We are living in immensely difficult times. Deep societal issues including racism, economic inequality, and environmental injustice mar our current lives and threaten to harm the lives of future generations. There are no easy remedies to these community ills, but returning to the practice of covenant may offer a path forward. Living in covenant creates and develops community. It also furthers both the mission and the health of our faith movement.

The 2021 Commission on Appraisal report, Unlocking the Power of Covenant, examines the nature, substance, and structure of covenants within Unitarian Universalism. Drawing from focus groups, interviews, and surveys, the Commission describes and interprets the role that covenants do, can, and should play in the individual lives of Unitarian Universalists, as well as in our relationships with other congregations, other faith traditions, and the Unitarian Universalist Association. With its recommendations and resources, Unlocking the Power of Covenant is a powerful must-read for all looking to tap into a richer, fuller utilization of covenant.

The Commission on Appraisal was inaugurated by the bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1961. The Commission is charged to review, study, and report on any function or activity of the Association that would benefit from an independent review, and to report the results at least once every four years to the General Assembly.


The current members of this Commission are:
Rev. Dr. Carol Thomas Cissel, Interim Chair, State College, Pennsylvania
Virginia M. Abraham, Secretary, Port Charlotte, Florida
Dr. Victor Ashear, Sheridan, Wyoming
Rev. Madelyn Campbell, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Kathleen Henry, Chaplain, Truro, Massachusetts
David Friedman, Treasurer, Rochester, New York
Rev. Dr. Rodney Lemery, Hercules, California