“Covenant” is a fancy word for a promise. In religion, a covenant often has to do with a promise between people and God. For example, in Judaism the Ten Commandments are a covenant God made with the Jews when they escaped slavery in Egypt. God promised to give them a land of their own and the Jews promised, in return, to obey God’s laws. In Unitarian Universalism our Principles and Purposes (statements of what we believe and how we try to act in the world—see them on page 1) start out, “We covenant to affirm and promote….” Our covenant has to do with lots of different relationships: between people and nature, people and God or the Spirit of Life, people and people! For UUs, being religious means paying attention to all these relationships and promising to make them as good as you can.

Make your summer a special one by making a covenant to do three things:

1. do something nice for someone special (or for people you don’t
even know!)
2. do something to help the earth
3. do something which will help you get to know yourself better.
Here are some ideas to get you started and a pledge card for you to decorate and fill in with your personal covenant.

Make a Covenant with Other People
Collect cans along the roadside or at the park. Turn them in and give the refund money to a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or a local charity.
Help someone who lives in a nursing home celebrate his or her birthday. Call a local nursing home to find out someone who would appreciate this, then make cookies or cupcakes and bring balloons, party hats, etc., to your celebration.
Ask a grandparent or an older person to tell stories about their childhood on a tape recorder. Then give them a copy to share with their family and friends.
Be a “special pal.” Leave little notes, flowers, or fresh-picked fruit, or do favors for someone without being seen. At the end of the summer, tell your special pal it was you so they will be able to thank you.

Make a Covenant with the Earth
Make a backyard wildlife habitat. Plant flowers that bees and butterflies like, build a birdhouse or set out a birdbath.
Keep a plastic bag in your pocket and pick up at least one piece of trash every time you go somewhere.
Hug a tree everyday.
Plant a tree and join the Tree Musketeers (a national network of kids who plant trees everywhere). Call 1-800-473-0263 to get their newsletter. Or write: Tree Musketeers, 406 Virginia St., El Segundo, CA 90245.
Be your family’s “turner outer” and “shutter offer.” Be an “energy cop”—turn off lights that are left on, check for dripping faucets, and make sure everything that can be recylced, is!

Make a Covenant with Yourself
Make a personal altar in your room with special things in your life, like pictures of family and friends, and souvenirs from trips or holidays. Spend time every week sitting quietly by your altar and thinking about what is most important in your life.
Choose a spot outdoors to make your own. Mark the boundaries with natural markers like rocks and branches. Go to your special place from time to time to sit quietly. Notice the smells and sounds as well as the sights each time you visit.
Memorize one or two short poems. Then recite the poems every day on a walk, or just sitting and enjoying the sunshine.
Start a journal, a notebook to write in every day. Don’t just write about special events. Remember, each day is filled with thoughts and feelings that are important no matter how ordinary the day!