Tending Covenant
Eliot is an intentional, covenantal community. When we become part of the community, we promise to follow that set of agreements that help us grow trust, be welcoming, and keep us safe. When conflict inevitably occurs, the Right Relations Team helps campers find pathways to resolve conflict and repair relationship ruptures.
It is a tradition at the All Camp Orientation meeting to read our covenant. As we read together, you might be thinking about the pleasant resonance of our voices speaking in unison, or you might be thinking about what you’re doing after the meeting. We encourage you to spend some time listening to and thinking about the words of the covenant. Think about what our covenant really is, why we have one, and how it can help us be together in community, both when things are going well and when they’re not.
First - our covenant is not just the words printed below. It represents promises that we make to each other when we’re together, and it lives in our relationships—the way we are with each other, the care we express for one another, every day.
Second, we have a covenant because we care about this community, and all of the individuals who are a part of it. We believe that being a part of this community not only gives something to us, it asks something of us: it asks us to be compassionate and kind to one another. It asks us to be mindful of the differences between us. It asks us to bring our best selves to Eliot, because when we do that our community is stronger. It allows us to build a community where we can all show up as our authentic selves, where we can all belong.
Finally, our covenant recognizes that we’re all imperfect people. We're all capable of causing hurt, often without realizing it, and we're all capable of being hurt. Our covenant encourages us to be courageous when harm has been done and to be open to repairing relationships, either through direct conversation, or with assistance from your Deans, Board rep, or a member of the Right Relations Team.
So as you read the words of our covenant, we ask you to take them to heart: what does it mean to you to bring your best self to Eliot? What do you need from this community to feel like you belong here, and what can you do to help create spaces of safety and belonging for others?
The Right Relations Team welcomes your thoughts, questions, and requests for support.
Co-Chairs:
Bonnie McDaniel bonniemcdaniel@gmail.com
Lauren Mac Neill lauren@laurenmacneill.com
Our Eliot Covenant
We, the Eliot community, are committed to creating and maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all campers, volunteers, and the Eliot and Seabeck staff.
As we gather in an intentional, inclusive community, we promise to:
Bring our best selves to Eliot.
Build a vibrant, multicultural community where all feel welcomed.
Volunteer and contribute to the community experience we jointly create.
Create an environment that supports each person’s unique spiritual journey.
Because we affirm and promote the Unitarian Universalist values of kindness, compassion, and respect for one another and the Earth, we promise to:
Consider the diverse perspectives and experiences that individuals bring to Eliot.
Listen deeply to appreciate other people’s needs and points of view.
Express our own emotions and differences with respect and compassion.
Act with consideration for others and the community as a whole.
Treat the grounds, buildings, plants, and wildlife with respect and minimize our impact.
Recognizing that making mistakes and engaging in conflict will happen and can contribute to individual and community growth, we promise to:
Make an effort to resolve conflicts and repair relationships constructively and in a direct and caring manner.
Seek and offer forgiveness.
Ask for help and support from Eliot leadership, if needed.
Together, we are and we make Eliot a loving community.