Incarnation’s Principles of Community Health*
So that the Spirit of God may form a spiritually and emotionally healthy community at Incarnation, each member of our parish family is encouraged to practice the following principles in our community life:
We will participate with courage and honesty in the process of examining our own spiritual health, and that of our spiritual community.
We will practice direct, honest, and gentle communication, especially with those with whom we disagree or who have injured us. Gossip, triangulation, and the forming of coalitions are never options to choose.
We will strive to accept others as they are, and defend their right to be and think differently than we do.
We will try to respond to disagreements and misunderstandings with patience, humility, and by doing all we can to listen to, understand, and respect the ones with whom we disagree.
We will use our speech to encourage, affirm, and build others up.
We will seek forgiveness and reconciliation when we injure one another.
We will seek to understand and respect the decisions of those in authority in our spiritual community and to cooperate with them in the building up of the Body of Christ.
We will demonstrate a willingness to be open, flexible, and adaptable to the challenges and changes that we face.
We will strive to practice gratitude, faithfulness, hope, and love in all circumstances, at all times.
The 5 Encouragements:*
At the Church of the Incarnation, we encourage you to:
- Ask for what you need,
- Take risks, make mistakes and learn from them,
- Say "No" when you need to, without feeling guilty,
- Question anything you have been taught or assumed to be true,
- Seek understanding.
* The “Principles of Community Health” originate from St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Park City, Utah; “The 5 Encouragements” are inspired by Bill Selby and the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of the Rockies. Used with permission. Revised and adopted by Vestry, Feb 7, 2009.
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