COVENANT OF THE

PITTSBURGH MENNONITE CHURCH

We believe and confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and acknowledge Him as our personal Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-10). We believe the Holy Spirit empowers us to know and do the will of God (John 16:12-15). We recognize the Bible as the word of God, and submit to God’s ultimate authority over our lives. We believe baptism to be a public witness of our confession of faith. Our identification is with the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, although we seek to communicate and grow with the larger body of Christ. We welcome those who come from different backgrounds to fellowship with us.

Followers of Christ function best within a community of believers, not in isolation. The ultimate goal of our community is to follow Jesus faithfully. In seeking this objective, we commit ourselves to the following:

Commitment to our Congregation

1. We will make a sincere effort to actively participate in worship services, business meetings, and other church activities on a regular basis.
2. In the spirit of love we will encourage nurturing through affirmation and support of each other (I Corinthians 13). At the same time, we will be open to the counsel of one another, and will give counsel in humility and honesty (Galatians 5:25-6:2).
3. We encourage small group participation for Bible study, sharing, prayer, and spiritual growth. It is our desire that involvement in small groups will allow for counsel and increased accountability through personal interaction.
4. We recognize that all material blessings belong to God. Therefore, we will give joyfully in a manner proportional to our income.
5. We welcome and reach out to our visitors; we seek to encourage and support students who are transiently with us.
6. We will support the outreach and work of the church with our prayers, time, financial resources, and spiritual gifts. We will seek the Spirit’s guidance for areas in which we individually might become involved (Romans 12:6-8).

Commitment to Daily Christian Living

1. As disciples of Christ, and as a testimony of our church, we will strive to follow His teachings in all areas of our lives. This includes our speech, attitudes, relationships and outward appearance (Romans 12:1-3).
2. We will strive to spend time in regular Bible study, prayer and meditation (2 Tim.2:15).
3. God calls us to peace and non-resistance on a personal and global level. We will seek ways to promote justice and reconciliation in our daily lives.
4. We accept both singleness and marriage as gifts from God, and strive to grow in wholeness. Whether single or married, we respect the gift of sexuality in the light of God’s purity. We acknowledge the permanency of marriage, and give priority to the nurture of our children.

Approved by congregation – 3/31/87