Parakalein

We desire and by the aids of Divine Grace do promise to walk in all the statutes and ordinances of the Lord to assemble for his Worship to keep Holy the Sabbath Day to maintain family religion and secret prayer and to honor our high and holy vocations by lives of piety toward God and benevolence toward our fellow man, and so do now join ourselves into this church and covenant to walk with it in brotherly love and faithfulness according to the rules given us in the holy word

Thus we do in humble dependence on God praying that he will enable us to be faithful and steadfast in thus covenant.

amen

This is a covenant I came across in a church in rural Massachusetts.

I imagined the people in 1700 debating, deliberating, and diligently dedicated to making a working covenant

as a witness to their community and God.

What do we covenant to do with God's help in the 21st century church.

"We covenant to put loving care and compassion for one another and for all in our neighborhood ahead of anything or anyone, ahead of anything we believe, or any behavior we embrace.  We willfully and with discipline seat aside our creed whenever it gets in the way of love and compassion.  We commit to maintain our beliefs without letting those beliefs separate us from humanity and allow us to feel superior or right.  The highest nature of God in us helps us to live in loving compassion and in affirming attitudes toward all humanity regardless of anything.  To this end we covenant our selves with the help of God" 

Ok a bit wordy.  What would you add or delete.