by the Pastors called by Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC.
3. Joint Ministries of Fellowship, Education, Music, Service, Outreach, Missions and Facilities: Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC will jointly lead and participate in ministries of fellowship, education, music, service, outreach, missions and maintenance and operation of jointly-used buildings and grounds. The committees leading those activities shall be comprised of members of both Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC, as selected by the processes chosen respectively by the Central UCC Governance Committee and the St. Matthew UCC Church Council.
4. Joint Use of Facilities: St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC will continue to jointly use St. Matthew UCC’s sanctuary, buildings and facilities at 1333 South Carrollton Avenue, subject to St. Matthew UCC’s existing leases and restrictions on building use, and subject to St. Matthew UCC’s ownership, maintenance and control of the building.
5. Joint Pastoral Services and Pastoral Relations: Pastors called respectively by Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC shall jointly provide pastoral services to all members of both congregations. Members of both Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC will serve as a joint Pastoral Relations Committee to support and counsel both Pastors.
6. Separate Ownership and Control of Property: Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC shall continue to separately own and separately control the movable and immovable property that is owned by each church, including all funds, investments, buildings and other assets, presently owned or acquired in the future. Each of Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC shall maintain and be responsible for its own budget, financial records, pledge income, properties, revenues, expenditures, and assets.
7. Separate Direction and Management: The Governance Committee of Central UCC shall continue to be responsible for and direct the finances, property, pastoral employment, compensation and policies, and certain other affairs of Central UCC, subject to election by and vote of the membership of Central UCC. The Church Council, Finance Committee and Endowment Committee of St. Matthew UCC shall continue to be responsible for and direct the finances, pastoral employment, compensation and policies, and certain other affairs of St. Matthew UCC, subject to election by and vote of the membership of St. Matthew UCC. St. Matthew may employ, direct and compensate its Minister of Music, Custodian and Secretary, and/or such other employees as determined by St. Matthew’s Church Council. Central UCC will make payments toward the operation, maintenance, repair and utilities for the jointly-used facilities as approved by Central UCC’s Governance Committee.
8. Consultation: The St. Matthew UCC Church Council and the Central UCC Governance Committee will regularly consult, at least quarterly, and coordinate their activities, calendars, events and decision-making in furtherance of this Covenant Agreement.
9. Separate Church Organizations: While functioning in spirit and practice as a covenanted community, legally each of Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC shall continue to be a separate church affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and shall maintain its own membership rolls, and shall each retain its own rights, privileges and responsibilities as a member of the New Orleans Association and the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ. Each of St. Matthew and Central shall call, determine employment terms and policies, and compensate its own Pastor.
10. No Agency, Joint Venture, Partnership, Transfer of Property, nor Merger: Each of St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC shall continue to be a separate church and corporation. Neither church shall be deemed an agent of the other, nor be authorized to enter into obligations or contracts for the other. This Covenant Agreement shall not and does not constitute a joint venture or partnership. No movable or immovable property shall be transferred or conveyed by this Covenant Agreement.
11. Modification or Amendment: This Covenant Agreement may be modified, changed, amended or extended, at any time, in response to the will of God or changing circumstances, by mutual agreement confirmed by resolutions of the Central UCC Governance Committee and the St. Matthew UCC Church Council, or by vote of the membership of St. Matthew UCC and the membership of Central UCC, pursuant to each church’s bylaws.
12. Applicable Law: This Covenant Agreement shall be interpreted and construed pursuant to the laws of the State of Louisiana.
13. Dispute Resolution: Any disputes arising from or concerning this Covenant Agreement will be resolved through good faith discussion and negotiation. Central UCC and St. Matthew UCC may seek guidance and pastoral mediation from the Conference Minister or other staff of the United Church of Christ, in the event that any disputes cannot be amicably resolved.
14. Archives and Document Retention: This Covenant Agreement, any amendments, and any resolutions or documents arising from or related to this Covenant Agreement shall be retained in the archives of St. Matthew UCC and Central UCC, and copies this Covenant Agreement and all such documents shall be submitted to the New Orleans Association UCC and the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Entered into and executed, pursuant to affirmative vote of the members of St. Matthew United Church of Christ and the members of Central Congregational United Church of Christ, at New Orleans, Louisiana:
CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST:
By: ________________________________
________________________________
Its President
Attest: ________________________________
_________________________________
Its Secretary
ST. MATTHEW UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST:
By: ________________________________
________________________________
Its President
Attest: ________________________________
_________________________________
Its Secretary
