Church Covenant
Having been led, as we believe by the
spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and on
profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and
this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one
another as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of
the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the
advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote
its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain in worship, ordinances,
discipline, and doctrines, to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the
support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor,
and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain the
family, and secret devotions, to religiously educate our children, to seek
the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances, to walk circumspectly in the
world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and
exemplary in our deployment, to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and
excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating
drinks as a beverage, to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of
our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one
another, in brotherly love, to remember one another in sickness and
distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy
in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation
and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we
remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other
church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles
of God's word.
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