A Congregational Blessing Resource

Appendix. 5—Congregational Blessing

Priesthood and Leadership Covenant
February 19, 2008

As a Stone Church priesthood member and/or leader, I commit to God, to each of the others serving with me, and to the entire Stone Church congregation the following affirmations:

1. I will give my personal best to the role(s) I accept during this ministry, and I will make them priorities for 2008. I will seek at all times God’s direction for my role(s), for this team, and for the congregation. I understand this is a ministry requiring a growing love and understanding for God’s leadership, commitments of time and effort, and a joyful and hopeful reliance on God’s guidance.
2. I will uphold in regular prayer and fasting the entire congregational ministry for all that will occur before, during, and following the blessing. I will share a prayerful, humble, gentle, contrite spirit of confession and repentance in preparation for receiving God’s fullest blessings.
3. I will seek to discern and to be open to God’s will in all aspects of our ministry. Included in this will be how we should plan and organize, identify the needs and opportunities of the congregation, and determine the form, nature, and substance of the blessing God desires to bestow upon this congregation and our mission.
4. I will seek through deliberate study of scriptures, other sacred resources, and prayer to understand the nature, purposes, and possibilities of this congregational blessing experience and bring the best insight(s) to our task.
5. I will be a fully participating member of the team, attending regularly activities and freely expressing my thoughts, insights, perspectives, and relevant ideas. I also will be willing to accept whatever role(s) seem to best blend with the requirements of our ministry, God’s guidance, and my gifts and experience.
6. I recognize the congregational blessing we seek is truly God’s ministry expressed through us collectively and individually and is a vital part of helping build Zion. I will seek diligently to listen, be attuned to, and focus on the spiritual nature and potential of this journey and the blessing that arises from this experience.
7. I rejoice in partnering with my sisters and brothers in this divine task as we walk with Jesus.