When young people trace the value of covenant and community from the Old Testament through the New Testament, they will be better prepared to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their own communities.

As you begin the school year and build new and stronger relationships within your group, take the opportunity to frame your youth group or Sunday school class as a covenant community. Take time to discuss with the group what makes you a community as opposed to just a random gathering. If you have a large group, you may choose to wear nametags so that you can call one another by name. If you are a smaller group, you may choose to meet fifteen minutes early in order to spend more time sharing joys and concerns and praying together.

Your discussion will naturally turn to activities you can do in community. In addition to calling one another by name, welcome everyone who enters the group. Along with sharing joys and concerns, be attentive and prayerful as others speak.

After some discussion of ways you will live together as a community, record your thoughts on a large sheet of paper—both the doing and the being. Be sure everyone understands each commitment on the list and is willing to work toward supporting each one.

If everyone is in agreement, then offer these commitments to God and to one another as your covenant for the year. Ask each person to sign the covenant or to pray A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition after signing the class covenant.

Post the covenant in your meeting space as a reminder and prompt during your meeting time. Take time to review it weekly as you learn it, then monthly to see if the group thinks they are living up to the covenant or wants to make changes. Always affirm the strengths and value of your particular community, offering grace to continue on this journey of study and formation.