Even though I’ve served at the church I serve for several months now, today (at the very moment this post goes live, in fact!) I will be officially installed as its pastor. It seems a little weird to do—I’m already the pastor, after all. The church called me, I’ve been here for a while; why bother with this special service? We bother because it’s a moment to recognize the numerous covenants and important relationships which sustain pastor and congregation.

A Covenant Polity

In the United Church of Christ, the denomination I’m a member of, many relationships are built on the tension between Covenant & Autonomy. Its governing documents make this tension an essential aspect of our polity:

Within the United Church of Christ, the various expressions of the church relate to each other in a covenantal manner. Each expression of the Church has responsibilities and rights in relation to the others, to the end that the whole Church will seek God’s will and be faithful to God’s mission. Decisions are made in consultation and collaboration among the various parts of the structure. As members of the Body of Christ, each expression of the Church is called to honor and respect the work and ministry of each other part. Each expression of the Church listens, hears, and carefully considers the advice, counsel, and requests of others. In this covenant, the various expressions of the United Church of Christ seek to walk together in all God’s ways.

United Church of Christ, “The Constitution of the United Church of Christ,” 13 October 2018, art.III, https://www.new.uccfiles.com/pdf/UCC_Constitution.pdf.

Under this system, each congregation is recognized as its own independent entity, yet also willingly enters into a relationship with the broader church through membership in Associations, Conferences, and the General Synod of the United Church of Christ. Local congregations have the freedom to live out their call to proclaim God’s reign in the way that is most applicable to their community and ministry setting, yet also are accountable to and share resources with the broader church. This reflects the invitation of the apostle Paul in Galatians 5:13–14, “You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Common English Bible) The love of Christ invites us to serve one another, even as we live in the freedom of Christ.

One of the ways this system plays out practically is through the authorization of ministers. Part of the covenant between congregations and Associations (or Conferences, depending on the region) is ensuring that the ministers available to congregations are qualified for their service. This often includes requiring advanced degrees and a demonstrated knowledge of Scripture, Theology, and Church History; training in pastoral care and church leadership; a demonstrated call to ministry through the Holy Spirit, as discerned by both local congregations and the association; as well as ensuring the potential minister has a knowledge of themselves through psychological testing. Congregations trust that Associations and Conferences will help them find qualified candidates for ministry, so that they may fulfill their side of the covenant by calling one of those qualified candidates.

Covenantal Relationships

Which brings us back to the Service of Installation. This is the moment in which the Association, the minister, and the congregation publicly express their covenantal relationship with one another. The congregation presents the pastor they have called to the Association, and all parties affirm their covenants with one another. From the installation service itself:

Installation confirms and celebrates the covenantal relationship among a local church, its pastor and teacher, and the United Church of Christ. Installation is a sign that these covenantal partners are committed to share mutually in the mission of the United Church of Christ and of the ecumenical church.

United Church of Christ, Book of Worship (United Church of Christ, 1986), 416.

In the service, the minister promises to pastor the congregational faithfully; the congregation promises to serve with, honor, and support the minister; and the association promises to remain in relationship with both the minister and congregation. This three-way covenant preserves congregational autonomy, but also maintains the relationship between all parties in a way that, we believe, best reflects the UCC’s broader call as a united and uniting church.

So why bother with an installation? It marks the beginning of this next chapter in the life of this congregation and also acknowledges the various covenants and partnerships through which the church lives out its nature. It confirms that we are not lone churches or pastors, but part of the whole body of Christ, and together move forward to bear witness to the reign of God.