Covenant

Our One Parish One Prisoner Covenant is a four-part commitment to welcome the cracks, the incomplete parts in ourselves and each other, as openings to being transformed by God and each other.

Commitment to God

I commit to seek You, Christ, in this relationship with a brother/sister in prison, not seek my need for comfort, certainty, or success.

I commit to welcome your work in me more than me changing my incarcerated brother/sister.

I commit to the openness of heart expressed in the Welcoming Prayer:

I welcome everything that comes to me in this moment because I trust it can be part of my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.

I let go of my desire for approval.

I let go of my desire for control.

I let go of my desire for false security.

I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person for myself.

I open to the love and presence of God and the healing action and grace within.

(Modified from Contemplative Outreach’s original)

Commitment to Your Incarcerated Brother/Sister

I commit to faithfulness and consistency —to stay connected with you, especially in letters. Even if I feel my efforts incomplete or imperfect. I commit to stay in relationship.

I commit to not disappear or fall off—due to being busy—without a clearly and kindly expressed reason why. We want you to know your value through a community who won’t drop you. I welcome you to call me out and ask me how I’m doing if I’m slacking. And I commit to do the same if I don’t hear from you.

I commit to a learning posture when faced with things that trouble me, rather than judging or fixing.

I commit to keep your personal life and information confidential—within your team and my family, when appropriate. We will only share your name and face with the wider church at first. Later, with your permission, we will work with you to share more, to help them know you better and to welcome you upon release.

Commitment to Your Team

I commit to welcome my team members to wisely speak into my own “underground” or issues that will probably come up at some point. I acknowledge these are things I can’t see on my own, and so, I welcome the opportunity for growth and love when this happens.

I welcome my team to call me back into seeking Christ’s work in me when I’m intent on fixing our releasing friend or changing the program.

Commitment to Underground Ministries

I commit to follow the guidelines and suggestions of the One Parish One Prisoner program that Underground Ministries has created, to the best of my abilities.

While I may pass along honest suggestions for how to alter or improve the program, I commit to see every experience of discomfort or confusion as an opportunity:

• for Christ to expand my compassion for the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and their families.

• to grow in self-awareness.

• and open myself to possibilities I can’t imagine or control.