The Brighton Churches Covenant

signed on the Day of Pentecost, 4th June, 2006

A COVENANT BETWEEN CHURCHES IN BRIGHTON

PREAMBLE

In 1952 the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches accepted a suggestion that the Churches should agree to act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately (the Lund Principle).

The National Council of Churches in Australia is also encouraging local churches to take specific steps towards a more visible expression of unity and to move towards a deeper experience of communion in the conviction that ecumenical co-operation is fundamental to the integrity of the Church's mission.

Covenants are agreements, made by Church communities who recognise their common Baptism and agree to work together to make visible the unity of Christ and to lay the foundation for further combined activities.

A local covenant offers a simple and direct way of giving practical expression to this ambition. It is also a formal agreement between a local Christian community in which a pledge is made to God, to serve and witness to the Gospel. While formal unity between churches is still a long way off, local covenants are an interim way of exploring existing unity (real, but imperfect communion) and understanding elements of Christian mission together.

THE COVENANT

We the Churches signed below, united in our common commitment to Christ and to the coming of his Kingdom, commit ourselves to serve one another in both word and deed, to seek ways to strengthen our witness, our service and worship and to search for fresh ways to express our unity in Christ so as to grow more united.

We covenant together:-

• To pray for each other's parishes by name on the first Sunday of each month.
• To have regular meetings of the clergy and staff of our parishes for prayer, study and planning and to share matters of common interest and concern related to church and community.
• To plan for annual joint meetings of Parish Councils or Vestries of the covenanting congregations to share plans and actions and review progress.
• To plan common worship activities around the time of the major Christian festivals, particularly Advent, Good Friday, and Pentecost (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity).
• To celebrate together the World Day of Prayer.
• To support local Christian education programs as opportunity permits especially Christmas "Countdown" for local primary school aged children.
• To support Religious Education for young people in local schools and to meet with staff both volunteer and paid on a regular basis for support and encouragement.
• To plan for and implement annual ecumenical study groups in either Advent, Lent or Pentecost seasons.
• To work together as need and opportunity arises on social justice and welfare projects in particular to support the work of BayNET.
• To encourage our members to act as volunteer helpers in joint community ventures.

We invite all our members to join in prayer and commit to this covenant towards God's future and in response to our Lord's Prayer "that they all may be one...that the world may believe".

This covenant will be reviewed on a biennial basis to assess progress and encourage new steps towards greater unity. Following the review the participating parishes will renew their commitment to the covenant.

      Rev'd Kenyon McKie	              for the Anglican parish of St. Andrew's, Brighton         
                                                                   "        "             "

      Angela Edwards
                                                                   "        "             "

      Rev'd Russell Joyce	              for the Anglican parish of St. Peter's, Brighton Beach
                                                                   "        "             "

      Jean Corbett
                                                                   "        "             "

      Rev'd Peter Omond	              for the Anglican parish of St. Stephen's, Gardenvale
                                                                   "        "             "

      David Frost
                                                                   "        "             "

      Pastor Paul Kent    	              for the Assembly of God Church, Brighton
                                                                   "        "             "

      David Bodycoat
                                                                   "        "             "

      Margaret Fordyce    	              for the Catholic parish of St. Joan of Arc, Brighton
                                                                   "        "             "

      Peter Toms
                                                                   "        "             "

      Genevieve Jeffery PBVM            for the Catholic parish of St. James, Gardenvale
                                                                   "        "             "

      Eileen Flanagan
                                                                   "        "             "

      Rev. David Buesnel   	             for the Brighton Church of Christ
                                                                   "        "             "

      Beverley Collins
                                                                   "        "             "

      Rev. Peter Burnham                    for the Uniting Church congregation of St. Leonard's
                                                                   "        "             "
  
      Ian Duncan
                                                                   "        "             "

      Rev. Ian R. Cayzer                       for the Uniting Church congregation of Trinity, Brighton
                                                                   "        "             "

      Marilyn Cassidy
                                                                   "        "             "