2024 Covenant of Conduct
The following is a covenant, which is different from a contract or some simple form that you sign your name to. This is an agreement and a promise made between the Fellowship Student Life leadership, you the student, and God. This covenant is about how we treat one another, and how we represent our church, our faith, our families, and our Lord. All students wishing to attend special events such as camps, conferences, retreats, lock-ins, mission trips, etc. must sign this covenant along with their parent or guardian for each event you attend. We do this for every event as a reminder of the standards that we will uphold and the consequences for breaking the covenant. Please read over the following guidelines and prayerfully sign your name to the covenant.
1. I will treat all students, volunteers, and leaders with the upmost respect, treating them as I would like to be treated. (Matthew 7:12, 22:39)
2. I will do all that is within my power in order live peacefully with everyone I encounter during this event (Romans 12:18) and display the fruits of the spirit in my words, actions, and thoughts. (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22)
3. I will be respectful of all leaders and volunteers, listening to them and obeying any rules and guidelines they may share. (Hebrews 13:17)
4. I will not lie to or be deceitful towards anyone. (Leviticus 19:11)
5. I will not photograph, video, or record anyone without their permission.
6. I will not distribute any photos, videos, or recordings of anyone that may be embarrassing or hurtful to the individuals involved, their families, the church, myself, or my witness regardless of whether or not I had permission to capture. When in doubt, just don’t post or send.
These first few standards leave no room for hazing, bullying, mocking, ostracizing, excluding, or in any way mentally, emotionally, or physically harming anyone involved with our event.
7. I will not bring any contraband to the event such as, but not limited to, alcohol, drugs, weapons, pornography, etc.
8. I will be on time and properly prepared for all scheduled events and activities.
9. I will dress appropriately, respectfully, and modestly.
10. I will not use foul, lewd, or inappropriate language.
11. I will not wander off by myself or with a member of the opposite sex.
12. I will remember that I am a child of God, and a representative of His kingdom as well as Fellowship Community Church and that my decisions have real consequences.
Failure to uphold this covenant may result in any combination of the following: missing out on scheduled activities, a conversation with leadership that may include your parent or guardian and being sent home at your own expense. Should a student be removed from an event for breaking this covenant, or a major violation is discovered, they will not be allowed to attend any special events locally (within approx. 4 hours) for a minimum of 6 months and any long distance (more than approx. 4 hours away) special events for a minimum of 1 year.
This covenant is not about setting impossible standards for our students or looking for individuals to pester about rules. It is about acknowledging that we are all made in the image of God and thus are each people of infinite worth in our Heavenly Father’s eyes. We will acknowledge this in all we say and do. We will hold one another accountable. And yes, we will slip up from time to time but there will always be grace. We will hear our students out should something go wrong and we will prayerfully and patiently consider all the information we can gather. Our hope is that we can create an environment not of restriction, but of freedom from the pain and mistreatment that we experience in the world every day, so that we might grow closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ and closer to Him, all while having some fun along the way.
Thank you and I hope you have a great event!
Pastor Josh Horne