STAFF COVENANT

As members of the staff of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville, we enter into this covenant to forge and maintain strong positive relationships among each other and with the congregation in support of the church’s mission and vision. It is our goal to promote healthy behaviors and sustainable work practices in support of the congregation’s intent to create a caring community, inspire spiritual growth, and encourage lives of service, integrity and joy.

We, the staff, make the following commitments to each other:

• We agree to be respectful, forthright and direct in our communications with each other and the congregation, assuming good will and striving to be worthy of it.
• We will affirm each other’s professional expertise and personal gifts, recognizing that we have distinct roles, yet also agreeing to freely offer support of each other as we can.
• We promise to respect each other’s work schedules and the rhythms of our work life.
• We will express and maintain clear personal and professional boundaries, while respecting the boundaries of others. We will support each other in making space for our personal lives.
• To maintain healthy relationships, we agree to hold to the following model in responding to complaints or concerns brought to us by a staff member or member of the congregation:
  • Ask the person to approach the staff member directly;
  • Offer to go with the person to speak to the staff member;
  • Offer to speak with the staff member, using the person’s name;
  • The matter will be dropped.
• We will endeavor to be constructive in our dealings with each other. We will look for opportunities to build a sense of teamwork and take time for having fun.