This litany of commitment is inspired by the concept of the Wesleyan Covenant Renewal service in the Methodist tradition. The list of commitments is generously adapted from the G-1.0304, “The Ministry of Members,” from the PCUSA Book of Order. If you serve a traditional PCUSA congregation, you may wish to substitute the list from the Book of Order directly.
On this New Year’s Day, we rejoice
that we do not start from a blank slate
but possess a storehouse of God’s blessings:
love that has carried us all our years,
strength that has seen us through hard days,
grace that forgives and forgives and will forgive again,
mercies newly available to us each morning.
In a world that tells us we are not enough,
we boldly proclaim:
There is nothing we can do or be,
and no resolution we can make,
that can make God love us more
or think of us as more worthy.
We are loved exactly as we are.
Yet in gratitude for those blessings,
and taking our courage from that love
we can freely commit to a life
that fully expresses the goodness of God,
rooted deeply in Christian discipleship.
So on this first day of the year,
we renew our covenant with God
to be God’s people, not just in name
but in everything we are.
What are your commitments this day?
In gratitude, and with hope, I commit:
to express Christ’s love in what I say and what I do;
to participate in and support the common life of a congregation;
to lift people up in prayer, mutual concern, and active support;
to study Scripture and discern what God is telling me through it;
to demonstrate that my faith actually changes how I live;
to follow Christ’s example in serving others;
to be God’s coworker in creating peaceful, just, free human societies,
and in restoring the natural world to God’s design;
to build up the church to reflect the image of God,
and to hold it accountable when it reflects human pride or idolatry;
to be thoughtful and intentional about my faith and how it is expressed,
in the church, at work, in my home, in my relationships, and in the world.
We commit to the life of discipleship
but we also hold these commitments gently,
knowing that all our best plans and intentions,
rest ultimately on your will and your grace.
In all we do, we rely you, O God of our lives,
and strive to give you glory. Amen.
Deep Well Worship 