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 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 original by Contemplative Outreach)

Commitment to Your Team

I commit to the work of building relationships of trust, knowing it may be just as scary or new for you to do this with me. This is a major part of why I signed up for this program—to build a new community of support who knows me and cares about me, and who I can trust and rely on through this reentry journey.

I know this takes time. So I commit to the time this will take, from now through release and beyond, to share more of myself and learn more about you through meetings and letters—as well as calls, video chats, or in-person visits if possible.

I commit to being as honest as I can with you. That is, not being fake, but honestly sharing who I really am, what I'm really feeling, doubting, wanting, or struggling with. I know this will not always be easy or comfortable, but I commit to this process with you, where we learn how to trust each other with our truest selves.

I give you, my team, permission to ask me good questions and lovingly challenge me when you feel you need to. I commit to doing the same, bringing you my most honest, challenging questions.

I understand this journey together is about relationship over resources, aimed at building a strong release plan together, and so we'll be more free to be honest with each other as friends (rather than beneficiaries). Other than paying for stamps, accepting calls, or cost of visits, I commit to keeping our relationship free from money matters, because we are worth that commitment. I look forward to building a community-based reentry plan with you to roll away stones and unwrap layers, as Jesus commanded.

I commit to leaning in, rather than pulling away, when I feel confused, uncomfortable, or frustrated. It will surely happen. I might feel offended, misunderstood, or forgotten, but I commit to letting you know, and learning through it together, rather than backing away from the work.

I commit to keep all personal information confidential — held within our team. At first, the church team will only share our Releasing Friend's name and face with the wider church. Later, with permission of the individual with the story, we will work together to share more, to help the congregation know our team better and to welcome our Releasing Friend home upon release.

Commitment to Underground Ministries

I acknowledge that I chose to join this unique opportunity, because I want to build a team of loving, supportive relationships to walk with me through the work of community reentry and building new ways of being—transformation and resurrection.

While I understand no program is perfect, I commit to trusting One Parish One Prisoner's practices and guidelines to the best of my ability. I want to learn from the years of experience helping people gradually building authentic lives and continually loving them when they are pulled back to the underground. I acknowledge that, as exciting as some of our plans might feel (release plans or church expectations), those ways haven't always worked, which is why I joined a team to practice new ways of being.

I commit to reaching out to Underground Ministries when I'm stuck, when there's an unsolvable problem, or part of the program doesn't feel right to me. I commit to helping this program grow with my honest feedback, and letting it help me grow as well.

Underground Ministries’ Commitment to You

We promise to share our expertise, our learnings, and our wisdom—in our updating modules, in trainings and staff support—to help practice faithfulness in these new relationships.

We will continually seek to learn with teams as you may encounter situations we haven't seen before.

We promise to receive your feedback with open hearts.

We will do our best to hold space for you when difficulties arise, and to practice faithfulness when things don't go as planned.

We promise to call you in with honesty and care when the anxiety, fear, or wounds threaten to pull us out of relationship.

Stones & Layers

I want to move forward in these areas, and I commit to my role in putting in the work it will take. Others can rely on my energy and work and spirit to grow—together. I commit to taking ownership of these parts of my resurrection and reentry, exploring my past and future with others in ways that might be painful. I am inviting my One Parish One Prisoner team to know me, my situations, and to help me the best they can as I join this “underground” change.